Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

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#1,891
casualvtgfan said:
I had a zipper unravel on me while sorting purses at work, and thinking of that gave me an idea you could maybe try.
Take a look at the zipper, it may be possible to sew it back onto the side material by hand. Use some thread, and loop it between the teeth of the zipper, and into the fabric part that it has torn loose from...does that make sense? I'm just visualizing this, I haven't tried it. That might be enough to make it usable again? Applying something to the fabric edging to prevent it from fraying further might be necessary, if there's even enough of it left to sew into, that is.
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It doesn't work. I tried it. There wasn't any fabric left and looping it between the teeth made it so the zipper wouldn't slide over it. I also tried fray check. That was a big mistake as it made it stiff.
 
#1,893
catthecurious said:
Good afternoon everyone (and good Wednesday morning, Two.time.bags!). I've got this bag for symbolic $5 while buying two others, and although in decent condition otherwise, it's got a huge problem with the zipper (see the pic). It's definitely not worth it to do professional replacement - besides, they'll never do that the way the original zipper was sawed in. My husband has been eyeing the bag and would be happy to take it for leather scraps, but I wanted to ask for opinion from experienced rehabbers first... is it as hopeless as I think? Thanks in advance!
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Good morning. Yup it's Wednesday already!
I think the only option is to replace the zip. If you really want to save the bag and can use it without closing the zip then you could sew it as suggested by casualvtgfan just to tidy it up, otherwise your husband has just scored his scraps. Of course, you could turn it into tassels!
 
#1,894
Two.time.bags said:
Good morning. Yup it's Wednesday already!
I think the only option is to replace the zip. If you really want to save the bag and can use it without closing the zip then you could sew it as suggested by casualvtgfan just to tidy it up, otherwise your husband has just scored his scraps. Of course, you could turn it into tassels!
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It is not Wednesday yet! :-P. Hehe! Just had to come and tease...Ok back on topic, sorry.
 
#1,895
EGBDF said:
Here are my latest projects- They had a bath and some Leather CPR and Blackrocks. The brown one had quite a bit of verdigris in the turn lock so I replaced it. The d-ring has a very worn spot but I decided to leave it alone for now, as the replacement I ordered ended up being too big. I am loving my Court collection!
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These bags look so lovely! Great job.
 
#1,896
Beccabaglady said:
Frankentote has recovered from surgery! I am very pleased with my little patient. The kisslock has been reattached, and I just need to tweak a few things and get her leather back in tip-top shape.

Attaching the kisslock frame:

First tip - stretching the front side of the pocket while the leather was wet definitely helped. It gave me a little more to trim off at the top so I could be sure the holes were hidden under the frame. Use a good pair of scissors for trimming - I finally got to try these new ones from Fiskars - they are awesome - I could easily cut off a thin sliver of leather when I was fine tuning the fit. (And FYI - I used to work for them, but that didn't influence my opinion!) Just trim off a small strip at a time and keep checking the fit - remember, if you take off too much you can't put it back!

Make sure you open up the frame on the kisslock wide enough so you don't have to fight to slide the leather in - it saves a lot of time in the long run. I started by inserting a screwdriver parallel with the frame and then gently twisting it to force the sides apart, but it is putting tiny dents in the frame that you could see from the front. I switched over to a pair of rounded pliers that were thin enough to slide in, then I just gently twisted them (because they were wider in that direction, kwim?). Just be gentle, and work your way along the entire length of both sides of the frame. I did this a couple of times, just working it apart a little on the first round, then a little farther on the second round.

Once you've get the frame in place, you'll need to crimp it closed. I need something that would have an opening in the middle, because I didn't want to smash the curved side of the frame, I just wanted to squeeze the bottom edges. I chose the pliers in the middle.

