Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[whateve]

So I did it!! I finally, FINALLY did my first rehab + rescue project! Admittedly, I got this Coach court bag in black for a really great price ($30) considering her amazing condition. No pen marks, no stains, no fraying, no wrinkling, nothing.. the brass has clearly been polished by the seller as there is no tarnish, and the hang tag is also attached! I know, what a great find - I am SO HAPPY! Thank you to everyone that has helped me during my hunt (especially Hyacinth, Whateve, Netlawyer, BeenBurned - THANK YOU THANK YOU!)

So really, these are just bag bath pics BUT I have a court bag in british tan coming and that one will be an actual rehab, so this black court bag is a good start to get my feet wet with rehabbing I can't wait till I receive my british tan court bag, as that one has some dryness/scratches on the front flap, it should be interesting to see if my leather CPR will take care of that.

When I received her she was looking real smooshy and a bit gray/dirty. I gave her a good bath using woolite as advised in this club, and then I stuffed her with towels. She is still drying, it's been about 12 hours now. I want her to look structured but since it's an all leather bag, I doubt that will happen, which is okay as I love the way the Court bag looks either way. I moisturized with leather CPR ($20 CAD! ouch!) and I will be touching up some areas with Kiwi leather dye in black in an hour or so. The wrinkling on the bottom... will that come out as it dries? Also planning to get some Collonil waterstop spray (spotted in the most ancient shoe repair store in town with the bottle covered in an inch of dust - no jokes! I didn't buy it at first because my skin got so itchy from holding the bottle! But since I haven't been able to find another bottle elsewhere, I'll have to go back...with gloves).

Congratulations on finding both Court bags! This one is looking gorgeous. Are you sure it needs the leather dye? The wrinkling on the bottom will most likely not disappear. I've never heard of the waterstop spray.

 

[Arizabif]

The leather looks great. EdgeKote might be good for the worn spots on the piping. I had a split in the piping like yours in one of the the first bags I ever worked on. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I ended up taking a needle and thread to it and sewed it back together. I then used several coats of EdgeKote mixed w/ conditioner and covered over it. Again, I had no clue what I was doing, so It was total guess work on my part. If I had it to do over again, I might try gluing the split like that back together again instead of sewing. Or maybe something like a 5 minute epoxy. In the end, I was thrilled with the result for my first bag. It also isn't that noticeable because it is on the bottom corner of the bag. Here are pictures so you can see what sewing it looks like (and what you probably don't want to try!)

The edgekote might be a good option. I need to get some for 2;other bags I have with edge issues. Maybe I could glue the split down with crazy glue?

I am really happy with the way the leather is turning out. This bag was the driest I have ever worked on. I was afraid the leather on the handles would start to chip and flake off. It was THAT bad, and it was totally my fault. I read online that some people treat mold on leather with vinegar. So in my typical jump-in-feet-first-read-the-directions-later style, I dumped a bunch of vinegar in the bath. It killed the mold, but hoo boy. I cant say I recommend trying it.

 

[Bee-licious]

Congratulations on finding both Court bags! This one is looking gorgeous. Are you sure it needs the leather dye? The wrinkling on the bottom will most likely not disappear. I've never heard of the waterstop spray.

The waterstop is supposed to make bags waterproof without darkening them - amazing, right? I know some tpfers have found success using it but I have yet to try as locating one outside of the ancient cobbler I found, proved difficult!

I'm not too sure about the leather dye.. Maybe I should leave it since the bag basically looks new. But I keep thinking the black leather just isn't black enough. Maybe less is more here...

 

[Bee-licious]

The edgekote might be a good option. I need to get some for 2;other bags I have with edge issues. Maybe I could glue the split down with crazy glue?

I am really happy with the way the leather is turning out. This bag was the driest I have ever worked on. I was afraid the leather on the handles would start to chip and flake off. It was THAT bad, and it was totally my fault. I read online that some people treat mold on leather with vinegar. So in my typical jump-in-feet-first-read-the-directions-later style, I dumped a bunch of vinegar in the bath. It killed the mold, but hoo boy. I cant say I recommend trying it.

What did you end up doing to relieve the dryness? I'm using leather cpr as recommended by Whateve and it's great! But since your bag is much drier, I'm interested in what you've tried

 

[whateve]

The waterstop is supposed to make bags waterproof without darkening them - amazing, right? I know some tpfers have found success using it but I have yet to try as locating one outside of the ancient cobbler I found, proved difficult!

I'm not too sure about the leather dye.. Maybe I should leave it since the bag basically looks new. But I keep thinking the black leather just isn't black enough. Maybe less is more here...

I wouldn't mess with it. What if the black dye is a different color black? Then you would have to do the entire bag to make it even. Conditioner should make it look deeper. You could always use Blackrocks. I've never waterproofed any of my leather bags but I don't live in a rainy climate. I think the conditioner provides some protection. Some people have also used Obenauf's for waterproofing.

 

[JOODLZ]

Okay, this is the first group - even Dali is raising his eyebrows at the collection!



I then realized later that I was missing a few, but didn't know it was quite as many until I found the bag this morning! Here are the rest of them:



I'm starting with this one today. My daughter now has to take a purse to school at certain times (man, I am getting old), and she liked the size and colors on this, so I grabbed it for her - it was only 4 bucks! Plus, I think it will be an easy one.



Ledobe, your fantastic rehab of the suede bag is the ONLY reason I bought this one - it is seriously dirty, so I will be reviewing your post as I tackle this one!



