Care of your Hayden Harnett

[lulu3955]

Hi stormy-

I have a Byrne Hobotote in Shiitake Suede (fall 2009 collection) Could you give me a quick rundown on suede maintenance? It looks like HH might have more items in suede coming out and I want to make sure that I take care of my suedes properly.

and also..
I'm thinking about a HH PM Leopard Print Tuileries Satchel that is on an auction site right now. Anything I should know about the care of Calf Hair?

Your the best Stormy!

[skydive nikki]

Originally Posted by Stormy Heart

Great for you, Nikki ! Yes it is possible, but we have other considerations. First, how is the humidity level ? This is more of a concern to me because extremely hot + high humidity = mold on leather. You have lots of room, so dustbags, space between the bags and dri-packs slipped into each are essential. Second, how hot is it ? Can you install a vent fan up there ? Thirdly, check your bags that have the thinnest leather for dryness. If there is a problem, they will feel like dry, or even chapped, skin. Get out the TLC or Lexol if this is the case. Just be aware that moisturizing leather in humid conditions can make things worse. not better. Think tropics here. Adjust your humidity levels first, with a dehumidifier and exhaust fan, then worry about the actual ambient temperature. The same ideal conditions apply for your silk, wool, tencel and cotton garments, so I'd make sure that dream closet is a happy dream with climate control. You have a large investment in your closet and it's worth protecting. Keep the closet door open for air circulation, and perhaps add a small electric fan, too. If you are comfortable, so is your leather. You may even have enough space for a net hammock for your bags, which will increase airflow to the leather. I hope you have a better handyman than I do. Good Luck ! * Stuffing matters, too. Acidic materials can contribute to leather degradation. Cloth is good.

Stormy, You truly are our Leather Expert. You know everything ! Thank you so much for all your help. I do have a little bit of a handyman in my boyfriend. Now I have to add some things to my honey do list for him. He does love a good project.

[Stormy Heart]

Originally Posted by lulu3955

Hi stormy- I have a Byrne Hobotote in Shiitake Suede (fall 2009 collection) Could you give me a quick rundown on suede maintenance? It looks like HH might have more items in suede coming out and I want to make sure that I take care of my suedes properly. and also.. I'm thinking about a HH PM Leopard Print Tuileries Satchel that is on an auction site right now. Anything I should know about the care of Calf Hair? Your the best Stormy!

Awww, Thanks Lulu, that's sweet. Suede care starts with your Suede and Nubuck Spray Protector. Get yourself a suede brush and a eraser combo for touch ups. Be careful with your erasers so you don't rub the nap right off. After every use, shake the bag and 'brush' it with terrycloth to dislodge dust/dirt that sneaks up on suede, especially at seams and on bottom. For cleaning suede, I use my Angelus shoe stretch spray which doubles as a suede cleaner (if you click on the paperclip by the thread listings, it's a photo called arsenal). Always keep her dustbagged when not in use, even overnight if she's in rotation. I do not know if your color will fade from exposure but that is the main reason suedes change color unevenly over time.
Calf hair is just leather with short fur and is very simple to keep nice. It needs no sprays, but like any fur, enjoys being gently combed occasionally with a metal comb to keep it clean. Routinely use thick terrycloth and shake as above for suede. If you do spill something on it, a damp washcloth with a tiny bit of DrBronner's or Neutrogena will do the trick. Oxiclean type cleansers will make it go bald and fall apart. It is especially important to keep Calf Hair away from heat sources, lying in the sun, and dogs.

[Stormy Heart]

Originally Posted by skydive nikki

Stormy, You truly are our Leather Expert. You know everything ! Thank you so much for all your help. I do have a little bit of a handyman in my boyfriend. Now I have to add some things to my honey do list for him. He does love a good project.

You're welcome Nikki ! Later I realized that I should have added flax and linen to the previous list. (Also, I think you should marry this guy, quick.)

[azgoldengirl26]

Originally Posted by Stormy Heart

There are a lot of concerns about Moonbeam so here's your heads-up: It is a lightly glazed pearl leather. It seems to be slightly distressed because it is a very thin topcoat. This is OK ! It will wear/rub off at edges over time, but will blend with the base color. TLC lotion does help with the dry feel, and minimally affects the luster. Because the top coat is semi-permeable,TLC does some good here, (as it will not on the Zeus, Oyster, Metallic Indigo or Violet, or Goldrush for example.) Plain soap and water OR LEXOL for cleaning. Harsh cleansers and all sprays will destroy MB. The leather will not darken from normal use, BTW. This is truly a Champagne BLOND leather !

Thank you so much for the information on keeping MB beautiful. My son's bottle opened up in my purse today (thank goodness I was using an inexpensive fabric bag) but got all over my MB carryall. I freaked out at first, but I let it dry, and it looks the same as it did before the milk got on it! Of course I don't want it to smell like spoiled milk, but I was so glad it didn't stain.

[azgoldengirl26]

Originally Posted by Stormy Heart

You are very welcome ! I have lived in AZ, and appreciate your concerns. YES!, it is typical HH to use many different leathers. They shop for new leathers every year; often we end up with surprises. The leather industry moves very quickly with new techniques and finishes ~ some are experimental and impractical, others are real improvements. Only ancient standards like Veg and Oil Tan are predictably reliable and gorgeous. HH has used some trendy 'fashion' leathers that will not withstand the test of time. To respond further, I loved all the original Mercer-washed ! The beautiful Metallic Indigo and Pewter were excellent. The Saddle era gave us OLIVE and Black in the same leather line. Without question, these are my favorites. It is possible some other colors were done in that luscious perfection (Mulberry.Chocolate. Moss?), but I don't know first-hand. In The History of the Havana thread, the original colors are named. Your best bet is to go by season because that is how they purchase leather hide lots. 'Brazilian'* is generally one indication of quality we can count on. Current best is Cordovan, although lighter weight! (* I am very fussy about my own leather sources and go for American, Argentinean, Brazilian, Austrian, Italian, French, German, and the rare Canadian.) It is difficult to anticipate future leathers by descriptions or lookbooks. HH will not answer direct, specific questions. I glean as much information as possible, add my experience with leatherart and HH , and make my most accurate assessment. It is something of a challenge at times, despite the hundreds of leathers in my shop for comparison.

Thank you so much for the review and valuable information. You truly are an expert. So, when I compare the Brandy and Cordovan, for example, it's not just the colors that differ, it's the actual type of leather as well. Interesting!

[azgoldengirl26]

Hi Stormy - Another question for our resident leather expert. I just purchased the Lexol cleaner and conditioner, and went to clean the white leather on my white and chocolate Paule Marrot Orsay satchel that has just gotten dirty from normal wear, and it seemed strange to use water on the leather with the spray. Is this correct? I did come clean, but I noticed that the areas that I cleaned have lost their texture and become smoother. Is this typical? Did I rub the leather too hard? Also, just want to clarify that I now use the conditioner on all the leather after it dries and then spray with TLC after that dries. Also, wondering if there are any additional concerns with white leather re: cleaners, etc.? Thanks!

[lulu3955]

Originally Posted by Stormy Heart

Awww, Thanks Lulu, that's sweet. Suede care starts with your Suede and Nubuck Spray Protector. Get yourself a suede brush and a eraser combo for touch ups. Be careful with your erasers so you don't rub the nap right off. After every use, shake the bag and 'brush' it with terrycloth to dislodge dust/dirt that sneaks up on suede, especially at seams and on bottom. For cleaning suede, I use my Angelus shoe stretch spray which doubles as a suede cleaner (if you click on the paperclip by the thread listings, it's a photo called arsenal). Always keep her dustbagged when not in use, even overnight if she's in rotation. I do not know if your color will fade from exposure but that is the main reason suedes change color unevenly over time. Calf hair is just leather with short fur and is very simple to keep nice. It needs no sprays, but like any fur, enjoys being gently combed occasionally with a metal comb to keep it clean. Routinely use thick terrycloth and shake as above for suede. If you do spill something on it, a damp washcloth with a tiny bit of DrBronner's or Neutrogena will do the trick. Oxiclean type cleansers will make it go bald and fall apart. It is especially important to keep Calf Hair away from heat sources, lying in the sun, and dogs.

So, I am doing my suedes justice. Thank heavens. I was hoping I wasn't doing anything wrong. I got a coach suede cleaner kit. The Brush and eraser and I already have Angelus shoe stretch spray for my DHs loafers. Awesome!
and good to know about the calf leather. What is the concern about keeping calf hair away from dogs? Is it about the dander in the air? or hair transfer?

Thanks so much stormy!

