Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[NCBDTeam]

I don't blame you, once you start messing around with water on your leather, you're potentially in dunking land.

Another thing you could try is steaming it, that shouldn't leave a water mark if done correctly and might help dampen the fibers enough to reshape the bag. Not sure exactly how I'd do it, just something else to think about.

I wonder if you could try and steam it in the shower? Run the water as hot as it gets, put a towel rolled up under the door, trap the steam and have a combo sauna/bag reshape sesh lol
Just to clarify don't take the bag IN the shower, just the steamy bathroom hehehe

 

[katev]

Thanks for the help. I think I will give it some thought before I do anything like that. I guess I am chicken when it comes to dunking bags! The ladies here do such a fabulous job on their bags!

You could try taking it to a cobbler, or other leather expert, to ask for an opinion about having it reshaped. You don't have to do what he suggests but it doesn't hurt to enquire. Zoe is a valuable bag and it might be worth investing in professional services for repairs. Good luck!

 

[kellyx]

You could try taking it to a cobbler, or other leather expert, to ask for an opinion about having it reshaped. You don't have to do what he suggests but it doesn't hurt to enquire. Zoe is a valuable bag and it might be worth investing in professional services for repairs. Good luck!

Thanks for all the replies ladies! I do think I will take katev's advice and see if maybe a leather expert has any suggestions. Thanks again!

 

[katev]

Well, I have tackled my white legacy zip again. This time I used less acrylic paint and did 2 light applications and I am much happier with the results. I plan to give it a couple of days to make sure it is dry and then apply some conditioner. Any advice for this final stage of the process? Thanks!

 

[Jessi319]

Good timing I guess. I am learning that white paint comes in many colors (grrr). What should work doesn't necessarily look good on the bag. So, as usual, I didn't think to take any before photos but here are the "befores" from the auction I won (not my photos). Because these were on ebay and posted in a terribly dark yellow tungsten lighting, I was able to grab this Bleecker bucket at a good price. In fact I had to remove some of the tungsten yellow tone just so you can actually see better color and some of its dirtiness, etc.​

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15


Now that I am photographing her in much better lighting than the other day during refurb, I'll do a bit more spot touch up. I had to use a mixture of wicker white and vintage white by Folk Art.
So, basically I washed this bag twice. The first time as a normal dunk in warm water, etc. followed by coats of Leather CPR. I still didn't feel she was quite right. I popped her back into very WARM to hot water, dumped a couple scoops of Oxi-Clean powder along with a lot of Tide. TOO MUCH SOAP...and I still am not sure if I got all that soap rinsed out but I rinsed the hell out of it multiple times and finally had to just hope for the best. She still feels really stiff and dry now. So I am working on Leather Therapy oil along with Leather CPR. I'll eventually get to the Blackrocks when I am happy she's softened enough. Ok, so at least she's less over all "dingy" and will get better with a bit more light painting
.

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

 

[Rarity]

Okay, so the day after I posted that I would avoid cigarette smoke bags in the future, I went out and bought one! I am so weak-willed!

A few weeks ago I stoped at a garage sale near my house and they were offering several older coach bags at rather high prices. I fell for a green Laurel 4112 but they were asking $40 and I thought that I could faintly smell cigarette smoke coming from the bag even though we were outside, so I passed; but that pretty green bag had been haunting my dreams ever since!

On Sunday, as I was driving passed the same house I noticed that they were having another garage sale. I stopped and the green Laurel was still there. This time the smoke smell was very apparent so I offered $20 and we finally agreed on $30.

I know that is too much to pay for a stinky bag but I really wanted it! So now I have to try and eliminate the smell! I am still waiting for authentication but I'm pretty sure it is real. You can see the pics at the link below.

Do you think it would be okay to bathe this bag with baking soda? It's got to have a bath but I don't want to hurt that pretty green color. Help!

http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-shopping/authenticate-this-coach-694619-827.html#post22338851

OMG I love this bag! Great find!

 

[Rarity]

I also recently noticed that "Bag, Borrow or Steal" has odor removal, and they specifically list tobacco. It wouldn't be worth it for a lot of the bags we rehab, but for something special, it's at least worth looking into. Or sending in an undercover agent to find out what the process is...

lol...I like how you think.

 

[Rarity]

I loved reading this, and checking out the photos/slideshow. (But is it selfish of me to immediately start thinking of how much harder this article is going to make it for us to find vintage bags at low prices? )

Not at all, imntbho. This is something you very obviously love and enjoy. Why wouldn't you feel that way if you thought it might be in jeopardy?

 

[Jessi319]

Not at all, imntbho. This is something you very obviously love and enjoy. Why wouldn't you feel that way if you thought it might be in jeopardy?

