Results 1 to 2 of 2

Thread: Hats

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia
    Posts
    12

    Default Hats

    What is the best method and products to use to restore these two hats.

    Both are very dry and stained.

    Thanks,


    Showing water marks on top of brim.





    Underside of brim.



    Sweat mark where band used to be.




    Both hats in general.






    These will be going back to the owner until I can find how to restore them.

    Thanks,

    Shorty.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greater Vancouver, Canada.
    Posts
    5,102

    Default

    These are Vegetable-Tanned leathers; commonly known as tooling leathers; also referred to as naked or vachetta leathers.

    It is not Aniline leather; as no aniline dye is used in the tanning process.

    The color derives from the tannin color of these organic vegetable dyestuffs.

    These leathers darken like our skin under sunlight; unlike aniline leathers that fades.

    The average thickness for these tooling leathers is 3mm; thus gives the characteristic firmness of the leather; to keep finished object in shape.

    The average pH value of these leathers is around pH 4.

    The design we see is hand created with leather stamping tool.


    Dryness is a sign of diminishing original fatliquor that need rejuvenating with hydrating and fatliquoring.


    Stain in this situation comes from perspiration, other than from body oil.

    Perspiration contains traces of urea; that when aged and fermented shift alkaline.

    When the stain turns alkaline during hydrolysis it shifts the protein fibrils anionic (-); thus breaking the hydrogen bonding between the fibrils and the other anionic (-) leather constituents;
    “like poles repel”; becomes fugitives and migrates forming rings as shown.

    The leather pH chemistry integrity need neutralizing, re-strengthening and redistributing back these fugitive leather constituents in the restoring process; as foreign contamination is extracted out of the leather simultaneously.


    The recommended leather-safe (pH 3-5) system to restore these hats is as follows.

    Tools required:
    1] Leather Brush-1 or a detailing horsehair brush.
    2] Cotton Terry Towel
    3] Leather Eraser-4

    Products Required:
    1] Acidifier-2.0
    2] Degreaser-2.2
    3] Prep-4.4
    4] Cleaner-3.8
    5] Rinse-3.0
    6] Hydrator-3.3
    7] Fatliquor-5.0

    Procedural Sequence of Steps:
    1] Dry Soil Removal:
    Use leather Brush-1 especially to the seams and laces; leather Eraser-4 to the suede side concentrating on the stain areas.

    2] Degreasing:
    Apply Degreaser-2.2 to the grease area (both suede and leather side) and agitate with leather Brush-1; dwell a few minutes and towel extract.

    3] Strip of Foreign Soiling:
    Use Prep-4.4 and apply with a 3” foam brush on both sides; let dwell 30 minutes or more and towel extract.

    4] Clean of Suspended Soiling:
    Use Cleaner-3.8 spray and agitate to both sides and extract with towel until it shows clean.

    5] Acidifier Rinse off all residue:
    Use Rinse-3.0 spray and towel extract until towel shows clean to a healthy squeaky feel.
    When stain areas feels tacky or slimy; use Acidifier-2.0 instead until it feels squeaky.
    The squeaky feel check with hand is a simple precautionary step to ensure that the leather pH balance is right; other than using a pH meter.

    6] Drying:
    Put the hat over a towel covered hat dummy and stretch in place for smartness and towel extraction during the slow wicking process until dry.
    A leather surface extension can be created by layering it with thin absorbent tissue paper to catch the wick-up foreign contamination during the slow drying process.

    7] Dry soil Removal:
    The wick-up soiling particulates may be lodged in the pores or in-between grains that need to be brushed, erased with Eraser-4 or stretch to lighten-up.

    8] Inspection:
    Check for satisfactorily removal of Stains; otherwise repeat the entire process until the stain is gone.

    9] Leather Rejuvenating:
    Hydrator-3.3 is the preconditioner for the Fatliquor5.0; not only to hydrate the stiff leathers; fatliquor to replenish for leather suppleness; but also for the aesthetic leather appearance without the blotchiness.
    Airbrushing both the Hydrator-3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 is recommended for appearance sake for even coverage.
    Fatliquoring will contribute to the richness of color tone when dry.

    Note:
    Have to keep an eye on the tooling design; hydrating may cause the relaxing of the compressing tension; need to be prequalified.


    This is a foolproof system based on leather cleaning science and proven art of practice.


    Roger Koh
    Leather Doctor®

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 2 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 2 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •