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kmh1190 · Nov 1st, 2008, 03:47 PM

Gettinpurseonal, on the Tano subforum, several of us have used products from Tarrago to restore/brighten color and a couple of people have actually revived beaten up bags from the the brink of death. I've personally used Tarrago coloring cream to even out fading. There are several different products that can be used, depending on the amount of coverage you want. The "shoe creams" have the least amount of pigment, the "coloring creams" have more and the "dye kits" can actually change bags to a different color. I'm thinking that since you just want to darken the leather, all you need is the shoe cream or coloring cream. The website for tarrago if you are interested is: http://www.tarrago.us/ They sell through amazon as well. Hope this helps!

whitemamacita · Nov 1st, 2008, 07:36 PM

I am in love with the new color, IMO much better than the other. I have a Gustto (yes cheating on Kooba but love my Setela) it is in the orange color which is more of a brown. When I see the color of the original bag the colors are very similar and would love to get my setela to look like your new color but I am just too chicken to ruin my Setela which I am carrying at the present time and plan on for winter. Gosh it looks great though and thought crossed my mind but I am sure they are your kooba and my gustto have different types of leather and scared to ruin my baby. But great idea and I love the new color.

gettinpurseonal · Nov 2nd, 2008, 01:29 AM

Hmm, thanks, kmh1190. Is Tarrago shoe cream kind of like shoe polish, only non-shiny? I am afraid to use dye because it might be uneven, but shoe polish might work. I wonder if it would rub off on my clothing?

gratytude · Nov 2nd, 2008, 07:07 AM

You will laugh, I have taken some of my Koobas that came to me a little too stiff and I have put them in my dryer with a tennis shoe and that just "softened" them the way that I like my bags to feel! Call me crazy....

whitemamacita · Nov 2nd, 2008, 12:37 PM

Thanks for the Tarrago site. I think I am going to buy something to darken my bag and am actually thinking on buying dye kit for a large colored bag to actually color it. Little scared about that but I want this style bag in this amazing blue color but ofcourse I can't find that on clearance anywhere and prob. won't for a long time so I am going to buy the nude colored bag and give the dye a try. I hope it works out. All I am worried about and I know will change is that the stitching will also be colored, while on regular bags you buy it isn't, but I don't think there is anyway really around this, unless someone else on here has one.

Compass Rose · Nov 2nd, 2008, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by gratytude

You will laugh, I have taken some of my Koobas that came to me a little too stiff and I have put them in my dryer with a tennis shoe and that just "softened" them the way that I like my bags to feel! Call me crazy....

Whoa! Aren't you the brave soul! That's amazing.

kmh1190 · Nov 3rd, 2008, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by gettinpurseonal

Hmm, thanks, kmh1190. Is Tarrago shoe cream kind of like shoe polish, only non-shiny? I am afraid to use dye because it might be uneven, but shoe polish might work. I wonder if it would rub off on my clothing?

I used the Navy coloring cream, buffed the heck out of it once it was dry and haven't had any trouble with color transfer. I would do a patch test on a small hidden area of leather, maybe on the inside of the bag to make sure it will turn out acceptable and to your liking.
Someone on the Coach sf posted a Tarrago color chart in their thread: 2 Coach Bags--$18!

kmh1190 · Nov 3rd, 2008, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by whitemamacita

Thanks for the Tarrago site. I think I am going to buy something to darken my bag and am actually thinking on buying dye kit for a large colored bag to actually color it. Little scared about that but I want this style bag in this amazing blue color but ofcourse I can't find that on clearance anywhere and prob. won't for a long time so I am going to buy the nude colored bag and give the dye a try. I hope it works out. All I am worried about and I know will change is that the stitching will also be colored, while on regular bags you buy it isn't, but I don't think there is anyway really around this, unless someone else on here has one.

