Quick few questions. Is the Blackrock product recommended here called Leather N Rich? Is verdegris the result of oxidation because the top layer of brass coating is chipping off or does even good condition brass hardware oxidize? At what point should the hardware just be replaced and where the heck do you find authentic hardware kits?
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
- Thread starter greenpixie
- Start date
Yes, Blackrock is called Leather n Rich.
Verdigris is oxidation. It happens to all brass unless it has a protective coating on it. Older (NYC) Coach I don't believe ever had a coating. Newer (90s) stuff usually had a protective coating but that wears off, sometimes unevenly, making the hardware look like it's chipped. It takes a lot of polishing to remove the entire protective coating so you can then polish all the brass evenly. Some people have experimented with replacing the coating so it doesn't tarnish again.
Replacing hardware is an individual decision. I was cleaning up and discovered I have a replacement turnlock Coach sent me several years ago that I never used! Coach doesn't give them away anymore, but there are places you can still buy them. There are sellers on ebay that sell them, I think. This ebayer: https://www.ebay.com/usr/silver-coach used to have them. I don't know why they don't have anything listed now; maybe they are on vacation.
Thanks for that info. Is there a way to authenticate hardware kit listings other than to make sure the turnlock washer is not indented (is it recommended to request authentication in the authentication thread)?
Yes, even brass and copper in good condition can develop verdigris. The definition of verdigris is a "bright bluish-green encrustation or patina formed on copper or brass by atmospheric oxidation, consisting of basic copper carbonate."
It's a chemical reaction between brass and air and I don't know why it is worse in some bags than others.
Not really. Coach didn't make their own hardware. Just pick hardware that looks like the original. Coach turnlocks have indentations on the front of the circle part so when the turnlock is in the closed position, they don't bump into the circle part.
I have used a product called Rub n Buff to replace the worn and missing finish on Coach metal items, see the link below, but I have only used it on decorative items such as jewelry and fobs that don't get a lot of wear.
I don't think that it would hold up well on turnlocks and clips and metal parts that get a lot of wear. On the other hand, it is easy to re-apply when needed.
https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/cheap-easy-repair-for-worn-plating-on-coach-jewelry.911381/
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I got ahold of one that had a good amount and I hope it is not a constant issue. It was one of the lower priced bags I've purchased so I guess that's a lesson learned (you get what you pay for) but I guess there's really no way to know before you buy it.
Sometimes you can see hints of green around metal pieces that are a warning that there is verdigris and sometimes it is a surprise.
I wouldn't buy a turnlock kit if the washer (the back part of the female piece) had indentations.
Are there different sizes of turnlocks? It seems like they'd all be just one size.
I think humidity might play a part. I live in a desert and have never seen verdigris on a Coach bag.
I think there are differences. I would verify the measurements before buying to make sure it will fit the opening of the bag I'm working on.
This -- especially if you are planning to ever sell the bag. I think it's one of the things authenticators look for to see if a bag is fake.
Font color added -- thanks for explaining why it was taking an excruciatingly long time for me to properly polish the hardware on the Willis I rehabbed recently. We got a knockoff Dremel polishing kit from my dad for Xmas which went straight down to Rehab Central so I can test it out and compare to the Dremel I've been using!
Which SVP and when will it be there?!Glad to see your auto correct also turns Krud to Kris! This is the smaller version I think. Style 11285. Yes, SVP is St. Vincent DePaul. It's a little further away from my Goodwill but I don't mind the drive.
Love the Ergo Renaissance that's been happening here. I think she's such a great little bag. I picked one up at a Goodwill for $25 last year and liked it so much I got a slightly smaller one on eBay a couple months later. Oddly I don't like the smaller one as much because the handle drop is shorter and it's not as comfortable to wear. Hmm.