I have some questions about some of the other bags, but in the interest of not hogging the board, I'll post those later. My first question though, is this: How many should I do at one time? Two? Three? Any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks everyone!

WOW...you're gonna be one busy gal...can't wait to see results! I would probably work on 2 or 3 at a time, maybe mixing small and large, depending on your space...Good Luck!

 

[JOODLZ]

So here's some pics of my little problem child. I am shocked because after what seems like a gallon of Leather Therapy, I didn't feel hopeful. I put a coat of Leather CPR on her, and boom! She started to glow again. I don't think she is done; I am going to put a few more coats of CPR on her, or maybe switch to Blackrocks on the piping and handles, as those still feel a little like beef jerky. These are not great photos; I am moving in 4 days (eep!), and every available surface seems to be covered in junk and boxes!

The worn spots on the piping are still a concern. Three of the four corners have worn through completely, and there is wear on the piping at the top. I know I can paint or dye the lighter spots so they don't stand out, but do I have any options for covering/coating the wear spots?

I've had my best luck with piping repair using Acrylic Gel Medium. You should be able to find it at an art supply store. The picture here is a very old tube...style may have changed. Also, it should come in matte or gloss...your choice. It's helpful to get it under - as well as over - the leather. Sometimes I use a toothpick, sometimes a brush. And I'm sure if I had taken a little more time, I could have made mine much smoother Here's a link to a black Stewardess rehab that might be helpful: http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-clubhouse/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-624452-655.html#post25017348. Good Luck!

 

[JOODLZ]

The waterstop is supposed to make bags waterproof without darkening them - amazing, right? I know some tpfers have found success using it but I have yet to try as locating one outside of the ancient cobbler I found, proved difficult!

I'm not too sure about the leather dye.. Maybe I should leave it since the bag basically looks new. But I keep thinking the black leather just isn't black enough. Maybe less is more here...

My 2 cents worth: My usual routine after bathing, when the leather is still a little damp is to apply Leather CPR all over...wait 12 to 24 hours and repeat. Wait 12 to 24 hours and apply Blackrocks lightly all over, wait 12 to 24 hours and repeat. I apply Blackrocks in small areas with my fingers and immediately remove the excess with a paper towel. After the 2nd application dries, you can buff with a microfiber cloth or brush and the leather should glow. As I'm in sunny AND rainy Florida, my bags get wet often, but raindrops disappear quickly with no lasting spots. As with anything, your results may vary. Good luck!

 

[Arizabif]

What did you end up doing to relieve the dryness? I'm using leather cpr as recommended by Whateve and it's great! But since your bag is much drier, I'm interested in what you've tried

I used Leather Therapy initially, and a LOT of it. I started while the bag was still damp. I picked that one because it supposedly also helps with mold, and because I had some of it I have to use up. It's oily and has what I think is an almost medicinal smell to it, but it seemed to get a lot of moisture back into the bag. The Leather CPR is what is bringing a soft sheen back to the leather.

 

[Arizabif]

That yellow and pink Safari Tote is amazing!

 

[whateve]

That yellow and pink Safari Tote is amazing!

I know, right? I want one so much!

 

[Arizabif]

I've had my best luck with piping repair using Acrylic Gel Medium. You should be able to find it at an art supply store. The picture here is a very old tube...style may have changed. Also, it should come in matte or gloss...your choice. It's helpful to get it under - as well as over - the leather. Sometimes I use a toothpick, sometimes a brush. And I'm sure if I had taken a little more time, I could have made mine much smoother Here's a link to a black Stewardess rehab that might be helpful: http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-clubhouse/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-624452-655.html#post25017348. Good Luck!

Thanks! I will look for it once we get settled. Is the acrylic gel medium flexible when it's dry?

 

[coach943]

The waterstop is supposed to make bags waterproof without darkening them - amazing, right? I know some tpfers have found success using it but I have yet to try as locating one outside of the ancient cobbler I found, proved difficult!

I'm not too sure about the leather dye.. Maybe I should leave it since the bag basically looks new. But I keep thinking the black leather just isn't black enough. Maybe less is more here...

I don't think you need the dye. Try Blackrocks and buff it to get the shiny blackness back. I think a coat of Lexol after Blackrocks helps black bags get shiny again. I apply Obenauf's as a final coat to help waterproof. Apple Guarde is also a good waterproofer.

 

[coach943]

I've had my best luck with piping repair using Acrylic Gel Medium. You should be able to find it at an art supply store. The picture here is a very old tube...style may have changed. Also, it should come in matte or gloss...your choice. It's helpful to get it under - as well as over - the leather. Sometimes I use a toothpick, sometimes a brush. And I'm sure if I had taken a little more time, I could have made mine much smoother Here's a link to a black Stewardess rehab that might be helpful: http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-clubhouse/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-624452-655.html#post25017348. Good Luck!

I just ordered some of it - thanks for the tip. I have crescent bag that has been a difficult rehab that has a piping split. I will let you know how it works.

 

[Bee-licious]

I used Leather Therapy initially, and a LOT of it. I started while the bag was still damp. I picked that one because it supposedly also helps with mold, and because I had some of it I have to use up. It's oily and has what I think is an almost medicinal smell to it, but it seemed to get a lot of moisture back into the bag. The Leather CPR is what is bringing a soft sheen back to the leather.

Thanks Arizabif, hopefully your bag turns out supple and moisturized - post pics if you can! I read about Leather Therapy and I wonder how the oiliness of it turns out on leathers, probably sinks in more