Check out this thread:Restored the broke-down Minilisa from Ebay. This was a bag that we all made fun of when we saw it posted on ebay. Most of us thought it needed to be put out of it's misery and this brave soul bought it and restored it!

onanendlesquest · Nov 7th, 2008, 06:31 PM

whitemamacita,

If you are afraid of vaseline, try extra virgin olive oil. I used to put it on new saddles and reins to age and soften them. Leather sucks it up like a thirsty man does water and after a few hours it won't come off on your clothes. It doesn't leave a greasy residue like vaseline might and it does darken and condition leather beautifully.

It might not darken as much as the vaseline but you can always use the vaseline afterward if you don't get as much result from the olive oil as you wish. It really works better than almost any expensive leather conditioner I ever tried and I used it on some very expensive saddles and tack.

gettinpurseonal · Nov 8th, 2008, 12:44 AM

I would be concerned with olive oil as it goes rancid easily. Have you ever smelled old rancid oil?

I read about the Tarrago and one person said it had made her bag very stiff and hard. Some kind of oil that won't go rancid (mineral oil?) is probably what I need, or maybe shoe polish.

Hisgeekygrrrl · Nov 8th, 2008, 08:57 AM

I love it.

creighbaby · Nov 8th, 2008, 01:11 PM

I love it.

gettinpurseonal · Nov 8th, 2008, 05:30 PM

Be careful. I just did some research, and certain oils can lead to more rapid decay of stitching and speed breakdown, oxidize with time, and embrittle the leather. It also may leave an oily residue that can attract and embed dust.

chigirl601 · Nov 8th, 2008, 09:44 PM

I know it sounds weird, but I always used a mixture of melted lard and peanut oil on brand new saddles/horse assoc leather (after stripping the "coating" off with ammonia and water). Onanendlesquest is right, new leather sucks it up really fast and it never transfered or smelled rancid. (I'm sure you could keep applying until it was over saturated but this has never happened to me.) It also darkens color really well. I once had a saddle that looked almost orange when I got it but after stripping and oiling, it turned to a nice chestnut.

onanendlesquest · Nov 9th, 2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

I know it sounds weird, but I always used a mixture of melted lard and peanut oil on brand new saddles/horse assoc leather (after stripping the "coating" off with ammonia and water). Onanendlesquest is right, new leather sucks it up really fast and it never transfered or smelled rancid. (I'm sure you could keep applying until it was over saturated but this has never happened to me.) It also darkens color really well. I once had a saddle that looked almost orange when I got it but after stripping and oiling, it turned to a nice chestnut.

chirigirl601, I learned about using olive oil from one of the trainers I worked with that had used it for over 40 years and I used it for at least 20 while I was showing Paints and Quarter Horses. I never experienced it turning rancid or having any other bad affects. I've used it on expensive boots, too. I just never thought of using it on my handbags because they don't take the beating boots and tack do and never seemed to need that kind of treatment. I'm going to pull out a couple of older ones and give it a try now.

Nov 1st, 2008, 03:47 PM	#31
kmh1190 Purse crazed Joined: Feb 2008 Location: Northern California/Central Valley Posts: 4,131	Gettinpurseonal, on the Tano subforum, several of us have used products from Tarrago to restore/brighten color and a couple of people have actually revived beaten up bags from the the brink of death. I've personally used Tarrago coloring cream to even out fading. There are several different products that can be used, depending on the amount of coverage you want. The "shoe creams" have the least amount of pigment, the "coloring creams" have more and the "dye kits" can actually change bags to a different color. I'm thinking that since you just want to darken the leather, all you need is the shoe cream or coloring cream. The website for tarrago if you are interested is: http://www.tarrago.us/ They sell through amazon as well. Hope this helps!
	__________________ Boogie lovin' Really (atleast for a while)!

