I was just checking out Love My Bags webpage, and they too, have a plethora of handbag care tips. Here's the link
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
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madisonave5011 said:
Great wallet! I have never had any luck getting brass color back, if you do find something let me know. I also have a vintage ferragamo bag that has some gold color rubbing off, - I guess it must have been a shiny gold initially and just lost color. The only luck I've had was just in using brasso or other slight abrasives to rub it all off so that the hardware was uniformly silver!
As a result, I try to get brass hardware on more used bags as brass is usually not plated, and one of my pet peeves on eBay is sellers who describe hardware as brass instead of gold plated, and then I get the bag in the mail and the plating is rubbing off -grrr!! Maybe if you find a great way to restore the plating I can be more sanguine about rubbed hardware
I've been eyeing that website for quite some time now. I've been saving up to order a bunch of their products. I am not quite as brave or aggressive as some of the other rehabbers on here...unless the bag isn't one I'm emotionally attached to. I have some older/rarer bags that I want to use very leather friendly cleaners on for long term preservation. Some of the common household soap PH factors worry me. Thankfully conditioners with proper PH are easier to come by.
This brass reminds me of the older Bonnie era bags with the silver peeking through the brass. Unfotunately they didn't always use solid brass back then...and I've done some online checking and replating the brass is really hard to do and the chemicals involved are very unpleasant apparently. If a magnet sticks to it, then it contains other metal than brass. And there's not much you can do. Otherwise, Lexol is about the gentlest and best conditioner, as well as Apple. I've used those on my most delicate leathers.
My orange satchel is completely dry and CPR conditioned. I am ok with the pen mark, I think. Tell me whether I should use black rocks on it now that it is dry and conditioned.
Also, as a side note, I have collected four of these soft satchels now, they're my new favorite. Let me know if you see any....
Hope you all are enjoying your day - I'm off with my sick son, so hey purse forum it is
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76058330@N03/sets/72157629651203872/
I love the satchel ! Did Hyacinth tell you what year it's from (authenticate thread?) I have not seen the words Made in USA with USA shortened before and as much thrifting as I do, I love to find out all the variables so I can decide what to buy or not to buy etc. I know they changed things around all the time!!
Back in March, right after I became a member, Hyacinth authenticated this 1999 Anderson Zip for me. Found her at Goodwill early this year marked "AS IS" for $4.99. She had a couple of tiny holes in the bottom piping, which was pretty well worn all over, but the body of the bag was in very good shape, despite slumping a bit. In those early days, I was toooo chicken to dunk her, so I just conditioned, conditioned and conditioned with Leather CPR, with good success.
Earlier this week, I wanted to take a break and do some easier rehabs, so she was a likely candidate! In addition to my usual procedure, she got a rub with black acrylic mixed with Lexol on the pocket side and all the piping. I filled in the holes on the bottom with full-strength acrylic and touched up the strap edges. Then lots and lots of Leather CPR. Wow! Even hubby says she looks brand new. And no more slouching! Below are some before's and after's. The last pic is a detail of the strap...a most interesting "star-like" texture in the leather...shame it's only on the strap.
Advice to everyone just starting out...take katev's advice (and now mine too) and start with a dark colored bag. The results are remarkable and the learning curve is manageable! Then go from there...at your own pace.
Thanks everyone for making this possible! She'll be out and about on a regular basis now.
Earlier this week, I wanted to take a break and do some easier rehabs, so she was a likely candidate! In addition to my usual procedure, she got a rub with black acrylic mixed with Lexol on the pocket side and all the piping. I filled in the holes on the bottom with full-strength acrylic and touched up the strap edges. Then lots and lots of Leather CPR. Wow! Even hubby says she looks brand new. And no more slouching! Below are some before's and after's. The last pic is a detail of the strap...a most interesting "star-like" texture in the leather...shame it's only on the strap.
Advice to everyone just starting out...take katev's advice (and now mine too) and start with a dark colored bag. The results are remarkable and the learning curve is manageable! Then go from there...at your own pace.
Thanks everyone for making this possible! She'll be out and about on a regular basis now.
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Hyacinth authenticated this 1992-93 Megan Bag back in April. I only paid $5.99 at Goodwill in 2003. Years later, found one on ebay...only then did I discover that she was a Coach - and a rather unique one at that!
Although she doesn't get a lot of use, saved for special occasions around holiday time, she was a candidate for another easy rehab. Easy? You bet. Bath, reshape, touch up strap edges and piping, condition with Leather CPR and we're done! She feels like a baby's butt!
You won't see much difference in the pics, but there are 2 before's and 2 after's. You will see a ridge on the front flap just below where it folds, and a kind of round shaped area above the point on the flap. There is a cardboard insert in the flap that creates the ridge and the reinforcement for the magnetic closure creates the round thingy. Sometimes more noticeable than others...don't think there's a cure.
Rehabbing is sooo therapeutic...especially when they're as easy as this!
Although she doesn't get a lot of use, saved for special occasions around holiday time, she was a candidate for another easy rehab. Easy? You bet. Bath, reshape, touch up strap edges and piping, condition with Leather CPR and we're done! She feels like a baby's butt!
You won't see much difference in the pics, but there are 2 before's and 2 after's. You will see a ridge on the front flap just below where it folds, and a kind of round shaped area above the point on the flap. There is a cardboard insert in the flap that creates the ridge and the reinforcement for the magnetic closure creates the round thingy. Sometimes more noticeable than others...don't think there's a cure.
Rehabbing is sooo therapeutic...especially when they're as easy as this!
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That is the same thing that it says on my Basic Bag... and the bag has a Talon zipper that is solid brass with a solid brass ring, so they are really nice bags!!
And I finally got a Kisslock tote for a price I could afford!! I cannot wait to get her!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/37060980745...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_3827wt_963
I was on pins and needles yesterday wondering if she would go above my price range!!
She needs a piping repair...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/37060980745...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_3827wt_963
I was on pins and needles yesterday wondering if she would go above my price range!!
She needs a piping repair...
That is a GREAT price. I've been watching those bags. The BIN prices are just too high for me.
She did, she said it's from 1988 and possibly 1989 and is the large soft stachel. There are a few on ebay right now http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-COA...431?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item484540597f, it's the burgundy one in the large, pretty beat up but we all know that we'll fix that
. I already have the burgundy one so.....I love this satchel, I have collected four thus far, they'll be my new avatar soon.
She did, she said it's from 1988 and possibly 1989 and is the large soft stachel. There are a few on ebay right now http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-COA...431?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item484540597f, it's the burgundy one in the large, pretty beat up but we all know that we'll fix that
I love this satchel, I have collected four thus far, they'll be my new avatar soon.
I can't wait to see them!! I've always loved satchels. I don't usually carry hand-held bags but there's just something cool about the way they look!!
Jen,
What a beautiful job you did on this amazing kisslock tote! Congratulations!
I'll get some of mine up here soon .. thanks to everyone who posts for such great instruction / ideas!
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