Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[Rarity]

Just did my first hand wash. While doing a damp condition on both the lightweights and the court discoverd some stuff. Ink, on the lightweights and shoe polish on the court. Ick Ick Ick. So into the tub they went, after a vigorous brush scrub with foaming hand soap, followed by hand santizer on the lightweights. Nasty. So,scrubbed them both down again inside and out, rinsed, drip dried and just got done stuffing them. The hardware still looks great tho.

Let's see pics!!

 

[gege vintagelvr]

I inherited a briefcase from my DBF's neice, who was a lawyer. It was missing a strap, which I ordered from Jacksonville about 8 months ago, right after I received the briefcase. They sent the strap within a few weeks and it is a perfect match. She was petite and obviously carried the briefcase by the handles. Although the strap was missing, I have all the paperwork and the tag.

Just to be sure, I posted photos/info to the authentication thread this morning.

Apparently, the leather piece holding the D-ring for the strap had dry rot, and earlier this week the leather piece gave way. The briefcase came to me in fairly abused condition, so I'm not surprised. Fortunately, I found a nice Burgundy Hamptons Business Carryall at a vintage flea in Boston over Labor Day weekend, so I wasn't left without a briefcase for work.

My DBF (who actively fuels my older and vintage Coach collecting) did some research about sending to Jacksonville for repair. He found enough negative comments on the web that he wanted to bring that information to my attention.

After all that ramgling preamble, my question is this. Should I go ahead and arrange to send to Jacksonville or should I try to find a very good local cobbler who may be able to help? My current cobbler is very nice and does a good job on my shoes, but I wouldn't trust him with this item. I don't mean to do him a misjustice, but I think it's beyond his skill level. If I send to Jacksonville, I understand that I need to specify that I want my briefcase back, if they are unable to repair it.

Here is the link to the authentication thread:

http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-shopping/authenticate-this-coach-763164-152.html

Here are photos of the damage. I'm not a perfectionist, because I love vintage patina. But, she did not care for this briefcase. After I learn how to do some basic rehab on my dark handbags, I'm hoping I can at least do some positive things to prolong the life of this handsome briefcase.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or feedback you can offer...and for reading this l-o-n-g post.

 

[Rambler]

Let's see pics!!

Sooooon.....

 

[Jessi319]

Just wondering if you guys always use a pillow case or net bag to store the purse in while washing? or is it not actually necessary? I will remove the handles and hope the leather on the bag doesn't end up looking entirely different, but I guess I can dunk the handles later if so. (interior of bag is really really clean!! )

This is a bag I want to have a long and happy relationship with so any thoughts or advice or how to keep the suede soft etc etc would be appreciated ...I've been trying to go back through and re-read all the suede info but that's a lot to wade through and time is short today!! thanks

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

 

[ledobe]

Just wondering if you guys always use a pillow case or net bag to store the purse in while washing? or is it not actually necessary? I will remove the handles and hope the leather on the bag doesn't end up looking entirely different, but I guess I can dunk the handles later if so. (interior of bag is really really clean!! )

This is a bag I want to have a long and happy relationship with so any thoughts or advice or how to keep the suede soft etc etc would be appreciated ...I've been trying to go back through and re-read all the suede info but that's a lot to wade through and time is short today!! thanks

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

That looks like the same style/era as the little blue one I just posted. I looked for it on the wayback machine and kept finding that one, but mine was "laced suede duffle" and only showed up on one of the catalogs that came up.

Use your judgement on the pillowcase. I've done both, but I probably wouldn't because I just throw them in with a bunch of old towels and I think the abrasion from the terry cloth actually helps clean the suede. And you don't have to worry about scratching like you do with smooth leather. The buckles clanging around always makes me nervous but if you have other stuff in there it's not too bad and I've never had any damage from that.

I wouldn't use the net bag. I tried it once and it left net imprints in the suede. It wasn't permanent, I think I just rubbed it with a dry wash cloth to raise the nap and that did it, it just was unnecesary, you know.

I think that is the easiest color to work with too, because the suede wants to be in that color family, you know?

