Need advice. I have had some trouble with one of my rehabs. The creed was already light when I gave it a bath. After the rehab it is almost unreadable in places. Any suggestions for next time (cold water, detergent, etc?) TIA
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
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Oh, what a great idea! I never even thought of the edging, but she would look great with fixed edges. I'll have to look into that, thanks!
I never paid attention to the edging on my earlier rehabs either, until a TPFer pointed it out to me and then I was really surprised by the difference it makes to the overall appearance of the bag.
I wrote more info about edging repair in an earlier post on this thread, see below:
"Vintage bags often lose sealant (color) along the edges of the straps and handles. I use small bottles of permanent acrylic paint to touch up the edges. You can find them at hobby stores and often at fabric stores like Joann's Fabrics. They are usually less than a dollar each. You will also need an artist's paint brush.
Cobbler shops sometime sell a product called EdgeKote (I think that is the name? It is also available online) and I have read that this also works well on the edging.
I usually take the bag's hangtag to the store with me to match the color but be careful not to lose the hangtag, I did that once! The black is an easy match, but you can also mix small amounts of the acrylic paints until you get the color you need. Like mixing a few drops of black with a small amount of a brighter blue to get a darker blue.
I have found that the colors on the labels are pretty accurate but you can usually unscrew the cap in the store to look at the actual paint color under the cap.
Before applying paint (or using any new products) its always a good idea to test first especially if you are mixing paint colors. Apply a small amount of your paint mixture to an area of the bag that doesn't show. Let it dry completely to see how well it matches before applying it in areas that do show. Always use good lighting when working with paints.
You usually don't have to have an exact color match for the edging, it's fine if it is a little darker than the bag.
The paint is permanent after in dries, but it cleans up easily with soap and water while it is wet or damp. I wear rubber gloves when I am working with paint.
Use the brush to lightly dab the paint along the edges of the strap or handles, try not to get any on the finished surface of the strap, and wipe it off quickly if you do get some on it. Let the paint dry completely, it dries pretty fast."
I am looking for advice for cleaning up verdigris stains on an old "made in NYC" bag that I am currently working on (that green discoloration that comes from the deterioration of brass.)
I know that I can use metal polish to remove the verdigris from the metal but I don't know how to remove the green staining from the leather around the buckles and strap connectors. I found the procedure below online for removing verdigris stains from leather. Has anyone tried this method or do you have some alternative suggestions?
I have also read that you need to "seal the metal" to keep the discoloration from coming back; but I have no idea how to seal the metal! Any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance!
http://www.ehow.com/how_6386111_clean-verdigris-stains-leather-brass.html
Leather items trimmed with brass hardware have a classic look about them. If you've inherited or purchased an older leather item, you may have found green stuff where the brass is in contact with the leather. This green stuff is a chemical called verdigris that develops from moisture on the metal that comes in contact with the leather. Verdigris stains can be stubborn but are removable with a little gentle persistence. Using supplies from home, you can remove verdigris stains from leather without damaging the material.
Things You'll Need
White vinegar
Baking soda
Small bowl
Old toothbrush
Cotton terrycloths
Water
Leather balm
1
Instructions
Combine baking soda and white vinegar in a small bowl to create a paste the consistency of ketchup. The mixture will foam for a bit. This combination of ingredients creates a mild acetic acid that helps to safely remove the verdigris from the leather.
2
Apply the paste with an old toothbrush. Scrub gently, working the paste into the leather's pores. Allow the baking soda and vinegar paste to sit on the verdigris stain for about five minutes.
3
Wipe the cleaning paste and verdigris stains away with a clean terrycloth dampened with plain water. Repeat step 2 if any verdigris remains.
4
Dry the leather with a clean cotton terrycloth, removing all surface traces of liquid.
5
Rub leather balm into the leather where you treated the verdigris stain to help condition the area now that it's clean.
I know that I can use metal polish to remove the verdigris from the metal but I don't know how to remove the green staining from the leather around the buckles and strap connectors. I found the procedure below online for removing verdigris stains from leather. Has anyone tried this method or do you have some alternative suggestions?
I have also read that you need to "seal the metal" to keep the discoloration from coming back; but I have no idea how to seal the metal! Any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance!
http://www.ehow.com/how_6386111_clean-verdigris-stains-leather-brass.html
Leather items trimmed with brass hardware have a classic look about them. If you've inherited or purchased an older leather item, you may have found green stuff where the brass is in contact with the leather. This green stuff is a chemical called verdigris that develops from moisture on the metal that comes in contact with the leather. Verdigris stains can be stubborn but are removable with a little gentle persistence. Using supplies from home, you can remove verdigris stains from leather without damaging the material.
Things You'll Need
White vinegar
Baking soda
Small bowl
Old toothbrush
Cotton terrycloths
Water
Leather balm
1
Instructions
Combine baking soda and white vinegar in a small bowl to create a paste the consistency of ketchup. The mixture will foam for a bit. This combination of ingredients creates a mild acetic acid that helps to safely remove the verdigris from the leather.
