Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[katev]

For anyone who might be considering replacing part of the leather on a vintage Coach bag:



The video is a bit blurry, but you get a good idea about construction. I believe he removes and re-attaches the original piping afterwards.

In case the link doesn't work, look up 'Bedo Leatherworks coach' on youtube. He has lots of other interesting rehabs as well.

I just got an original rambler repaired it had a big tear in the back by the flap, and the leather place I took it to did not take a quarter of the care that guy did.

...There's a leather worker near me who makes everything from hand-tooled wallets to motorcycle bags. He's very good, but he seems to have looser standards when it comes to repairing old handbags. The local shoe repair place is even more slap-dash.

I wish someone would specialize in coach bags somewhere. It's not like it's just some junk bag that you'd throw away after a few years. We take alot of pride in our bags.

I tried 2 other shoe repairmen (cobblers) before I found one that does a really good job. He is the most expensive and most distant but he's worth it, and he gives me his honest opinion about whether something is worth repairing. For example, I had asked him to make a replacement strap for my Beechnut Gracie bag but he told me that he would never be able to match the caviar leather that coach used for the bag and that it would look bad. I'm glad that I took his advice and I later substituted a gold chain strap from Coach and I am happy with the result.

Here are pics of one of my favorite repairs by this same leather-worker. I had picked up a brown Patricia's Legacy bag very cheaply but it was damaged. There was a tear in the leather where the flap connected to the bag and something caustic had spilled on a spot on the front of the bag and damaged the finish.

I was trying to think of ways to repair the damage and considered stitching, gluing, and painting but I was afraid that I would just make it worse. So I took it to him and he did a great job. The first 2 pics below are "before' showing the damage; and the last 2 pics are "after the repair" but before I had finished the rehab. Sometimes it is worth it to use the services of a good professional! I sure hope that he doesn't retire anytime soon!

 

[valv54]

I tried 2 other shoe repairmen (cobblers) before I found one that does a really good job. He is the most expensive and most distant but he's worth it, and he gives me his honest opinion about whether something is worth repairing. For example, I had asked him to make a replacement strap for my Beechnut Gracie bag but he told me that he would never be able to match the caviar leather that coach used for the bag and that it would look bad. I'm glad that I took his advice and I later substituted a gold chain strap from Coach and I am happy with the result.

Here are pics of one of my favorite repairs by this same leather-worker. I had picked up a brown Patricia's Legacy bag very cheaply but it was damaged. There was a tear in the leather where the flap connected to the bag and something caustic had spilled on a spot on the front of the bag and damaged the finish.

I was trying to think of ways to repair the damage and considered stitching, gluing, and painting but I was afraid that I would just make it worse. So I took it to him and he did a great job. The first 2 pics below are "before' showing the damage; and the last 2 pics are "after the repair" but before I had finished the rehab. Sometimes it is worth it to use the services of a good professional! I sure hope that he doesn't retire anytime soon!

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Wow you can't even tell there was a spot!

 

[valv54]

I sold my original red rambler and kind of regretted it so I went on the hunt for another. I thought the search was hopeless until I found one on etsy but it was in poor shape. I bought it, gave it a bath and since it was faded and scratched I thought I would give saphir a try. Well she looks pretty good now lol.

 

[houseof999]

I sold my original red rambler and kind of regretted it so I went on the hunt for another. I thought the search was hopeless until I found one on etsy but it was in poor shape. I bought it, gave it a bath and since it was faded and scratched I thought I would give saphir a try. Well she looks pretty good now lol.

She looks great. What is Saphir.. is that a conditioner with colorant? Or is it like dye?

 

[valv54]

She looks great. What is Saphir.. is that a conditioner with colorant? Or is it like dye?

It's kind of all 3, it's a highly pigmented conditioner, ment to revive the colors, it was suggested here on the forum.

 

[Lake Effect]

She looks great. What is Saphir.. is that a conditioner with colorant? Or is it like dye?

Saphir is a French brand. It makes all kinds of leather products, from conditioners to recolorant/dyes to shoe polish. I found a product, Juvacuir, that is a combo of a recolorant/dye and conditioner. I bought in black and it revived a Plaza that had universal fading. I also bought the same product in medium brown and I use it to touch up BT. Search my posts here with Saphir in the subject for the pics of BT before and after.