[Arielsdream]

Dear Stormy -I could not find your thread in violet pilot repair. I had a VCP pomp and DD got something ??crayon? on it and when I tried to rub it out the vcp came off (the top layer) Of course its a gouge near the pocket on front. Will the Fieblings I read about earlier work to protect it and where can I find something matching to fill it in before I spray the Fiebling's? I live in a rural area so might have to be bought online. Thank you very much :)

[trayc41]

Hi Stormy! HH should put you on their payroll--your knowledge is very impressive! I am new to HH, and after reading through all of the posts, I'm even more confused about all their leathers and what to do and not do! I have a Havana in Grey Zeus (and I think I gathered that I should not treat it with anything but just wipe with a soft cloth), but I recently purchased a Triple Compartment Mercer Satchel in Luggage and am wondering if it should be protected. And did I read correctly that it could be washed if it becomes stained? I am unsure whether the Mercer Satchel means that it is mercer-washed.

Thank you very much in advance for your time!

[Lilypad530]

I apologize ahead of time if this had already been asked.

I made the horrible mistake of wearing my Moonbeam Pomp cross body with a black sweater for a couple of hours. When I took it off I noticed some black rubbed onto (or MB rubbed off) on the back side of the Pomp!

Can anything be done? I'm scared to try anything for fear of making it worse.

Thanks!

[Stormy Heart]

Originally Posted by lulu3955

So, I am doing my suedes justice. Thank heavens. I was hoping I wasn't doing anything wrong. I got a coach suede cleaner kit. The Brush and eraser and I already have Angelus shoe stretch spray for my DHs loafers. Awesome! and good to know about the calf leather. What is the concern about keeping calf hair away from dogs? Is it about the dander in the air? or hair transfer? Thanks so much stormy!

You're welcome
(some doggies think calf hair is a toy ~ or a snack !)

[Stormy Heart]

Originally Posted by Arielsdream

Dear Stormy -I could not find your thread in violet pilot repair. I had a VCP pomp and DD got something ??crayon? on it and when I tried to rub it out the vcp came off (the top layer) Of course its a gouge near the pocket on front. Will the Fieblings I read about earlier work to protect it and where can I find something matching to fill it in before I spray the Fiebling's? I live in a rural area so might have to be bought online. Thank you very much :)

Mine is Metallic Violet. I re-colored the flaw, blended with silver metallic acrylic paint, and sealed with brushed on Fiebing's Leather Sheen Acrylic Leather Finisher. For VCP, use a felt tip marker or acrylic paint in a matching color, and cover with Fiebing's Saddle Lac to restore the high gloss. This is a spray product but you can opt for a brush-on. The variegated color of VCP will forgive a 'whoops' !
Please allow lots of dry time before touching it.
(Why did you RUB it ???) I'd have used Lexol cleanser gently on crayon.
**Give DD a big Stormy hug from me ~ gotta love a tiny artist who will draw on anything, especially leather ! Maybe she'd like a little leather purse of her own and permission to customize it...

[Stormy Heart]

Originally Posted by trayc41

Hi Stormy! HH should put you on their payroll--your knowledge is very impressive! I am new to HH, and after reading through all of the posts, I'm even more confused about all their leathers and what to do and not do! I have a Havana in Grey Zeus (and I think I gathered that I should not treat it with anything but just wipe with a soft cloth), but I recently purchased a Triple Compartment Mercer Satchel in Luggage and am wondering if it should be protected. And did I read correctly that it could be washed if it becomes stained? I am unsure whether the Mercer Satchel means that it is mercer-washed. Thank you very much in advance for your time!

Here I am. You are right on all counts, TrayC !
Luggage needs TLC spray and is also washable. If it comes to that, follow my instructions precisely.
Mercer Satchel is a style name (that has been made in many different leather types) and Mercer Washed is just HH's way of saying washed cowhide. (wish they'd bring it back !)
Make sure that the bag is very clean before spraying. You can spot clean washed leather easily. Enjoy your naked Luggage !
Thank you for your sweet compliment !! If you need more clarification about anything, just hit me here.

[Stormy Heart]

Originally Posted by Lilypad530

I apologize ahead of time if this had already been asked. I made the horrible mistake of wearing my Moonbeam Pomp cross body with a black sweater for a couple of hours. When I took it off I noticed some black rubbed onto (or MB rubbed off) on the back side of the Pomp! Can anything be done? I'm scared to try anything for fear of making it worse. Thanks!

Relax.Lily ~ Lexol Cleanser should take care of that. Follow up with TLC lotion after cleansing. Fiebings Leather Sheen will give you a real protective coat for the back of the bag. I believe in prevention, but life happens, eh.
You can use regular fabric protector sprays on the cloth strap to keep it clean.
** here is a comparative photo of pearled MoonBeam beside smooth distressed metallics. They have the same care requirements