2
Apply the paste with an old toothbrush. Scrub gently, working the paste into the leather's pores. Allow the baking soda and vinegar paste to sit on the verdigris stain for about five minutes.
3
Wipe the cleaning paste and verdigris stains away with a clean terrycloth dampened with plain water. Repeat step 2 if any verdigris remains.
4
Dry the leather with a clean cotton terrycloth, removing all surface traces of liquid.
5
Rub leather balm into the leather where you treated the verdigris stain to help condition the area now that it's clean.
All I can think of is that some leather conditioners are known to darken leather. Maybe if you use some on the creed patch (or the leather panel with the creed) it will make it stand out a little better? Good luck!
Fabulous first rehab PCL!!!! I love how the deep navy looks with your pink accessories, beautiful! Is that a pocket purse, or a convertible clutch? I have a pocket purse in black, and I love it, it's the perfect size to hold the essentials, and I wear it often when going out to dinner or a show, it looks so cute crossbody too. Aren't these vintage/classic pieces wonderful? Rehabbing is addictive, I'm sure you'll be back to this thread soon
Honestly, I never got the name of it. I think it might be a pocket bag. The strap connects with those weird claw clasps and it has no pocket on the back.
And yes, hopefully I will be back...I just bought a new beauty to attempt to rehab. I am looking forward to that challenge, as it is a WHITE bag.
Wish me luck, LOL!
Thanks for all the info! I went to my nearby Tandy Leather store today, actually, to take a look at EdgeKote, but they were closed.
ush: Now I have to wait until Tusday! Oh well. I'll definitely be looking into doing this soon. Thanks again! 
Due to the new Coach Classics section, I have had a budding interest in the older bags. I finally rehabbed a bag I bought at Goodwill months ago for $6. I had started on it when I first got it, but then got caught up with everything going on and forgot about it. I broke it back out tonight and layered on about 5 coats of Apple (lol). I have no before pics, but let me tell you...while the bag was in GREAT condition (no worn areas anywhere, no ink marks, heck it was not even dirty) it was pretty dry. It sucked up the first coat of Apple within 30 seconds, LOL!
But I managed to get the leather body and the corners so moisturized, it now feels as soft as Kristin leather. I couldn't believe it. This bag can now be used for years and years to come. I have already loaded my stuff into it and am going to use it tomorrow (although it is Navy). I am now currently on the hunt for another bag to rehab, and I have my eye on one.
I took bunches of pics, so bear with me.
May I present: My new Princess!
She has NO corner wear anywhere...her corners and trim are soft as a baby butt now.
Her butt (she has a couple of small boo boos, see white marks):
What I can fit in her:
How soft her leather is now:
And a self mod-shot while Hubby is asleep:
I love her to death, and wish all Coach would hold up as good as this one has, LOL!
I hope I will be able to add more to this thread in the future. Thanks for letting me share.
Love your bag, great job pcl! I like the pt scarf that you chose for her too!
Honestly, I never got the name of it. I think it might be a pocket bag. The strap connects with those weird claw clasps and it has no pocket on the back.
And yes, hopefully I will be back...I just bought a new beauty to attempt to rehab. I am looking forward to that challenge, as it is a WHITE bag.
Wish me luck, LOL!
Glad to hear that you found your sought-after white bag, I'm looking forward to the rehab-reveal!!!
It looks like ink and that is almost impossible to remove. The best you can usually hope to do is to make less a bit lighter and less obvious. Rubbing alcohol will remove some of it. If you give the bag a bath and treat the area with alcohol, that sometimes helps to lighten the stain or remove smaller, less intense ink marks.
Thank you....I might just have to live with it.......what about a light ink mark on the front of the bag on the leather....would you just leave it alone on a light brown bag??
Lighter colored bags are more challenging to rehab (I am struggling with one right now!) I would probably give the mark a gentle treatment with alcohol, but I wouldn't be too aggressive because of possible color loss.
I would also give the bag a bath in warm mild suds (Ivory, Woolite) and use my fingers to massage soap into the staind area. It will probably lighten the mark and make it less noticeable. Good luck!
I would be careful while trying to clean this ink mark and be sure to pull the lining all the way out of the bag while working on it, or you may risk some ink bleeding onto the outer leather of the bag. I once gave a bath to a vintage bag (spectator style) and didn't notice that some ink had been on the inside bottom of the bag (it was a dark navy bag), but after bathing it, the ink bled through the bag onto the outer (tan) piping of the bag! I was able to clean some of it off, but not all of it. HTH!
I would be careful while trying to clean this ink mark and be sure to pull the lining all the way out of the bag while working on it, or you may risk some ink bleeding onto the outer leather of the bag. I once gave a bath to a vintage bag (spectator style) and didn't notice that some ink had been on the inside bottom of the bag (it was a dark navy bag), but after bathing it, the ink bled through the bag onto the outer (tan) piping of the bag! I was able to clean some of it off, but not all of it. HTH!
Is it a lined bag? I couldn't tell from the pics. That makes a big difference, especially in regards to my advice about giving it a bath! I have given baths to lined bags but only in desparate situations.
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