Love that bag! And I go through cosmetic wedge shaped sponges like crazy since they are great for applying the Lexol and the Leather CPR. Especially to the tan bags which show swirl application marks from fingers sometimes, though it always fades away to normal. The sponges are re-usable and washable-it's nice to know that if/when you dont' have more than a few around.
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
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Love that bag! And I go through cosmetic wedge shaped sponges like crazy since they are great for applying the Lexol and the Leather CPR. Especially to the tan bags which show swirl application marks from fingers sometimes, though it always fades away to normal. The sponges are re-usable and washable-it's nice to know that if/when you dont' have more than a few around.
Thanks. Here's the bag; it does have a hang tag, you just can't see it in the photo...and for the record, I read through all 29 pages of this thread! Although I lived in Korea, and knowingly purchased a Coach knock-off Willis briefcase (as was recently showcased a few posts back), it never dawned on me this might be a fake. !? I took a shot of the "creed" too, although I'm not sure what else (besides misspellings) I should be looking for in it...
As I mentioned before, it's camel colored leather (cowhide, according to the creed) with a navy satin stripe lining. I pulled the lining out and washed it with Woolite by hand/soft toothbrush/fingernail brush. (I've had good success with that method on the Kate Spade leather clutch lining with MUCHO ink stains, BTW.) I hung the bag up upside-down until the lining was dry enough to push back into the bag. Here are the ink stains and some other blemish I can't identify. I haven't yet attempted to do anything about those.
Edit: I forgot to include the odd light-colored patches on the top flap.
And unless any of you fine ladies know the name of this model off the tops of your heads, I'll have to go seek out an authenticator for assistance.
Lastly, I have to ask...you guys have done some amazing rehabs. But the practical side of me has to wonder: what do you DO with all of the rehabbed projects, especially duplicates??? While I LOVE bags (holy crap, I'm really realizing how much nuttier I am than I thought I was), I can't see myself rehabbing and keeping every single one. And I KNOW my husband would think I'd gone over the edge (I'm also a part-time antique dealer, a MINI Cooper enthusiast, ...the list goes on...) so....? Do you guys KEEP all of these?
And thanks! I really appreciate all of the good advice and suggestions you've collected in this thread.
I do fix them up and sell the xtras on ebay. I have been incredibly lucky to find MANY made in NYCj and USA bags and I intend to keep quite a few, but only if it is something I'd enjoy carrying. Otherwise, I find great joy in bringing these bags back to life, and passing them on to an appreciative buyer who is starting to learn that the new bags, though gorgeous, just don't have that great thick leather quality.
The front of my Anderson bag seems to have a dent or crease in the leather, where I suspect it might have been stored improperly folded or crushed or something 
It's still drying now but is there anything I can do about this? Might proper conditioning treatments get the leather to smooth out again? It's not a dealbreaker, but I notice it!
It's still drying now but is there anything I can do about this? Might proper conditioning treatments get the leather to smooth out again? It's not a dealbreaker, but I notice it!
Yes, but my problem is that I'm already addicted to a few other things too! Antiques are a big one for me - I'm technically a "picker" for my mom's primitive antique business in my "spare" time (I'm active duty military) and that doesn't even touch upon MY collection of antiques. Doing the uniform thing means moving a lot...which is a PITA for securing the breakable stuff, but it's a GREAT way to clean house. But when you have precious things or items you KNOW are valuable (like, say, Coach and designer purses??), it's REALLY REALLY hard to part with them! Good news: the very kind authenticators tell me the backpack is a genuine 1994 Sonoma backpack. YAY! Not bad for $28.
Other news: I purchased two Coach bags the other day (what can I say, I'm on a roll) but they both look pretty good in photos. (Still waiting on shipment!) I'll definitely have to do lining improvements and some dye-wear improvements...
And I don't often do colors other-than-black, but this one really appealed to me.
Just for "giggles" I also bid (and won) an inexpensive and not-very-well-advertised "Microfiber tote." What exactly does that mean, BTW? Microfiber? I know you ladies have mentioned it once or twice, but it's not ringing a bell. I don't have this one in hand yet either (these are the seller's pictures.)
Good news: the very kind authenticators tell me the backpack is a genuine 1994 Sonoma backpack. YAY! Not bad for $28.
Other news: I purchased two Coach bags the other day (what can I say, I'm on a roll) but they both look pretty good in photos. (Still waiting on shipment!) I'll definitely have to do lining improvements and some dye-wear improvements...
And I don't often do colors other-than-black, but this one really appealed to me.
