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Thread: How to repair a large tear in a leather sofa

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
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    Post How to repair a large tear in a leather sofa

    Hello Roger,
    I have a large tear in the seat part of a leather sofa. I've seen leather repair kits on Amazon but wanted to come here to ask if you can help advise on the best way to repair a large tears? Mine is about 25cm in length.
    Thank you!
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    Last edited by teabag; 11-07-2020 at 01:30 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    One reason why leather tears easily are the drying up of the original fatliquor (fat and oil) content. The tensile strength of the leather very much depends on the percentage of fat and oil content. And modern tannery standards are about 14% for chrome-tanned leathers, just like yours in this picture.
    Since fat and oil are VOC (volatile organic compound), aging especially by heat causes evaporation and the leather becomes stiffer, loses its suppleness, and when pressure is asserted it tears is the given reason in this case.

    It is highly recommended that the leather is given a restorative cleaning and that the leather structure relaxes the stiffness and the stick together fibers open up with the help of Hydrator-3.3. Only until the entire leather is limp and plumbed up that Faliquor-5.0 is replenished to restore its tensile strength and suppleness that repairs begin.

    Repair is done with a bonding process where a sub-patch is placed beneath and a leather Bond-3D that becomes part of the leather is bonded.

    The seam is then further sealed with Bond-3D with matching colors to camouflage the repairs, and a final topcoat coat to match the sheen of the original leather finishing.

    Let me know of your further interest in the product system I mentioned.

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    Roger Koh
    Leather, Skin, Hair, Eye & Acne Care System Formulator
    Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
    web: www.leatherdoctor.com
    forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
    email: [email protected]

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
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    Hi Roger,

    Thank you very much for responding and for your explanation on why leather tears easily.

    The rip is near to the seam, does this make it hard to repair?

    With your suggestion, I would need to place a piece of lining cloth beneath the rip?

    And then use a leather Bond-3D - Is this a special leather glue?

    Can you please explain further.

    Thank you very much.

    Amy

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Greater Vancouver, Canada.
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    >>> Can you please explain further.

    From the picture, we observed that there are actually two levels of tears, one that is closed to a base seam and the other is floating with no foundation.

    A straightforward repair above the seam is to simply bring the joints closed without a gap and apply the Bond-3D on the seam and press the two sides closed until it holds.

    When this first repair is done and the bond holds them tight and dry, the floating repairs will need a LeatherPatch-4S roughly an inches width as the common base for the two floating seams. Bond one side first until it is dry and strong then the other side is brought closed and press to bond.

    When the repairs are back to its usability with replenished tensile strength from Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system, you may want to further perform camouflaging repairs with color matching pigments like Micro-54 > MicroTop-54S to reduce the appearance of repairs. However, it will appear as a natural crease line with smooth joins. A smooth join may further work with Bond-7A, as it dissolves the Bond-3D to further smooth out the joins.

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