Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

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#7,036
balmer79 said:
Well, after reading all the comments and the help that you guys have provided, here is my 1st project. I tried to picture in different lights and to give a better idea. ITs definatly an improvement but I might give it another round to see how far I can push it, especially when I look at the 1st before, at the bottom front I see some marks still.
Still, not too shabby for my 1st!
I was amazed after the 1st bath just all the dirt that came off of it, amazing!
I saw the old ink stain bleed a little bit, I took out everything I could but oh well! I still like the bag!

Excuse the puppy in the photos, shes such a nosy one, always up my butt follows me around as I work on the purses...
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that's a great bag in a nice color!! It's nice to see you're catching the rehab bug!
 
#7,037
whateve said:
Back when they made this, almost all Coaches had brass hardware. I doubt they even had any purses that came with silver feet. I don't think they made the same bag two hardware choices. My 1999 Rambler's Legacy has nickel hardware, which is unusual. I don't think I have seen a bag older than that with hardware other than brass. I think they started using plated brass by the time they started using serial numbers. I only have one bag that has solid brass hardware and that is pre-creed. Most of the brass tends to turn funny colors when it corrodes. However, the feet on my Legacy zip are silver on the bottoms only and this bag is in excellent shape otherwise, so it is conceivable that with time, they would turn silver entirely. I washed my slim satchel with TSP and the kisslock turned silver.
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Well maybe the plating has just worn off on the questionable bag. The feet are completely silver not even a little brass anywhere. If it were brass, it must have be thinly plated? The kisslock turned silver after you washed it? Maybe when they first started plating the metal they had some faulty equipment? I've noticed the dark brownish colors I'm seeing on tarnished brass is the coating they put on to keep the brass from tarnishing. It's pretty thick sometimes and makes the turnlocks look awful. It's really difficult to buff it out all the way too.

Arizabif said:
Here are some pics of my bag, focusing on the areas up for discussion. This bag *has* been authenticated.

I do see what you mean about the "wavy" zipper. I was thinking the one picture (blurry) of the zipper on the bag in question appeared that when the zipper was sewn in the fabric was not lined up evenly with the leather edge exposing more of the fabric part in one area. Maybe it was just the picture. What usually causes zippers to become wavy is the zipper material shrinking. The teeth keep the edge from shrinking thus a wavy zipper. I really doesn't seem like that would be what caused yours to get wavy! :-/ Thanks for sharing your pictures. They helped a lot!
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#7,038
2Blessed said:
Well maybe the plating has just worn off on the questionable bag. The feet are completely silver not even a little brass anywhere. If it were brass, it must have be thinly plated? The kisslock turned silver after you washed it? Maybe when they first started plating the metal they had some faulty equipment? I've noticed the dark brownish colors I'm seeing on tarnished brass is the coating they put on to keep the brass from tarnishing. It's pretty thick sometimes and makes the turnlocks look awful. It's really difficult to buff it out all the way too.

Arizabif said:
Here are some pics of my bag, focusing on the areas up for discussion. This bag *has* been authenticated.

I do see what you mean about the "wavy" zipper. I was thinking the one picture (blurry) of the zipper on the bag in question appeared that when the zipper was sewn in the fabric was not lined up evenly with the leather edge exposing more of the fabric part in one area. Maybe it was just the picture. What usually causes zippers to become wavy is the zipper material shrinking. The teeth keep the edge from shrinking thus a wavy zipper. I really doesn't seem like that would be what caused yours to get wavy! :-/ Thanks for sharing your pictures. They helped a lot!
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I think the only reason my kisslock turned silver is because I used a very strong cleaner - TSP. It is designed to remove paint. I was trying to remove a failed dye job.
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#7,039
Arizabif said:
A quick rehab update. A few months ago, I got my hands on a Plaza bag that REEKED of cigarettes. Like, I couldn't have it in the same room with me, because it smelled so strongly of cigarettes, and I don't mind subtle cigarette smell, (it reminds me of my grandma). But this was out of control, and I knew that I would never carry her, nor could I in good conscience sell her to anyone but a chain smoker! I was really wanting to save her, because she was in such good shape and came with her hang tag, original little drawstring bag of paperwork AND registration card!

I tried stuffing her with newspaper. No help.
I tried sitting her in sunshine. No help.
I gave her *5* baths. She'd smell a little better briefly, then "The Creeping Stink" would return. It was like it just oozed out of her.

On the final bath, I dumped in a bunch of Mr. Clean, because I was at the "nothing to lose" point. It helped only a smidge, and dried her out terribly. :/

Finally after weeks of glaring at her, my husband says "Did you try dryer sheets? Put some of those in the pockets, and the smell will go away". I thought he was kind of nuts, and that at best I'd get a bag that smelled like cigarettes and Downy.

To my surprise, the dryer sheets helped A LOT more than anything else I've tried. Between weeks stuffed with dryer sheets and many applications of Leather Therapy, she became usable. She still has a faint smell, but she's at a point where I'd carry her.

