Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
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Absolutely NOT! I once made the big mistake of trying to condition a (non-Coach) pebbled bag with an opaque leather conditioner (like Apple) and it was a disaster. That white gunk dried in the little valleys between the pebbled bumps. It was impossible to remove the stuff once it had dried without destroying the surface of the leather.
For my pebbled Italian bags, like little Gracie, I wipe the bag down with a damp cloth and clean water. Then I sparingly apply a little Leather Therapy Restorer and Conditioner (a clear oil) and let it dry overnight. Then I just buff the bag with a soft, dry cloth.
I usually go to a thrift store about once a week but I really should stay away for awhile because I have a pile of rehabs projects that I haven't gotten to yet!
I think that the reason Gracie was only $2 was because she was not recognized as a "near-vintage Coach bag in good condition." The Italian Madison bags have a very different appearance and texture from the glove-tanned bags of the same era, and she was just overlooked. You can see before and after pics of Gracie at the thread below:
http://forum.purseblog.com/coach/meet-little-gracie-from-italy-an-unusual-rehab-664111.html
I like the Savers Thrift store the best because they have loads of bags that are well-organized and usually listed at decent prices. So I have a good chance of finding a nice "project" bag. And I can exchange a bag within 7 days if desired. (The Salvation Army and Goodwill Stores won't do returns or exchanges.)
But I have gotten some nice bags and good deals at both the Salvation Army and the Goodwill, mostly on bags that were in really bad shape when I bought them.
Any "half-way decent designer bags" are usually overpriced and locked away a the SA and GW. (But I have gotten lucky! I found my $2 Gracie at the SA and scored a vintage Christian Dior clutch in near-mint condition for $3 at the GW!)
One thing that I really don't care for at the Salvation Army store is their practice of writing the price directly on bags with marker and attaching price tags directly to the bag with staples! I think they should charge an extra dime and use a real tag!
However, the SA and GW are true charity organizations while the Savers donates a "portion of profits" to charities. And many thrift or consignment stores have no connection at all to any charity.
It's no big deal, but I always feel a bit better about blowing money on a vintage bag that I really don't need when I know that the money is going to charity.
Caution! I have seen overpriced, beat up bags and outrageous fakes at all thrift stores. That's why I try to stay under $20 (under $10 is even better in case I accidently buy a fake, and I have!)
Examine the bags carefully and get them authenticated here on TPF; keep in mind that many thrift stores will not do returns or exchanges. Good luck!
Btw: Apple has worked great on all of my classic bags. But, it did leave an opaque finish on my little burnished leather bag Demi bag. It eventually came off but it would have been a nightmare if it had been on a pebbled bag. I actually gave this bag to my little one.
Where do you get the Leather Therapy Restorer and Conditioner oil. I did a search but found the Leather Therapy Restorer and Conditioner but not oil.
Many leather oils will darken leather but I have successfully used Leather Therapy Restorer & Conditioner (link below) without any problems. It says "will not significantly darken leather" on the label - and it hasn't damaged any of my rehab projects so far but then I usually work with darker colored bags because they are easier. It also claims to prevent mold and mildew.
I get it at a local tack shop (an equestrian riding shop) and they charge plenty for it, like $26 for a large bottle! But I only use a little at a time so it lasts; and I can apply it both to my rehab jobs and other leather products. You can also order it online, see link below. It does have a "persistent odor" but it doesn't bother me and I actually think that it is more pleasant-smelling than the Apple leather conditioner.
Of course, when using any new products, its always smart to spot test first before doing a full application. Good luck!
http://www.leathertherapy.com/categories/Equestrian-Products
Guess what?! I just scored an ivory Regis for $50 on ebay! She was BIN for $99 OBO, but after listing twice she accepted my best offer. From the pictures the seller sent me it looks be in near mint condition. She said it shows minor signs of wear but could not explain what that meant. She said there are no marks or rips. I won't be getting her until next week because I'm going to Chicago this week, but if she needs any work I will be asking here!
Thanks! Yes, I had to rehab her. I used a damp cloth to clean her and Leather Therapy oil on the exterior surface - see the post above this one for more info. You can see before and after pics of a black Carlyle (another Italian Madison bag) that was pretty "beat-up" at the link below, the Therapy Oil did a nice job on her!
http://forum.purseblog.com/coach/another-sister-has-arrived-from-italy-687100.html
Thanks for all the information! The Goodwills in my area do returns/exchanges within 7 days as long as the tags are attached. I always try to stay in the $20 range too....and that way I can buy more of them too!!
I would definitely try again. I don't even like my presoak setting..I don't know...maybe it is the "country" coming out in me but my vintage bags do best in the sink. One reason is I can control the soak - total submerge and time. I leave my front loader for my clothes or fabric bags
Ok, so I washed this bag again in the sink and let it soak for quite a while. It has been less than 24 hours and I am beginning to see another stain emerging in a different place in the same general area. The original spot faded a bit but can still be seen. Now I don't know what the heck is going on. Perhaps I am dealing with water spot issues or something. Strange. Wondering if it needs another rinse or if I should just leave it alone.
I had a similar problem with "unexepected, mysterious stains that seemed to move around after washing." It was a fabric bag with leather trim and I think that the stains came from the adhesive, but I was never sure about that. I wasn't able to fix it so I have put it away for awhile. Let me know if you figure something out!
Sounds like water spotting. I would let it dry a few days and take a look then. I gave my water stained bag a few days to rest (from the stress)
Then I gave it another bath for about 20 minutes. The spots were gone when it dried.
Katev..any thoughts?
I left a Coach Patchwork Demi 10000 from 2006 at the thrift store today, even though it was only $13.
The bag absolutely filthy inside and out. It had severe ink marks on the interior, the hangtag was missing, and some of the more delicate patches were very dirty and worn.
But I could see that it had once been a gorgeous little bag and the leather trim and hardware were still very beautiful.
The reason I left it behind was because the signature patches with metallic gold thread stitched in a "C" pattern were very frayed, and in some areas the gold thread was completely missing. I couldn't think of any way to replace/repair the metallic gold stitching. Does anyone have any ideas about that?
Below is a pic of the bag, but this one is in mint condition! Why do some people treat their beautiful and expensive possessions so poorly?!
The bag absolutely filthy inside and out. It had severe ink marks on the interior, the hangtag was missing, and some of the more delicate patches were very dirty and worn.
But I could see that it had once been a gorgeous little bag and the leather trim and hardware were still very beautiful.
The reason I left it behind was because the signature patches with metallic gold thread stitched in a "C" pattern were very frayed, and in some areas the gold thread was completely missing. I couldn't think of any way to replace/repair the metallic gold stitching. Does anyone have any ideas about that?
Below is a pic of the bag, but this one is in mint condition! Why do some people treat their beautiful and expensive possessions so poorly?!
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