Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[Morgan_Bellini]

Thank you for replying. I had put another layer on and started buffing again and more is coming off but it's taking a lot of elbow grease. I'll keep trying it and see if I can get it any better. Thanks for attaching a pic.

If you ever build up the courage to remove the hardware to clean it you'll find it's a lot easier to use 000 steel wool to remove the lacquer and get the brass really shiny. It does take quite a bit of elbow grease but the results are incredible and once the lacquer is removed it's a lot easier to shine the brass periodically to keep it looking amazing.

 

[LunaSilver]

Hello! I love seeing all of these beautiful vintage pieces brought back to life! I have a vintage court in black coming next week and am going to try my first dunk and conditioning! I've been reading your helpful posts about the process and have one question about restoring color to worn piping. I know that the conditioning process will go a long way, but I'm wondering if colored cream polish (like Kiwi) are okay to use for small color touch-ups. I've seen that shoe polish is a hard no - why is that? Could someone provide more information on that? Thanks for all of your help!

Good question, I would like to know why,too. I used Saphir black color cream to touch up the worn bottom pipping of a bag, it is for my personal use and won't be for sale. It works very good, after dry and topped with Renapur, no color transfer when tested with a white microfiber towel. Saphir color cream basically is just good shoe polish, is there any problems waiting to happen?
Thanks.

 

[katev]

Hello! I love seeing all of these beautiful vintage pieces brought back to life! I have a vintage court in black coming next week and am going to try my first dunk and conditioning! I've been reading your helpful posts about the process and have one question about restoring color to worn piping. I know that the conditioning process will go a long way, but I'm wondering if colored cream polish (like Kiwi) are okay to use for small color touch-ups. I've seen that shoe polish is a hard no - why is that? Could someone provide more information on that? Thanks for all of your help!

I can’t answer why shoe cream is a hard no but I use Fiebing’s Resolene in black on my Faded edges and it blends right into the black leather. I purchased it off amazon for $9 cad. I apply it after the bag has dried from a dunk but before I start conditioning the bag. Make sure after you apply it, its dry. Ive attached a before and after of the edge of my recent CC rehab that I posted on this thread so you can see What the resolene did for my edges- hope this helps

oh and ps: you only need to do a couple thin coats (1 or 2).If you do too many coats, its gonna get rubbery in texture. Also, I believe the leather dye that a lot of rehabbers use on their vintage coach bags is the Sapphire brand one if I remember reading that correctly- so you can always use leather dye if you don’t wanna use the resolene

View attachment 4754254

View attachment 4754255

Good question, I would like to know why,too. I used Saphir black color cream to touch up the worn bottom pipping of a bag, it is for my personal use and won't be for sale. It works very good, after dry and topped with Renapur, no color transfer when tested with a white microfiber towel. Saphir color cream basically is just good shoe polish, is there any problems waiting to happen?
Thanks.

I don't know about Saphir shoe polish but I remember reading that some shoe polish brands may cause color transfer and will stain your clothes. Also some polishes may change over time and the colors might not stay a good match.

I always wait until I have completed the rehab before deciding whether or not to touch up the piping because so often it isn't necessary after dunking, conditioning, and finishing with Black Rocks - especially with a dark-colored bag.

See the before and after pics of the piping on this black Blazer Bag 9830 that I recently rehabbed, there was no need to touch it up after rehabbing. Over time the corners may fade and start to show signs of wear again but I just apply some more Black Rocks and that usually takes care of the problem.

Blazer Before:


Blazer After:

 

[whateve]

Good question, I would like to know why,too. I used Saphir black color cream to touch up the worn bottom pipping of a bag, it is for my personal use and won't be for sale. It works very good, after dry and topped with Renapur, no color transfer when tested with a white microfiber towel. Saphir color cream basically is just good shoe polish, is there any problems waiting to happen?
Thanks.

I don't think Saphir is the same as shoe polish, as I remember it. Most shoe polish is like a paint that sits on top. I don't know if conditioner will soak through to the leather through it.

 

[LunaSilver]

I don't know about Saphir shoe polish but I remember reading that some shoe polish brands may cause color transfer and will stain your clothes. Also some polishes may change over time and the colors might not stay a good match.

I always wait until I have completed the rehab before deciding whether or not to touch up the piping because so often it isn't necessary after dunking, conditioning, and finishing with Black Rocks - especially with a dark-colored bag.

See the before and after pics of the piping on this black Blazer Bag 9830 that I recently rehabbed, there was no need to touch it up after rehabbing. Over time the corners may fade and start to show signs of wear again but I just apply some more Black Rocks and that usually takes care of the problem.

Blazer Before:
View attachment 4755859

Blazer After:
View attachment 4755855

View attachment 4755863

I don't think Saphir is the same as shoe polish, as I remember it. Most shoe polish is like a paint that sits on top. I don't know if conditioner will soak through to the leather through it.

