I know, right! When I start convincing myself that THIS bag is a rare chance and I might not find another one like it - ever! - I find solace in a thought that 25-30 years ago I'd maybe be able to afford only one of them...
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
- Thread starter greenpixie
- Start date
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I sometimes put 5-6 coats of CPR on a bag if I feel it needs it. I never know in advance how thirsty they are!
I did four and that might have been too much. This morning she felt sticky in parts like the CPR oozed out over night
I don't have a Manor bag, but I assumed all of the bags that have a flap made of smooth leather on both sides didn't have any cardboard or anything of that sort inside. Maybe another layer of some kind of stiff leather? I did dunk a vintage Derby, and it rehabbed beautifully - I also placed rolled towels under the flap where it was necessary, but don't remember having any issues...
Original hangtags were one sided. Coach was only printed on one side, the other was suede. Later hangtags were two glued back to back.
I just realized there is just one silly letter difference between foot court and food court!
Usually just letting the bag rest for a couple of days is enough for it to absorb all that extra moisturizer.
So I just finished the rehab process for the first time on a Coach Station bag (black, pre-1994), and thought I'd outline the steps I took for y'all.
1) Bathing: Look at that gnarly gunk in the water--gross! So glad these old bags can be dunked like this to get them really clean! I’m already having so much fun!
2) Drying/Shaping: Wow, it’s already looking so much better! This was a really great idea.
3) Applying leather conditioner: This is going so well and is really a pretty easy! I definitely need to find more bags to rehab--it’s so fun and rewarding!
4) Blackrocks & Buffing: I am a bag rehab goddess.
5) Polishing hardware: Why in the world did I ever think this was a good idea, omg. This is the most frustrating and tedious task I have ever undertaken in my life and if I never touch another piece of brass it will be too soon. The smell of Brasso is making me dizzy and my eyes are starting to cross....has it really been two hours already?? I am NEVER doing this again, what was I thinking?
6) After: Ooooh so pretty and shiny! Can’t wait for my next bag to arrive so I can get started again!
But seriously, I spent the last week or so reading through the first Rehab and Rescue thread and there is SO much amazingly helpful info. I'm so grateful to everyone who has contributed their knowledge, experience, tips, and tricks here. I'm on page 121 of this current thread, and I'm not giving up until I've caught up lol.
1) Bathing: Look at that gnarly gunk in the water--gross! So glad these old bags can be dunked like this to get them really clean! I’m already having so much fun!
2) Drying/Shaping: Wow, it’s already looking so much better! This was a really great idea.
3) Applying leather conditioner: This is going so well and is really a pretty easy! I definitely need to find more bags to rehab--it’s so fun and rewarding!
4) Blackrocks & Buffing: I am a bag rehab goddess.
5) Polishing hardware: Why in the world did I ever think this was a good idea, omg. This is the most frustrating and tedious task I have ever undertaken in my life and if I never touch another piece of brass it will be too soon. The smell of Brasso is making me dizzy and my eyes are starting to cross....has it really been two hours already?? I am NEVER doing this again, what was I thinking?
6) After: Ooooh so pretty and shiny! Can’t wait for my next bag to arrive so I can get started again!
But seriously, I spent the last week or so reading through the first Rehab and Rescue thread and there is SO much amazingly helpful info. I'm so grateful to everyone who has contributed their knowledge, experience, tips, and tricks here. I'm on page 121 of this current thread, and I'm not giving up until I've caught up lol.
If I'm stating the obvious - my apologies! We all master our rehab skills through trial and error, and my latest "Eurica!" moment is probably old news for some of you.
One of my bags fell on a buckle from another bag while being stored and spent maybe a few months this way. It had some pretty noticeable dents on the side afterwards... since it wasn't something that lasted several years, I knew it was possible to get rid of them probably after dunking. However, it was otherwise in perfect condition and I didn't want to go through the whole process. So I put a small saucepan with boiling water on the stove and held the dented side above the steam for maybe 3 min. The leather became really soft, damp and pliable, bit the dents were still there. So I kept holding the bag above the steam while gently but consistently pushing the dent with my finger from the inside (it was an unlined bag). Then I did the same with another dent. They eventually became barely visible. Then I moisturized still warm damp bag with the CPR - the bag needed it, anyway - and let it rest for a day. In the morning it looked perfect!
I'm sure someone else here "invented" the trick before me, but I was pretty excited to do this fix with such little effort. Didn't take any pictures, sorry...
One of my bags fell on a buckle from another bag while being stored and spent maybe a few months this way. It had some pretty noticeable dents on the side afterwards... since it wasn't something that lasted several years, I knew it was possible to get rid of them probably after dunking. However, it was otherwise in perfect condition and I didn't want to go through the whole process. So I put a small saucepan with boiling water on the stove and held the dented side above the steam for maybe 3 min. The leather became really soft, damp and pliable, bit the dents were still there. So I kept holding the bag above the steam while gently but consistently pushing the dent with my finger from the inside (it was an unlined bag). Then I did the same with another dent. They eventually became barely visible. Then I moisturized still warm damp bag with the CPR - the bag needed it, anyway - and let it rest for a day. In the morning it looked perfect!
I'm sure someone else here "invented" the trick before me, but I was pretty excited to do this fix with such little effort. Didn't take any pictures, sorry...
My Willis is done! First Let’s see where we started:
While my pics and the sellers make her edges look gray, they were black, just less black than the rest in person.
This pic of the interior is spot on, the bottom was gray from dirt or animal dander as every seam was stuff with fur.
After a dunk, several days drying, severl vaccumings, ineffective Apple conditioner and then much more effective CPR, this is my Willis
Interior with flash and without
Side from pic above and back
Her pretty face
While my pics and the sellers make her edges look gray, they were black, just less black than the rest in person.
This pic of the interior is spot on, the bottom was gray from dirt or animal dander as every seam was stuff with fur.
After a dunk, several days drying, severl vaccumings, ineffective Apple conditioner and then much more effective CPR, this is my Willis
Interior with flash and without
Side from pic above and back
Her pretty face
I was looking at a bag this morning that the hang tag had separated and I wondered if you could glue them back together, I guess so haha
I've had shoes in closets before, but I prefer them by the door because we all like to be barefoot at home. It's more convenient to have them all right by the door. (That sounds better than I found a way to avoid bringing them up and down the stairs!)
I hadn't thought of the bare feet helping with the boy sneakers!! That's a happy bonus!
This is amazing! I can't even see the scratch on the back! What a great rehab!
I wouldn't say mine feels like it contains cardboard, the top handle feels no different than the top handle of my Court bags. I've dunked Courts with no issues. The manor definitely has a very firm leather as opposed to the soft pliable leather of the Court, but I think that's to help it maintain its shape. I'm wondering if the manor with carboard was not authentic? I've always heard to have them authenticated first because fake bags do not rehab as nicely. My BT manor is a rehab special I think (haven't received it yet), I am pretty sure I will have no choice but to dunk that one. I will let you know how it goes.