And as far as stiff, I have washed quite a few suede items and they always come out a little stiff. Lately I have been thinking about experimenting with the emu oil on something because it seems like it moisturizes the smooth leather without leaving any marks, but I haven't done it yet. It's just like when you hang clothes to dry though, they soften up with use. Just make sure all the soap is rinsed out, but you know that. I also wonder if putting a little softener in the rinse cycle would have helped? I will probably try it if I wash suede again but I haven't yet. I can't see how it would hurt though. Worst case scenario it might slightly darken but since it would be even it probably wouldn't matter, and I can't imagine that it would even do that.

 

[obiwankenobi87]

I am not really a rehabber but it looks like so much fun I decided to give it a try. Usually I just clean the bag with leather cleaner and that's that. Well, last night I found a purse at Savers for $3.99. Hyacinth authenticated it and called it an Oliver bag from the early 1990s. The color doesn't really show well it the pictures but it is a deep dark hunter green. Anyway, I washed it in the sink, stuffed it with towels, and coated it with 2 coats of leather CPR. It wasn't in drastic need of rehab but I think you can see somewhat of a difference. Well, thanks for letting me share my fist rehab! ( I think I might need to start rehabbing on a regular basis.)

First pic is a before shot. Then several shots of cleaning and drying. The last two are the end result.

 

[September24]

Just wondering if you guys always use a pillow case or net bag to store the purse in while washing? or is it not actually necessary? I will remove the handles and hope the leather on the bag doesn't end up looking entirely different, but I guess I can dunk the handles later if so. (interior of bag is really really clean!! )

This is a bag I want to have a long and happy relationship with so any thoughts or advice or how to keep the suede soft etc etc would be appreciated ...I've been trying to go back through and re-read all the suede info but that's a lot to wade through and time is short today!! thanks

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

I LOVE Suede bags! Can't wait to see this when youre finished

 

[Jessi319]

That looks like the same style/era as the little blue one I just posted. I looked for it on the wayback machine and kept finding that one, but mine was "laced suede duffle" and only showed up on one of the catalogs that came up.

Use your judgement on the pillowcase. I've done both, but I probably wouldn't because I just throw them in with a bunch of old towels and I think the abrasion from the terry cloth actually helps clean the suede. And you don't have to worry about scratching like you do with smooth leather. The buckles clanging around always makes me nervous but if you have other stuff in there it's not too bad and I've never had any damage from that.

I wouldn't use the net bag. I tried it once and it left net imprints in the suede. It wasn't permanent, I think I just rubbed it with a dry wash cloth to raise the nap and that did it, it just was unnecesary, you know.

I think that is the easiest color to work with too, because the suede wants to be in that color family, you know?

And as far as stiff, I have washed quite a few suede items and they always come out a little stiff. Lately I have been thinking about experimenting with the emu oil on something because it seems like it moisturizes the smooth leather without leaving any marks, but I haven't done it yet. It's just like when you hang clothes to dry though, they soften up with use. Just make sure all the soap is rinsed out, but you know that. I also wonder if putting a little softener in the rinse cycle would have helped? I will probably try it if I wash suede again but I haven't yet. I can't see how it would hurt though. Worst case scenario it might slightly darken but since it would be even it probably wouldn't matter, and I can't imagine that it would even do that.

thank you! I did find mine on the way back machine, and I think I saw yours too but not sure.

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

 

[Jessi319]

I am not really a rehabber but it looks like so much fun I decided to give it a try. Usually I just clean the bag with leather cleaner and that's that. Well, last night I found a purse at Savers for $3.99. Hyacinth authenticated it and called it an Oliver bag from the early 1990s. The color doesn't really show well it the pictures but it is a deep dark hunter green. Anyway, I washed it in the sink, stuffed it with towels, and coated it with 2 coats of leather CPR. It wasn't in drastic need of rehab but I think you can see somewhat of a difference. Well, thanks for letting me share my fist rehab! ( I think I might need to start rehabbing on a regular basis.)

First pic is a before shot. Then several shots of cleaning and drying. The last two are the end result.

oh wow I love that green! Beautiful

 

[ledobe]

I've been wanting to post these before and afters of my shearling bag for awhile. I bought it on a whim because it sold for so cheap on eBay but now that it's clean I actually love it! I took the after pix on the same day that I couldn't get into photobucket so I never got back to posting them. I've posted the big overview before, but I took more detail before I threw her in the washer. Now that I'm looking at these to post them I can't believe how dirty she was!

