Apple Garde v. Patina Champ - An Experiment!
- Thread starter Irishgrrrl
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I HAVE AN UPDATE!!!
I carried my Speedy for the first time today, not realizing that the forecast was calling for rain. As I was leaving the house this morning, it started to sprinkle just a tiny bit and I got a drop of water on my handle and another on my luggage tag. I had sprayed the luggage tag with Apple Garde when I sprayed my Neverfull, and the drop of water on the luggage tag just beaded up and rolled right off! However, the drop that hit the Speedy handle did leave a tiny water spot. It's very faint and I do think the Patina Champ method helped minimize the damage, but . . . I think this morning convinced me that Apple Garde is the way to go. Planning to Apple Garde my Speedy tonight!
I carried my Speedy for the first time today, not realizing that the forecast was calling for rain. As I was leaving the house this morning, it started to sprinkle just a tiny bit and I got a drop of water on my handle and another on my luggage tag. I had sprayed the luggage tag with Apple Garde when I sprayed my Neverfull, and the drop of water on the luggage tag just beaded up and rolled right off! However, the drop that hit the Speedy handle did leave a tiny water spot. It's very faint and I do think the Patina Champ method helped minimize the damage, but . . . I think this morning convinced me that Apple Garde is the way to go. Planning to Apple Garde my Speedy tonight!
I hope you don’t regret it. A year down the road, apple garde will dry the leather and cause discoloring. I will never touch apple garde again after my experience. I threw all the cans I had immediately after. When I read people spraying their bags with it, I just sit by and watch them come to regret it. I’ll never recommend apple garde to anyone. It killed four of my very expensive bags. Never again. All my bags with vachetta looks good after years of use with natural patina and no treatment. 
I HAVE AN UPDATE!!!
I carried my Speedy for the first time today, not realizing that the forecast was calling for rain. As I was leaving the house this morning, it started to sprinkle just a tiny bit and I got a drop of water on my handle and another on my luggage tag. I had sprayed the luggage tag with Apple Garde when I sprayed my Neverfull, and the drop of water on the luggage tag just beaded up and rolled right off! However, the drop that hit the Speedy handle did leave a tiny water spot. It's very faint and I do think the Patina Champ method helped minimize the damage, but . . . I think this morning convinced me that Apple Garde is the way to go. Planning to Apple Garde my Speedy tonight!
Oh no! Maybe the water spot will dry? I think I would wait just a day or 2 to spray just in case it does fade away. Again Thank you sooooo much for letting us all follow along on this experiment!
It's almost gone already! It's so light that I can't even get it to show up in a pic, which is why I haven't posted one. I was just REALLY impressed with how well the luggage tag handled the water after spraying with Apple Garde, versus the Speedy handle which had not been. And that little water spot is making me nervous about what's gonna happen when it REALLY gets rained on! LOL!
I don't have any bags with vachetta, so I don't have any experience and I may be totally wrong.
But, with the patina champ method, can't you wait for it to dry, see how much the spot shows up, and then use the damp sock method again to even it out?
I've used Apple Guarde for years and years without any adverse reactions. I still have my first LV -- a Cabas Piano that I sprayed. It has a beautiful Patina. Maybe I will post a photo of it. It's over 15 years old. I had a Blanc Multicolor Speedy until recently that I sprayed. It was beautiful too. I have photos of that as well.
Yes, please post a pic! I’d love to see what a 15-year-old bag looks like after being treated with AG! Did you retreat it at all, or just once when you got it?
I just checked the date code and it's from 2002. I don't think I did Apple Guarde immediately as I didn't know, but I am sure it was within the first year of owning. There is a slight large area stain on the bottom leather and I am sure that was why I did the Apple Guarde. I worked in a hair salon and this bag was my day to day bag and wasn't babied. I only treated once as all my other bags.
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Maybe I should carry it again 
And the leather is not dry though it seems to be in the last photo. It's just the lighting.
And the leather is not dry though it seems to be in the last photo. It's just the lighting.
OMG, it looks gorgeous! And yes, you should definitely carry it! That patina is just so lovely.Maybe I should carry it again
And the leather is not dry though it seems to be in the last photo. It's just the lighting.
Hi!I hope you don’t regret it. A year down the road, apple garde will dry the leather and cause discoloring. I will never touch apple garde again after my experience. I threw all the cans I had immediately after. When I read people spraying their bags with it, I just sit by and watch them come to regret it. I’ll never recommend apple garde to anyone. It killed four of my very expensive bags. Never again. All my bags with vachetta looks good after years of use with natural patina and no treatment.
But what do you do then? Do you moisturize and then apple garde? Or just moisture and with what? Or nothing? I have a new Neverfull and favorite.
Nothing...I just make sure they get as tan as possible from normal exposure to the sun with constant usage and whatever water marks will just even itself out over time. It will even out, that’s how it’s designed to be.