Thanks for the reply, now I know why.

 

[Lake Effect]

Hello! I love seeing all of these beautiful vintage pieces brought back to life! I have a vintage court in black coming next week and am going to try my first dunk and conditioning! I've been reading your helpful posts about the process and have one question about restoring color to worn piping. I know that the conditioning process will go a long way, but I'm wondering if colored cream polish (like Kiwi) are okay to use for small color touch-ups. I've seen that shoe polish is a hard no - why is that? Could someone provide more information on that? Thanks for all of your help!

I can’t answer why shoe cream is a hard no but I use Fiebing’s Resolene in black on my Faded edges and it blends right into the black leather. I purchased it off amazon for $9 cad. I apply it after the bag has dried from a dunk but before I start conditioning the bag. Make sure after you apply it, its dry. Ive attached a before and after of the edge of my recent CC rehab that I posted on this thread so you can see What the resolene did for my edges- hope this helps

oh and ps: you only need to do a couple thin coats (1 or 2).If you do too many coats, its gonna get rubbery in texture. Also, I believe the leather dye that a lot of rehabbers use on their vintage coach bags is the Sapphire brand one if I remember reading that correctly- so you can always use leather dye if you don’t wanna use the resolene

View attachment 4754254

View attachment 4754255

Good question, I would like to know why,too. I used Saphir black color cream to touch up the worn bottom pipping of a bag, it is for my personal use and won't be for sale. It works very good, after dry and topped with Renapur, no color transfer when tested with a white microfiber towel. Saphir color cream basically is just good shoe polish, is there any problems waiting to happen?
Thanks.

I don't know about Saphir shoe polish but I remember reading that some shoe polish brands may cause color transfer and will stain your clothes. Also some polishes may change over time and the colors might not stay a good match.

I always wait until I have completed the rehab before deciding whether or not to touch up the piping because so often it isn't necessary after dunking, conditioning, and finishing with Black Rocks - especially with a dark-colored bag.

See the before and after pics of the piping on this black Blazer Bag 9830 that I recently rehabbed, there was no need to touch it up after rehabbing. Over time the corners may fade and start to show signs of wear again but I just apply some more Black Rocks and that usually takes care of the problem.

Blazer Before:
View attachment 4755859

Blazer After:
View attachment 4755855

View attachment 4755863

I don't think Saphir is the same as shoe polish, as I remember it. Most shoe polish is like a paint that sits on top. I don't know if conditioner will soak through to the leather through it.

Thanks for the reply, now I know why.

So for our friends new to rehab of glorious full grain leather, you will see many of us have a wide variety of products we have tried. Best of luck experimenting and enjoy !
I have used a Saphir product Juvacuir that is basically a leather recolorant. Basically a dye touch up. I used it on a black Plaza that was in excellent shape other than just looking slightly faded over the entire bag. I believe I let it set for several days and put a light coat of Blackrock on it, with no transfer problems. I was and still am super pleased with the result several years later. I have not used their shoe creams here yet. I know someone here used their red shoe cream on a bag.
*geek alert*
I found an article discussing shoe cream versus shoe polish awhile back. I will have to see if I can find it and save it and post here. As best I can recall, a resin product is needed to “carry” the pigment of the shoe polish/cream color. The quality and quantity of the resin can vary. Waxes/conditioners are added and vary as well. As was noted, inexpensive supermarket brand shoe polishes use cheaper resins/conditioners in a ratio that coats the leather, more like a paint. And may have acrylics, that act like a paint. Once a layer of a product that acts like paint is put on top of full grain leather, the pores are coated and cannot accept conditioner. Pricier products like Saphir shoe creams, for example, use higher quality ingredients with a higher ratio of conditioner so the the full grain leather is not compromised.
I have had mixed results with the typical conditioners used here with edges/piping. I have been persuaded by recent results on a BT NYC bag to try a little more CPR and Renapur before using a pigmented product.
That being said, I know someone who took a Sharpie to the faded piping on an other wise great looking Beekman Brief
ETA: Using a small quantity of a leather product to touch up a bag may be fine. It took me a while to understand the nature of vintage full grain leather and how to fully enhance and support it.
And a word of caution, writing this post just reminds me there are YouTube videos out there with people doing things to vintage Coach that make me want to cry. Do what you want, just be informed.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

So Im getting my first british tan bag! It looks to be in excellent condition but I was wondering, would renapur make the tan colour darker or is it safe to use on BT?

Also a side question, the seller would only sell it in a lot of 2 bags so now I also have a made in NYC basic bag on its way to me. Im not keeping the basic bag as I already have one but theres a scuff on one corner. I read a day ago about puffy paint to fix that. Can I make my own puffy paint or is there a specific kind that people use on their bag rehabs?

thanks in advance to anyone who answers

 

[katev]

So Im getting my first british tan bag! It looks to be in excellent condition but I was wondering, would renapur make the tan colour darker or is it safe to use on BT?