Other side (the clean side, lol):

Strap was filthy!

You can see the contrast of the "clean" suede that was folded under the shearling:

You can see the blue spot here (which is the only thing that didn't fully come out, but it's barely noticeable now, you wouldn't see it if you didn't know it was there, but also notice how dirty it is around the seam!

 

[ledobe]

I actually was going to retake the afters because you can see our ugly old falling down sheds in the background! They were here when we bought the house and my husband had a lot of equipment for his business to store in them. After we sold off some of his equimpment when he got a job we gradually cleared them out just in time for a huge tree limb to fall on one of them, so it's a work in progress. I imagine we can get some $$ for the scrap aluminum when we get around to tearing it down, but it's huge so I don't know how we're going to get it out of there.

Here's what's left of the blue spot, it really doesn't show up, I had to kind of focus on it:

These pix would actually benefit from having a flash (I'm using my camera phone, as usual, my hubby is out of town with the "real" camera) because the lighting makes it look greyish-it was an overcast day when I took the pix and it's overcast now so I can't really improve on them, I don't think.

 

[chowlover2]

I actually was going to retake the afters because you can see our ugly old falling down sheds in the background! They were here when we bought the house and my husband had a lot of equipment for his business to store in them. After we sold off some of his equimpment when he got a job we gradually cleared them out just in time for a huge tree limb to fall on one of them, so it's a work in progress. I imagine we can get some $$ for the scrap aluminum when we get around to tearing it down, but it's huge so I don't know how we're going to get it out of there.

Here's what's left of the blue spot, it really doesn't show up, I had to kind of focus on it:

These pix would actually benefit from having a flash (I'm using my camera phone, as usual, my hubby is out of town with the "real" camera) because the lighting makes it look greyish-it was an overcast day when I took the pix and it's overcast now so I can't really improve on them, I don't think.

Wow, she looks brand new!

 

[ledobe]

thank you! I did find mine on the way back machine, and I think I saw yours too but not sure.

By jessi319 at 2012-09-15

Yup-that's the one I kept finding that was ALMOST my bag. My blue one is really small, and it is a spring bag that I think only appeared in February of that year. The strap has the same stitching as my shearling bag, and some lacing at the seams but is essentially the same bag as yours otherwise.

Yours is cute, how long have you had it, about how big is it?

 

[Jessi319]

Yup-that's the one I kept finding that was ALMOST my bag. My blue one is really small, and it is a spring bag that I think only appeared in February of that year. The strap has the same stitching as my shearling bag, and some lacing at the seams but is essentially the same bag as yours otherwise.

Yours is cute, how long have you had it, about how big is it?

I love that shearling bag!!! It looks amazing now!. I remember loving that blue suede too.
Mine is a nice sized duffle with a convertible strap. It's about 13L x 12H x 3D. It retailed "wayback" at $258!! It's in the washing machine NOW, fingers are crossed! If your shearling looks that good, I have hopes that the darkened dirty edges on mine might look better. I am using Leather Therapy wash and some of Leather Infusion rinse which I hope will keep it soft. I'll post some afters unless she falls apart in the machine LOL.

p.s. I tossed a little natural leather hobo, and a sonoma pebbled tan bag in with her so it's purse soup right now!!

 

[whateve]

I actually was going to retake the afters because you can see our ugly old falling down sheds in the background! They were here when we bought the house and my husband had a lot of equipment for his business to store in them. After we sold off some of his equimpment when he got a job we gradually cleared them out just in time for a huge tree limb to fall on one of them, so it's a work in progress. I imagine we can get some $$ for the scrap aluminum when we get around to tearing it down, but it's huge so I don't know how we're going to get it out of there.

Here's what's left of the blue spot, it really doesn't show up, I had to kind of focus on it:

These pix would actually benefit from having a flash (I'm using my camera phone, as usual, my hubby is out of town with the "real" camera) because the lighting makes it look greyish-it was an overcast day when I took the pix and it's overcast now so I can't really improve on them, I don't think.

She looks amazing! Did you have to do anything to fluff up the shearling?