They were a little hard to use on the back piece of the pocket, but I managed to wedge them in. I placed some chipboard strips between the pliers and the frame to protect it from scratches. I tried to use gentle pressure to squeeze the edges together, and worked my way down the length of the frame. Once you're done, if the frame won't close properly that means you don't have it crimped together enough somewhere. It's much easier to crimp the frame onto the back side of the pocket first, then do the front because you have more room to maneuver the leather into the frame. Sorry this has been such a novel! Feel free to pm me if you have questions!
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Wow. Such patience you have! Beautiful work, and thanks for the tips and photos of the tools you used--may come in handy for us some day!
 
#1,897
catthecurious said:
Just finished my first rehab project. Nothing special about it other than the fact it was my first dunk. I picked and easy bag - no worn out piping, no deep scratches, some discoloration (the back was brownish, especially around the corners) that I was hoping was only the result of severe dehydration. So here's my convertible clutch from mid 80-s. By the time I started the project the hardware already had been nice and shiny thanks to my husband who polished it for me with his dremmel tool, so I don't have "before before" pictures :-)
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VERY nice job! LOL a convertible clutch like that was my first rehab job too but yours is in so much better shape AND you have a ace in the hole with a husband who polishes brass :smile1: !
 
#1,898
TBL2 said:
I use the small sponge paint brushes as well. For color refinish I use cosmetic sponges. They have a finer texture & won't leave ' brush' marks.
I
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I have a whole package of cosmetic sponges and started to use one to apply CPR. The sponges are latex, however, and I wonder if anyone thinks that is bad for the leather? The good thing is they don't absorb the conditioner much like other sponges so it all goes on the bag not in the sponge.
 
#1,899
vintageb1 said:
I have a whole package of cosmetic sponges and started to use one to apply CPR. The sponges are latex, however, and I wonder if anyone thinks that is bad for the leather? The good thing is they don't absorb the conditioner much like other sponges so it all goes on the bag not in the sponge.
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It seems to me the fact they don't absorb much would cut the chance of damage. I have used them for years with no ill effects.
 
#1,900
catthecurious said:
Thank you all for your kind words. I guess I'm too chicken to do any challenging projects now, so I'm going to take it slow. Whateve, thank you, I'm glad the back looks good to you - I guess my perfectionism is clouding my judgment, so I'm never happy with the result. But it was so very brown, I think the result could've been much worse. All I did was scrub it gently with a toothbrush after a warm bath and applied 4 layers of Leather Therapy with one day breaks between them. I guess the hardest part for me was to wait for the layers to absorb LOL! I didn't buff between Leather Therapy layers, but I did it before I applied Blackrocks as the top layer, and after it, of course. I bought a really nice horse hair brush the other day at a small shoe store - paid way more than I was planning to spend on it on eBay, $13, but it's worth every penny - so full and soft, I just couldn't put it down.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank all of you who shares their priceless experience here - all I did was read the suggestions and recommendations of people who's done it so many times. Can't tell how much I appreciate your help!
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I have to agree, everyone on this thread is so helpful and supportive, it makes my new hobby that much more fun and fulfilling!
 
#1,902
AggieK said:
Thank you - I ended up bathing it and had no trouble. It turned out really nice. I put on several coats of Lexol and then finished with Blackrocks. I've used it a few times, too. The zipper is fine, not fragile. It was just dirty!
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STUNNING! Beautiful job, AggieK. I am so dying for a kisslock bag like that. I keep hoping that one day I will make a discovery in my local thrift!
 
#1,905
Two.time.bags said:
Great job. Now I wish I hadn't sold mine!
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JOODLZ said:
Lovely results...congrats! It really is fulfilling (and therefore of course, addicting) to see the difference you can make to a bag, isn't it?
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bigal said:
Thanks for the before and after pictures! It turned out great! I really need to sit down and finds the 3 I just bathed so I can post then up.
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Beccabaglady said:
Oooooo, pretty! I think I have to add one of these to my wish list now. Great job vintageb!
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I've been off the thread for several days so am behind on my thank-yous :smile1:. Thanks everyone--I do love this saddle pouch style, even though it isn't the most practical shape.
 
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