 

[Lake Effect]

I sold my original red rambler and kind of regretted it so I went on the hunt for another. I thought the search was hopeless until I found one on etsy but it was in poor shape. I bought it, gave it a bath and since it was faded and scratched I thought I would give saphir a try. Well she looks pretty good now lol.

Nice work! Wow, red can be really difficult. And that looks like the perfect match for my red Pocket Bag. Which I baby incredibly. Now I know what to try when it gets that inevitible scratch!! Thanks for posting the product.

 

[Lake Effect]

Since my Legacy Ramblers are looking nice from yesterday, I will get these two cuties in process.

 

[nursebetty]

I sold my original red rambler and kind of regretted it so I went on the hunt for another. I thought the search was hopeless until I found one on etsy but it was in poor shape. I bought it, gave it a bath and since it was faded and scratched I thought I would give saphir a try. Well she looks pretty good now lol.

It looks great! Is that the Saphir polish? I have tried the Creme Renovatrice in Cognac, which came in a tube. That and the Juvacuir were what The Hanger Project website suggested for touching up damaged leather. Is the jar a smaller portion of either of these? I ask because I also have a very trashed bag that I would like to touch up. I found the renovatrice was a bit too much ( or I was heavy-handed.) I am interested in the Juvacuir mainly. Has what you applied had any transfer? How does the leather feel before and after? Sorry for so many questions!

 

[Lake Effect]

View attachment 4322952 Since my Legacy Ramblers are looking nice from yesterday, I will get these two cuties in process.

I love seeing these bags get their chunky shape back. I used the same dunking process as I did for the Legacy Ramblers yesterday.

 

[valv54]

It looks great! Is that the Saphir polish? I have tried the Creme Renovatrice in Cognac, which came in a tube. That and the Juvacuir were what The Hanger Project website suggested for touching up damaged leather. Is the jar a smaller portion of either of these? I ask because I also have a very trashed bag that I would like to touch up. I found the renovatrice was a bit too much ( or I was heavy-handed.) I am interested in the Juvacuir mainly. Has what you applied had any transfer? How does the leather feel before and after? Sorry for so many questions!

No worries, this is called surfine creme', i applied it with a rag then your supposed to buff, I used another rag to buff. A bit did transfer on the buff rag, so that might be a thing. The leather is still extremely soft, supple, and plyable, its more like a conditioner with a dye. I used the renovating cream on the piping of my white pony express. I agree it's thick and I wouldn't necessarily use on the body of the bag but it worked well in covering the scuffing and color loss on the edges.

 

[Lake Effect]

For anyone who might be considering replacing part of the leather on a vintage Coach bag:



The video is a bit blurry, but you get a good idea about construction. I believe he removes and re-attaches the original piping afterwards.

In case the link doesn't work, look up 'Bedo Leatherworks coach' on youtube. He has lots of other interesting rehabs as well.

Awesome watch, thanks for posting! I love that the reused the piping. At the end he mentioned cleaning, conditioning, waterproofing. Curious about what he uses. I’ll watch more of his videos to see if he mentions that.

 

[Lake Effect]

No worries, this is called surfine creme', i applied it with a rag then your supposed to buff, I used another rag to buff. A bit did transfer on the buff rag, so that might be a thing. The leather is still extremely soft, supple, and plyable, its more like a conditioner with a dye. I used the renovating cream on the piping of my white pony express. I agree it's thick and I wouldn't necessarily use on the body of the bag but it worked well in covering the scuffing and color loss on the edges.

Glad Saphir products worked for your Pony!

 

[Jacynthe]

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I love seeing these bags get their chunky shape back. I used the same dunking process as I did for the Legacy Ramblers yesterday.

Really nice! Are you able to tell me if the ramblers where the same except for the colour? One looks smaller than the other. Also, for these brown ones, what is the style for the one on the left? It looks like a little Willis. Really beautiful job you did!

 

[Lake Effect]

Really nice! Are you able to tell me if the ramblers where the same except for the colour? One looks smaller than the other. Also, for these brown ones, what is the style for the one on the left? It looks like a little Willis. Really beautiful job you did!

The Rambler on the right in both pics is blue/brass and on the left is black/nickel. They are the same size, the difference is probably the angle I took the pic.
Ty Yes, the BT is a Winnie, which is the mini Willis. It was my gift from the the Flea Market Coach gods
The other is a Tabac Shoulder Purse. Aside from being squashed, the blue Rambler and Winnie were in very good condition. The other two have noticeable wear.