Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[mpd]

Yes! I once had a bag that smelled like basement but also combined with other unknown not-so-pleasant scents, and it had so much junk inside, like hair balls and trash. I had to hold my breath while I was washing it, and I’m not particularly sensitive to smells or anything, in general. I dunked it twice and scrubbed it so hard. It turned out really well and clean and ok smelling in the end... but I could not get out of my head what it came to me like. I never wore that bag!

All of the Court bags (3) that I've purchased have had toothpicks hidden in the folds that come out in the wash! And not just one or two - significant quantities!

ETA: That doesn't turn me off from carrying them though. The black stewardess is just gross though. It's filthy. Hopefully I can love her after the dunk!

 

[Narnanz]

Ok guys...got my CPR refill direct from the manufacturer yesterday and attached to it was a little competition.

 

[aerinha]

My black stewardess arrived yesterday, in somewhat worse condition than described. I'm optimistic the bag itself will rehab just fine, but there is a tear in the strap by the first rivet. I'm going to try to repair it with leather glue but am wondering whether you glue before the dunk or after, or if it doesn't matter. What has worked well for you?

And if this doesn't work, any leads on how to find a replacement strap?

And have you ever worked on a bag that was so gross to begin with that even after you've cleaned it and made it beautiful again, the ick factor is still there?

Thanks all

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Years ago I was obsessed with having a LV speedy bag and didn’t want to pay the high price for a “vinyl bag with leather handles”. So I bought a very used one off ebay. I consider anything in a purse to be “germy” so I thought I would be ok with it, but I was so grossed out by it, I couldn’t even bring myself to touch it to clean it. I sold it on ebay for more than I paid with all the same dirt still on it.

 

[LunaSilver]

This is not the a coach rehab. I am just very happy about using Coach gold chain strap to replace an ugly handle of a vintage lizard clutch. I love the color veriation of the clutch, but the handle was poorly made and took away the look of whole bag. Hesitated to do this but eventually I removed the original handle, the bag looks way better without that handle, now I can wear it with confidence, better yet: crossbody .

 

[Mambutt]

Just finished my first ever rehab! This is a Navy NYC Rambler that I got from an estate sale. It was flat and scuffed up and had (has?) two holes in the piping on the back and a tear in the piping on the strap. I followed the usual steps - removed and cleaned the turnlock, bathed it in warm soapy vinegar water for 20 mins followed by a 20 min rinse, 4-5 coats of CPR, Blackrocks, and polished the hardware with Brasso. The color on the piping didn't fully come back after all that, so I lightly painted the edges with a 50/50 mix of acrylic paint and CPR and it turned out great! This probably isn't recommended but I also painted over the scratches on the front with a tiny paintbrush and extra diluted paint, I think it helped to fade them a little more.
I did an experiment with the two holes on the back - I used Gorilla Glue gel on one and Shoe Goo on the other. The Gorilla Glue was too runny to level the surface of the hole but it looks fine after painting. Shoe Goo was more difficult to work with because it's so thick. It filled up the hole and feels nice and flexible, but I wasn't able to create a smooth surface due to the goopiness. Overall I don't think either of them were a clear winner, I'll probably use both of them in the future for different types of repairs.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

So this isn’t a rehab but an alteration. I shortened the super skinny non adjustable crossbody strap that came with my Regina bag. I wasn’t happy with how the strap looked knotted. I saw that the strap ends were folded and clamped down with a clip so I took it upon myself to remove one side’s clip, pull out the staples, and adjust the strap to a drop I wanted before sewing it up and re-clamping the clip back on. Im very happy with the results- I will be doing the same to my Casino & Carnival bags as well. If anyone decides to try this, just a few things to keep in mind: triple check the strap drop length before cutting, use thread made specifically for leather or better yet, if you have a heavy duty stapler- use that. Lastly, make sure you wrap the clip with fabric before clamping it shut again, you don’t wanna damage the leather finish on it. I didn’t really mind if the strap got damaged if it didn’t work out but if this looks anxiety inducing, please go to a professional to alter your strap lengths! Here is my process in pictures:

 

[vintagecoachie]

Just finished my first ever rehab! This is a Navy NYC Rambler that I got from an estate sale. It was flat and scuffed up and had (has?) two holes in the piping on the back and a tear in the piping on the strap. I followed the usual steps - removed and cleaned the turnlock, bathed it in warm soapy vinegar water for 20 mins followed by a 20 min rinse, 4-5 coats of CPR, Blackrocks, and polished the hardware with Brasso. The color on the piping didn't fully come back after all that, so I lightly painted the edges with a 50/50 mix of acrylic paint and CPR and it turned out great! This probably isn't recommended but I also painted over the scratches on the front with a tiny paintbrush and extra diluted paint, I think it helped to fade them a little more.
I did an experiment with the two holes on the back - I used Gorilla Glue gel on one and Shoe Goo on the other. The Gorilla Glue was too runny to level the surface of the hole but it looks fine after painting. Shoe Goo was more difficult to work with because it's so thick. It filled up the hole and feels nice and flexible, but I wasn't able to create a smooth surface due to the goopiness. Overall I don't think either of them were a clear winner, I'll probably use both of them in the future for different types of repairs.