Also a side question, the seller would only sell it in a lot of 2 bags so now I also have a made in NYC basic bag on its way to me. Im not keeping the basic bag as I already have one but theres a scuff on one corner. I read a day ago about puffy paint to fix that. Can I make my own puffy paint or is there a specific kind that people use on their bag rehabs?

thanks in advance to anyone who answers

If the British Tan bag is in excellent condition then I think that Renapur will enhance the color.

On the Basic Bag, I wouldn't resort to paint until I had after trying cleaning and conditioning because recoloring may not be necessary.

 

[Catbird9]

So Im getting my first british tan bag! It looks to be in excellent condition but I was wondering, would renapur make the tan colour darker or is it safe to use on BT?

Also a side question, the seller would only sell it in a lot of 2 bags so now I also have a made in NYC basic bag on its way to me. Im not keeping the basic bag as I already have one but theres a scuff on one corner. I read a day ago about puffy paint to fix that. Can I make my own puffy paint or is there a specific kind that people use on their bag rehabs?

thanks in advance to anyone who answers

If the British Tan bag is in excellent condition then I think that Renapur will enhance the color.

On the Basic Bag, I wouldn't resort to paint until I had after trying cleaning and conditioning because recoloring may not be necessary.

I agree with katev on the Basic Bag (especially if you plan to sell it).
I wouldn’t paint the corner, just clean and condition.

 

[Morgan_Bellini]

So Im getting my first british tan bag! It looks to be in excellent condition but I was wondering, would renapur make the tan colour darker or is it safe to use on BT?

Also a side question, the seller would only sell it in a lot of 2 bags so now I also have a made in NYC basic bag on its way to me. Im not keeping the basic bag as I already have one but theres a scuff on one corner. I read a day ago about puffy paint to fix that. Can I make my own puffy paint or is there a specific kind that people use on their bag rehabs?

thanks in advance to anyone who answers

I don't think Renapur made my BT Plaza darker. This pic shows my Plaza with Renapur and my Court with Blackrocks.
Before the rehab:

After the rehab with Renapur and Blackrocks:

 

[Lake Effect]

So Im getting my first british tan bag! It looks to be in excellent condition but I was wondering, would renapur make the tan colour darker or is it safe to use on BT?

Also a side question, the seller would only sell it in a lot of 2 bags so now I also have a made in NYC basic bag on its way to me. Im not keeping the basic bag as I already have one but theres a scuff on one corner. I read a day ago about puffy paint to fix that. Can I make my own puffy paint or is there a specific kind that people use on their bag rehabs?

thanks in advance to anyone who answers

I just used Renapur on a BT Letter Brief that had a great rehab and did not find it change the quality of the color. And I am a BT girl so would not lie to you or minimize a result changing BT . You can always try it on the bottom of the bag first. And just a thought, conditioning alone my improve that scratch. ETA, you have already been advised lol sorry to dog pile.

 

[Saaski]

I don't think Renapur made my BT Plaza darker. This pic shows my Plaza with Renapur and my Court with Blackrocks.
Before the rehab:
View attachment 4756116
After the rehab with Renapur and Blackrocks:
View attachment 4756115

Gorgeous! They look fresh from the coach catalog!

 

[aerinha]

So Im getting my first british tan bag! It looks to be in excellent condition but I was wondering, would renapur make the tan colour darker or is it safe to use on BT?

Also a side question, the seller would only sell it in a lot of 2 bags so now I also have a made in NYC basic bag on its way to me. Im not keeping the basic bag as I already have one but theres a scuff on one corner. I read a day ago about puffy paint to fix that. Can I make my own puffy paint or is there a specific kind that people use on their bag rehabs?

thanks in advance to anyone who answers

The puffy paint was to fix a hole with total leather loss on a salvage project of mine. For a scuff, some CPR might just erase it. It fixed a big abrasion in a leather jacket sleeve of mine that the closet door “attacked”.

 

[Lothruin]

Oh my word. Easiest rehab ever. I found this bedraggled NYC style 9530 at Goodwill.


She was dry and crumpled and had a sort of weird gray/white coating on parts of her. No mold or mildew smell, but perhaps dry conditioner film or something. Anyway. A quick dunk and shaping, and a bit of conditioning later...

 

[Miss Piggy 1978]

So I'm not sure if I've made a beginner's error but I decided I needed a practice bag before dunking my Willis. I found a 1980's city bag which looked in good condition and it's arrived today. As soon as I opened the package I could smell it and sure enough I've found mould which the seller did not disclose. However the bag itself is in really good condition.

So I've sprayed it with vinegar and did a water and vinegar dunk and used a soft toothbrush to the areas of mould. I've then done the usual dish soap dunk followed by a rinse.

It still smells. What do I do? It's in such good condition I don't want to give up on it. It's drying at the moment.