Nov 1st, 2008, 07:36 PM	#32
whitemamacita Member Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 151	I am in love with the new color, IMO much better than the other. I have a Gustto (yes cheating on Kooba but love my Setela) it is in the orange color which is more of a brown. When I see the color of the original bag the colors are very similar and would love to get my setela to look like your new color but I am just too chicken to ruin my Setela which I am carrying at the present time and plan on for winter. Gosh it looks great though and thought crossed my mind but I am sure they are your kooba and my gustto have different types of leather and scared to ruin my baby. But great idea and I love the new color.
whitemamacita Member Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 151

Nov 2nd, 2008, 01:29 AM	#33
gettinpurseonal Can I bathe in them? Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,452	Hmm, thanks, kmh1190. Is Tarrago shoe cream kind of like shoe polish, only non-shiny? I am afraid to use dye because it might be uneven, but shoe polish might work. I wonder if it would rub off on my clothing?
	__________________ <<< Click on my avatar to see my bag collection

Nov 2nd, 2008, 12:37 PM	#35
whitemamacita Member Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 151	Thanks for the Tarrago site. I think I am going to buy something to darken my bag and am actually thinking on buying dye kit for a large colored bag to actually color it. Little scared about that but I want this style bag in this amazing blue color but ofcourse I can't find that on clearance anywhere and prob. won't for a long time so I am going to buy the nude colored bag and give the dye a try. I hope it works out. All I am worried about and I know will change is that the stitching will also be colored, while on regular bags you buy it isn't, but I don't think there is anyway really around this, unless someone else on here has one.
whitemamacita Member Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 151

Nov 8th, 2008, 12:44 AM	#40
gettinpurseonal Can I bathe in them? Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,452	I would be concerned with olive oil as it goes rancid easily. Have you ever smelled old rancid oil? I read about the Tarrago and one person said it had made her bag very stiff and hard. Some kind of oil that won't go rancid (mineral oil?) is probably what I need, or maybe shoe polish.
	__________________ <<< Click on my avatar to see my bag collection

Nov 2nd, 2008, 07:07 AM	#34
gratytude Member Joined: Oct 2005 Location: los angeles Posts: 456	You will laugh, I have taken some of my Koobas that came to me a little too stiff and I have put them in my dryer with a tennis shoe and that just "softened" them the way that I like my bags to feel! Call me crazy....

Nov 7th, 2008, 06:31 PM	#39
onanendlesquest Member Joined: Oct 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 21	whitemamacita, If you are afraid of vaseline, try extra virgin olive oil. I used to put it on new saddles and reins to age and soften them. Leather sucks it up like a thirsty man does water and after a few hours it won't come off on your clothes. It doesn't leave a greasy residue like vaseline might and it does darken and condition leather beautifully. It might not darken as much as the vaseline but you can always use the vaseline afterward if you don't get as much result from the olive oil as you wish. It really works better than almost any expensive leather conditioner I ever tried and I used it on some very expensive saddles and tack.

Nov 8th, 2008, 08:57 AM	#41
Hisgeekygrrrl My Lucky Penny Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 4,300	I love it.
	__________________ Wishing for ``wanting to try a mam'' ~~RM noir MAC ~~RM Burgandy mac ~~RM stud rocker ~~RM latte nikki

Nov 8th, 2008, 01:11 PM	#42
creighbaby Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,756	I love it.
creighbaby Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,756

Nov 8th, 2008, 05:30 PM	#43
gettinpurseonal Can I bathe in them? Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,452	Be careful. I just did some research, and certain oils can lead to more rapid decay of stitching and speed breakdown, oxidize with time, and embrittle the leather. It also may leave an oily residue that can attract and embed dust.
	__________________ <<< Click on my avatar to see my bag collection

Nov 8th, 2008, 09:44 PM	#44
chigirl601 Member Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 15	I know it sounds weird, but I always used a mixture of melted lard and peanut oil on brand new saddles/horse assoc leather (after stripping the "coating" off with ammonia and water). Onanendlesquest is right, new leather sucks it up really fast and it never transfered or smelled rancid. (I'm sure you could keep applying until it was over saturated but this has never happened to me.) It also darkens color really well. I once had a saddle that looked almost orange when I got it but after stripping and oiling, it turned to a nice chestnut.
chigirl601 Member Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 15

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