Creases on the back of Chanel Caviar Leather Flap

[starstruck]

Hi Roger!

First of all thank you for sharing your knowledge in this forum! I learnt a lot from reading your replies to other threads

I have a Chanel Caviar Leather Flap bag that has creases at the back due to usage from opening and closing the flap, which I have learnt that the creases develop as a result of the leather being dried of its fatliquor...

As I understand the solution to prevent the further creases will be to
1) use Hydrator 3.3 to return leather to its pre-stretched condition
2) then replenish leather's fats and oil with Fatliquor - 5.0

How do I avoid overhydrating when using Hydrator 3.3 which can result in overrelaxing the leather such that the caviar disappear?

Do I apply the hydrator 3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 to the creases area only and for how long?

Thank you!

[Roger Koh]

>>> I have a Chanel Caviar Leather Flap bag that has creases at the back due to usage from opening and closing the flap,

In this case of the flap that acts as an opening and closing of a door the appearance of creases will always be there. If nothing is done to recondition the leather structure, it will continue to weaken and lose its tear or rip strength.


>>> which I have learnt that the creases develop as a result of the leather being dried of its fatliquor…

The original standard percentage of fatliquor hydrogen bonds in the tannery is about 14%. When the fatliquor (fat and oil) percentage is reduced from evaporation, as fatliquor is a (VOC) volatile organic compound the creases develop accelerate and become more visible. The fullness of the leather structure fibrils is plumped up by the ‘fat’ component and the suppleness or flexibility is enhanced by the ‘oil’ component. That is why fatliquor is used in the tannery and no other oils, creams, or conditioners. To rejuvenate the leather overstretching will require a Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hysrator-3.3 system.


>>> As I understand the solution to prevent the further creases will be to
1) use Hydrator 3.3 to return leather to its pre-stretched condition

Hydrator-3.3 cause the swelling of the thinned-out fibrils thus reducing their elongation or looseness.
It also helps to charge the amphoteric leather protein fiber ionic positive (+ve) as a preconditioner for the ionic negative (-ve) fatliquor to hydrogen bond.


>>> 2) then replenish leather's fats and oil with Fatliquor - 5.0

Remember that five parts of water need to evaporate in each application before more can be absorbed by the leather structure.


>>> How do I avoid overhydrating when using Hydrator 3.3 which can result in overrelaxing the leather such that the caviar disappear?

Observation of the working process is the only known practice. Since this cavier embossed leather finish is pigmented the absorbency rate will be less than the typical aniline-dyed finish. Unless micro creasing has developed or been absorbed through the stitching holes, getting hydrated through the pigmented surface will be a challenge. The hydrated leather structure will turn to darken with a bluish-grey tint that suggests that liquid content has increased. To minimize the creases the folding need to be crossed stretched which will also pose a challenge, not too aggressively as to remove the pigmented finishes.


>>> Do I apply the hydrator 3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 to the creases area only and for how long?

The practical approach is to apply only to the creases/folding/fault lines. Hydrator-3.3 until the leather softens and plumps up. Fatliquor-5.5 while the leather is still plumped up and will need a few application to allow five parts of the water content evaporates. It is only the one part that remain in the leather structure that rejuvenate the leather, the ‘fat’ that plumps the fatness of the leather in fullness, and the ‘oil’ that oils the interlocking fibrils like millions of interlocking hinges that slight against each other with smoothness and suppleness. Without the fatliquor in the leather structure, the leather is stiff and void of its usefulness. Fatliquor imparts an average of 2000psi to average household goods, for industrial application that needs above 5000psi all depends on how fatliquored is introduced into the leather. Again - fatliquor-is-the-lifeblood-of-leather!


Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
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