Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

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#15,946
Hello! Hoping to pick someone else's brain for this rehab I'm currently working one!

I'm rehabbing a '97 Station Bag, but it's missing a strap. I'd like to replace the strap with one as close as possible to the original, but Google searches turn up results that show bags with straps that have a slider (I think that's what it's called?) and bags with straps without them. It may be purse listings that have another purse's strap on them, or did station bags have different straps depending on the years? If so, what would the original strap look like for this particular bag and year? Any help with this question is much appreciated!
 
#15,947
Margoux said:
Hello! Hoping to pick someone else's brain for this rehab I'm currently working one!

I'm rehabbing a '97 Station Bag, but it's missing a strap. I'd like to replace the strap with one as close as possible to the original, but Google searches turn up results that show bags with straps that have a slider (I think that's what it's called?) and bags with straps without them. It may be purse listings that have another purse's strap on them, or did station bags have different straps depending on the years? If so, what would the original strap look like for this particular bag and year? Any help with this question is much appreciated!
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Early station bags had a nonadjustable strap. Later versions had an adjustable strap. I believe in 1997 the straps weren't adjustable and were 44 inches long with lobster clips. Remember that Coach straps were sewn, not riveted. Like this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-CO...240938?hash=item2f160a5d6a:g:8V0AAOSwl29aijHU
 
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#15,948
whateve said:
Yes, red is tricky. It doesn't look good with patina. The bag was already in pretty good condition. I just bathed it and conditioned it like normal. There is a stain along the back seam and a similar stain along the top under the flap. I've seen that in other bags from this era (early 1970s). I think they might have used some kind of glue that bled through.
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I know exactly the stain you're talking about! I have seen it a lot too.

Generally I find reds not too hard to rehab. The oldies hold their color well.
 
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#15,950
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#15,951
Katherine2020 said:
Sounds like an overall success! Please share after photos when you can. You're giving me hope for a twill Basic! Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing. I need another "quest" bag like a hole in the head!
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I hereby promise I will complete my rehab on this bag and about 5 others tomorrow. They've all been drying since last Friday so it's time I got motivated to clean and replace the hardware to finish them off! Friday is my day off so... :)
 
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#15,952
vivianyan said:
started my 2nd rehab. The first wasn't very success because I learned after I started my project
I found this bag from eBay, it's not my favorite style but it's made in NYC! So I decided to rehab it as another practice. I've given it a warm bath. Just make sure I won't make mistake again. Warm bath for about 20 seconds, then rinse, Towel dry, then put on leather cpr, dry it overnight and leather cpr again, last blackrock right?
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Project finished.:smile: Couldn't get off some oil stain, but it's back to alive for use.

IMG_0219.JPG IMG_0217.JPG
 
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#15,954
Catbird9 said:
For me, one of the joys of rehabbing vintage Coach is finding a neglected and undervalued bag and restoring its hidden beauty.

This Prairie Bag was described as being "in poor pre-owned condition and shows heavy wear from previous use, including: Heavy bottom corner wear, shell discoloration / stains, interior leather discoloration / stains / wear, metal accent scratches, long strap wear."

All in the eye of the beholder, says the fearless rehabber!

This was my first encounter with a Prairie Bag, and a British Tan one to boot! First a warm bath, then reshaping with towels, drying, and a few rounds of Leather CPR and BlackRock. Finally, installing a shiny new turnlock and buffing to a mellow glow, and this vintage beauty was reborn. In the process I unexpectedly fell in love with the size, shape, and configuration of this classic bag. :hbeat:

BEFORE and AFTER:
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Wow, that's beautiful!
 
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#15,955
Rehabbing today. I have blackrocks doing its magic on my burgundy envelope portfolio and will be dunking my carmel bleecker again as I wasn't happy with how it dried. I am also in the hunt for more rehabs. I saw a patricia legacy at goodwill, but they priced it for $50! It needs so much work.
 
#15,957
Tosa22 said:
Rehabbing today. I have blackrocks doing its magic on my burgundy envelope portfolio and will be dunking my carmel bleecker again as I wasn't happy with how it dried. I am also in the hunt for more rehabs. I saw a patricia legacy at goodwill, but they priced it for $50! It needs so much work.
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Burgundy envelope, I would love a chance at one of those! Can't wait.
But really, I can't whine any more about lack of bags for rehabbing locally. I did go to local thrift shop a few weeks ago. They had a big black USA Duffel that had a lot of wear, but they only want $15. I picked it up just before another woman did. I saw her eyeing it and we started talking. Holding that big freaking piece of leather with hardware lol reminded me of how heavy they are empty! And the outer layer of leather was completely worn off the piping on the bottom. If the piping was in good shape I would have bought it, cleaned it up and gifted it. I ended up handing it to the woman I was chatting with. I was glad to let go of something i just wasn't behind 100% and I enjoyed the smile on her face!
I went to a local flea market today. The die hards were out, even with snow on the ground! Two women had several great bags out. I got a totally beat up Metropolitan bag, complete with ink stains on the back and mold, in mahogany. $20 bucks. Yes, I know it sounds insane, it's kind of a HG, to take a completely beat up brief style bag and see what can be done. I'm a sucker for the patina on certain kinds of worn bags after they get reconditioned. And I passed on a bunch of bags that looked good, I just knew I wouldn't use. Then the thrift shop had a great lunch tote size in red for $12.
Pics to come!
 
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