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Lovely! Nice job!

 

[vintagecoachie]

So this isn’t a rehab but an alteration. I shortened the super skinny non adjustable crossbody strap that came with my Regina bag. I wasn’t happy with how the strap looked knotted. I saw that the strap ends were folded and clamped down with a clip so I took it upon myself to remove one side’s clip, pull out the staples, and adjust the strap to a drop I wanted before sewing it up and re-clamping the clip back on. Im very happy with the results- I will be doing the same to my Casino & Carnival bags as well. If anyone decides to try this, just a few things to keep in mind: triple check the strap drop length before cutting, use thread made specifically for leather or better yet, if you have a heavy duty stapler- use that. Lastly, make sure you wrap the clip with fabric before clamping it shut again, you don’t wanna damage the leather finish on it. I didn’t really mind if the strap got damaged if it didn’t work out but if this looks anxiety inducing, please go to a professional to alter your strap lengths! Here is my process in pictures:
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I didn't know this could be done! Did you just use pliers to remove the clip?

 

[whateve]

Just finished my first ever rehab! This is a Navy NYC Rambler that I got from an estate sale. It was flat and scuffed up and had (has?) two holes in the piping on the back and a tear in the piping on the strap. I followed the usual steps - removed and cleaned the turnlock, bathed it in warm soapy vinegar water for 20 mins followed by a 20 min rinse, 4-5 coats of CPR, Blackrocks, and polished the hardware with Brasso. The color on the piping didn't fully come back after all that, so I lightly painted the edges with a 50/50 mix of acrylic paint and CPR and it turned out great! This probably isn't recommended but I also painted over the scratches on the front with a tiny paintbrush and extra diluted paint, I think it helped to fade them a little more.
I did an experiment with the two holes on the back - I used Gorilla Glue gel on one and Shoe Goo on the other. The Gorilla Glue was too runny to level the surface of the hole but it looks fine after painting. Shoe Goo was more difficult to work with because it's so thick. It filled up the hole and feels nice and flexible, but I wasn't able to create a smooth surface due to the goopiness. Overall I don't think either of them were a clear winner, I'll probably use both of them in the future for different types of repairs.

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Great job! Leather cement or puff paint work best for repairing holes in piping. If you use leather cement, you'll have to paint it afterwards.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

I didn't know this could be done! Did you just use pliers to remove the clip?

Just my fingers actually! The clip easily opened from the middle. It was putting it back on that was a bit difficult because you have to tighten it without damaging it. I used a cloth to cover the clip and then these pliers (don’t know what they’re called lol) to clamp it back onto the strap

 

[seekingvintage]

So this isn’t a rehab but an alteration. I shortened the super skinny non adjustable crossbody strap that came with my Regina bag. I wasn’t happy with how the strap looked knotted. I saw that the strap ends were folded and clamped down with a clip so I took it upon myself to remove one side’s clip, pull out the staples, and adjust the strap to a drop I wanted before sewing it up and re-clamping the clip back on. Im very happy with the results- I will be doing the same to my Casino & Carnival bags as well. If anyone decides to try this, just a few things to keep in mind: triple check the strap drop length before cutting, use thread made specifically for leather or better yet, if you have a heavy duty stapler- use that. Lastly, make sure you wrap the clip with fabric before clamping it shut again, you don’t wanna damage the leather finish on it. I didn’t really mind if the strap got damaged if it didn’t work out but if this looks anxiety inducing, please go to a professional to alter your strap lengths! Here is my process in pictures:
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Thank you for these detailed photos. Your reworking of the strap looks excellent. I am really appreciating technique posts from the members thes days!

 

[vintagecoachie]

Just my fingers actually! The clip easily opened from the middle. It was putting it back on that was a bit difficult because you have to tighten it without damaging it. I used a cloth to cover the clip and then these pliers (don’t know what they’re called lol) to clamp it back onto the strap
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This is good to know, thanks for sharing!

 

[Mambutt]

Great job! Leather cement or puff paint work best for repairing holes in piping. If you use leather cement, you'll have to paint it afterwards.

Thanks for the tip! For some reason I was thinking that Shoe Goo and leather cement were the same thing.

 

[bolsathemosta]

I used rubbing alcohol over the whole bag, including the inside suede (though I wasn’t sure about that part, I did it anyway). On the outside I used the smooth leather dye and on the inside it was suede dye. I don’t have problems with the dye rubbing off on the outside because I used resolene to seal it, as I read here. But I didn’t put that on the suede inside. When I run a suede brush over the inside, some color does come off onto the brush. Maybe I need to brush it down more to get rid of the excess? I actually haven’t used this bag yet because I just finished it this week, so I couldn’t tell you what happens when it’s in action! Actually it’s not finished because the inside looks terrible! Haha

Spray the inside with apple guard or bickmore water and stain repellent and it will help prevent rub off. It will also make it easier to clean .

 

[whateve]

Thanks for the tip! For some reason I was thinking that Shoe Goo and leather cement were the same thing.

No, shoe goo is very thick. It is super hard to use. Leather cement looks and feels like white glue.