I really DO love doing this! I just now applied multiple coats of leather conditioner and brass polish on about 8 bags that I've found and restored from thrift shops! It's a form of therapy for me.

 

[ledobe]

It seems like all the "vintage" bags are now listed as "legacy".

 

[katev]

I also recently noticed that "Bag, Borrow or Steal" has odor removal, and they specifically list tobacco. It wouldn't be worth it for a lot of the bags we rehab, but for something special, it's at least worth looking into. Or sending in an undercover agent to find out what the process is...

lol...I like how you think.

OMG I love this bag! Great find!

I haven't worked on rehabbing the green laurel bag yet. It is very pretty but it smells bad!

I am still waiting for my "weathered leather" spray from Scentsy to arrive. I am hoping that it smells good and not phony. The bag is still going to need a serious bath but I hope that the spray will help cover any faint remnants of the stink from the smoke! I'll let you know what happens.

 

[gallina66]

Good timing I guess. I am learning that white paint comes in many colors (grrr). What should work doesn't necessarily look good on the bag. So, as usual, I didn't think to take any before photos but here are the "befores" from the auction I won (not my photos). Because these were on ebay and posted in a terribly dark yellow tungsten lighting, I was able to grab this Bleecker bucket at a good price. In fact I had to remove some of the tungsten yellow tone just so you can actually see better color and some of its dirtiness, etc.

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

Now that I am photographing her in much better lighting than the other day during refurb, I'll do a bit more spot touch up. I had to use a mixture of wicker white and vintage white by Folk Art.
So, basically I washed this bag twice. The first time as a normal dunk in warm water, etc. followed by coats of Leather CPR. I still didn't feel she was quite right. I popped her back into very WARM to hot water, dumped a couple scoops of Oxi-Clean powder along with a lot of Tide. TOO MUCH SOAP...and I still am not sure if I got all that soap rinsed out but I rinsed the hell out of it multiple times and finally had to just hope for the best. She still feels really stiff and dry now. So I am working on Leather Therapy oil along with Leather CPR. I'll eventually get to the Blackrocks when I am happy she's softened enough. Ok, so at least she's less over all "dingy" and will get better with a bit more light painting
.

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

The bag looks beautiful!!

 

[whateve]

I haven't worked on rehabbing the green laurel bag yet. It is very pretty but it smells bad!

I am still waiting for my "weathered leather" spray from Scentsy to arrive. I am hoping that it smells good and not phony. The bag is still going to need a serious bath but I hope that the spray will help cover any faint remnants of the stink from the smoke! I'll let you know what happens.

I've got most of the smell out of my bag. The remaining smell is very faint. I am hoping that it will wear off in time. I'm anxiously waiting to hear about this leather spray.

 

[katev]

I've got most of the smell out of my bag. The remaining smell is very faint. I am hoping that it will wear off in time. I'm anxiously waiting to hear about this leather spray.

I got most of the smell out of my navy willis but there's still a faint odor. Also, my white legacy zip went through the washer a couple of times with bleach and later with detergent. I've got all the bleach smell out but now she smells a bit like Tide!

Yeah, I hope this spray is good!

 

[JOODLZ]

Good timing I guess. I am learning that white paint comes in many colors (grrr). What should work doesn't necessarily look good on the bag. So, as usual, I didn't think to take any before photos but here are the "befores" from the auction I won (not my photos). Because these were on ebay and posted in a terribly dark yellow tungsten lighting, I was able to grab this Bleecker bucket at a good price. In fact I had to remove some of the tungsten yellow tone just so you can actually see better color and some of its dirtiness, etc.​

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15


Now that I am photographing her in much better lighting than the other day during refurb, I'll do a bit more spot touch up. I had to use a mixture of wicker white and vintage white by Folk Art.
So, basically I washed this bag twice. The first time as a normal dunk in warm water, etc. followed by coats of Leather CPR. I still didn't feel she was quite right. I popped her back into very WARM to hot water, dumped a couple scoops of Oxi-Clean powder along with a lot of Tide. TOO MUCH SOAP...and I still am not sure if I got all that soap rinsed out but I rinsed the hell out of it multiple times and finally had to just hope for the best. She still feels really stiff and dry now. So I am working on Leather Therapy oil along with Leather CPR. I'll eventually get to the Blackrocks when I am happy she's softened enough. Ok, so at least she's less over all "dingy" and will get better with a bit more light painting
.

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

By jessi319 at 2012-07-15

BEAUTIFUL!!! Maybe it's time to rehab some of my white bags...you've inspired me, yet again. I could use a little therapy too !