The pics are pre-polishing of the brass, but I mostly wanted to show the color difference between the dry leather and the conditioned leather. She was SO dry that by the time I wiped the Leather Therapy across the bag, the beginning would already be dry to the touch! This is what the inside pockets looked like, halfway through conditioning her.
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I like this bag. She's a beauty!!! You did an excellent job! (So did your hubby!).

I had a Legacy Hobo that stunk from cigarette smoke too. I turned her inside out and misted her with vinegar and left her in the sun all afternoon. I did that a couple times then turned her right side out and wiped the bag down with diluted vinegar and hung her out in the sun again. I actually stuffed the pockets with fabric softener sheets and put her away for a while. I knew nothing about rehabbing then but it worked. :-)
 
#7,040

I forgot what tsp was! I have had my mind on leather therapy, leather honey and leather CPR! Lol! i should have thought because I recently remodeled my kitchen and I used it on my cupboard doors to remove the crud! It certainly IS a harsh cleaner! No wonder it cleaned your kiss-lock's little brass off! (@_Ꭷ)
 
#7,041
Jessi319 said:
oh wow...I think I have that exact same bag in my rehab pile...Just got her this past week and it too looks a mess!!
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Good luck with her, let us know how her rehab goes. My girl is still sucking up all the conditioner I throw at her. I'm thinking maybe I'll need a different conditioner. Heading to the local Leather/ Shoe repair guy tomorrow to get his opinion. :cool:
 
#7,042
Do any of you remove the lacquer coating from your brass hardware when you are rehabbing and if so, do you re-lacquer the brass to keep it from tarnishing again?

I think the brass that looks the worst is when it's coating has been scratched through to the bare metal and the metal tarnishes inside the scratches. It's hard to get the hardware to look good without removing the old lacquer coating IMO.

I've re-coated with lacquer using a small brush but and also used the spray. You really have to have the hardware off the bag to spray so you don't get any on your newly rehabbed bag, but I think it's easier to apply. I've also used clear nail polish in a pinch and it works ok but not sure how long it will last though. (I seem wear it off my nails pretty quickly!)

What do any of you use if you do re-apply lacquer or another protective coating?
 
#7,043
2Blessed said:
Do any of you remove the lacquer coating from your brass hardware when you are rehabbing and if so, do you re-lacquer the brass to keep it from tarnishing again?
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I remove the lacquer, and I have not relaquered any of the bags I have done, but I am kind of a lazy rehabber! I've only had that scratchy/tarnished/chippy look from the lacquer on the turnlocks, (that I have noticed). Everything else has looked ok to me, so I just give it a quick polish and am done. Most of the time, I dont even bother polishing the inside brass for zippers, etc, unless my hand gets dirty from touching the metal, (see? Lazy). :D
 
#7,045
Arizabif said:
I remove the lacquer, and I have not relaquered any of the bags I have done, but I am kind of a lazy rehabber! I've only had that scratchy/tarnished/chippy look from the lacquer on the turnlocks, (that I have noticed). Everything else has looked ok to me, so I just give it a quick polish and am done. Most of the time, I dont even bother polishing the inside brass for zippers, etc, unless my hand gets dirty from touching the metal, (see? Lazy). :D
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I only remove it on the turn locks too. I haven't notices many of the buckles or grommets needing much other than a little polishing. I have put a coating on the turn lock plate and the "twisty" knob of the turn lock. I live in a humid part of the country so I'm pretty sure it'll turn pretty fast! I don't bother with the inside zippers either and unless the top zipper looks grungy, I don't do much with it either. See - you're not the only "lazy" one! Lol!!!! =]
 
#7,048
2Blessed said:
Do any of you remove the lacquer coating from your brass hardware when you are rehabbing and if so, do you re-lacquer the brass to keep it from tarnishing again?

I think the brass that looks the worst is when it's coating has been scratched through to the bare metal and the metal tarnishes inside the scratches. It's hard to get the hardware to look good without removing the old lacquer coating IMO.

I've re-coated with lacquer using a small brush but and also used the spray. You really have to have the hardware off the bag to spray so you don't get any on your newly rehabbed bag, but I think it's easier to apply. I've also used clear nail polish in a pinch and it works ok but not sure how long it will last though. (I seem wear it off my nails pretty quickly!)

What do any of you use if you do re-apply lacquer or another protective coating?
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It never occurred to me that it was lacquered! hmmmm. So is there a specific type of lacquer for re-coating brass that one should look for? I do notice many of my bags NEED it. Especially if I've dremeled them with felt wool tips.
 
#7,049
Jessi319 said:
It never occurred to me that it was lacquered! hmmmm. So is there a specific type of lacquer for re-coating brass that one should look for? I do notice many of my bags NEED it. Especially if I've dremeled them with felt wool tips.
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I just get a polyurethane lacquer in a small can. I put several thin coats on the hardware, letting it dry between coats. You can get the spray too. It comes in a spray paint type can. It's easier if you have your hardware off but you have to spray it outside. I usually spray several coats of it as well. Just make sure the lacquer you get works on metal! Anything to keep the shine I worked hard to get! LOL! You'll want to make sure your brass is clean, dry and oil free before applying the lacquer. That's it and your shine should last a long time! :-)
 
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