Just for "giggles" I also bid (and won) an inexpensive and not-very-well-advertised "Microfiber tote." What exactly does that mean, BTW? Microfiber? I know you ladies have mentioned it once or twice, but it's not ringing a bell. I don't have this one in hand yet either (these are the seller's pictures.)
It's official, you are a coach rehab addict! I believe that the microfiber bag is part of the Neo series. They are neoprene bags with leather trim. Nice buys!
I'm SO glad I found you guys. 
Some of these leather-trim Coaches look like they need re-dying. Is there a particular brand ya'll recommend?
BTW, it seems the fervor here for rehabbing Coach bags is significantly more active and productive than the Kate Spade kids. Do you guys have any tips, tricks, or info on rehabbing boar-skin leather? I also need to really clean up the suede pin-striped interior of a KS bag. What IS the problem with people capping their #$(* pens!?
Some of these leather-trim Coaches look like they need re-dying. Is there a particular brand ya'll recommend?BTW, it seems the fervor here for rehabbing Coach bags is significantly more active and productive than the Kate Spade kids. Do you guys have any tips, tricks, or info on rehabbing boar-skin leather? I also need to really clean up the suede pin-striped interior of a KS bag. What IS the problem with people capping their #$(* pens!?
LOL I hear you on this one! I just bought a tan basic bag and there are the biggest ink blot marks on the lining. Ink is a b*t*h to get out, impossible pretty much. I tried hairspray on a q-tip but alls it did was rub it around and make the spot bigger. I just decided to live with it (its on the inside anyway). And I love your recent purchases, very cute and classic tote styles!
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I'm SO glad I found you guys.
BTW, it seems the fervor here for rehabbing Coach bags is significantly more active and productive than the Kate Spade kids. Do you guys have any tips, tricks, or info on rehabbing boar-skin leather? I also need to really clean up the suede pin-striped interior of a KS bag. What IS the problem with people capping their #$(* pens!?
I have never dyed a bag. I suggest cleaning and rehabbing it first; it's amazing how much these bags brighten up with a little TLC!
Is the KS bag a fabric bag? If yes, I would pre-treat the ink spots with alcohol and then put it in a net lingerie bag and cycle it through the washing machine (on cold or warm) and delicate cycle. And then hang it up to dry. I have a black microfiber KS messenger bag and I have washed it a few times and it's always come out great.
No experience with boar leather, do a search on all of TPF. Good luck!
I'm definitely going to start by a good cleaning and conditioning first, but I'm afraid there are some pretty good rub spots that make me a little nervous, but *sigh waiting on my Leather Honey conditioner to come in before I do ANYthing. I have three leather (boarskin) KS, and one nylon that cleaned up pretty well with a hand washing, but one of the boar skin ones I want to keep has serious ink stains all over the SUEDE interior. Looks like a challenge, if nothing else!
On to other items: Dust covers. ? Any good place to find them with the Coach symbol on it? If I'm going to give these as gifts, I want to do it right.
I tried searching "Coach dustcovers" on ebay, but it didn't turn up much aside from purses being sold WITH dust covers...?
I'm definitely going to start by a good cleaning and conditioning first, but I'm afraid there are some pretty good rub spots that make me a little nervous, but *sigh waiting on my Leather Honey conditioner to come in before I do ANYthing. I have three leather (boarskin) KS, and one nylon that cleaned up pretty well with a hand washing, but one of the boar skin ones I want to keep has serious ink stains all over the SUEDE interior. Looks like a challenge, if nothing else!
On to other items: Dust covers. ? Any good place to find them with the Coach symbol on it? If I'm going to give these as gifts, I want to do it right.
There's some for sale on Bonanza.
NMA
http://www.bonanza.com/items/search...0&q[sort_by]=relevancy&q[translate_term]=true
Ok, you guys.....that bag that I mentioned earlier...the camel colored vintage saddle with the stain from the spray and wash.....I swear I feel like a dunce working with it. It has been washed 3 times now and almost done drying. I put a generous apple application on it and got called away and forgot about it. I found it this morning with dark streaks in it. I can't really even buff it out because it soaked it all in. When I did try to buff the bag, I noticed some color coming off. My hypothesis is that it will eventually even out, but this light color seems unpredictable so I am kind of thrown for a loop.
What say you? Heavy Apple application left over night??? What happens? And color coming off? What gives?
I will try and post photos but I am on a phone currently.
What say you? Heavy Apple application left over night??? What happens? And color coming off? What gives?
I will try and post photos but I am on a phone currently.
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