Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[katev]

Could I ask a weird favour from anyone with some CPR? Its been a month since I last rehabbed & I had all my CPR stored in a spare room. It’s been super hot where I live & I didn’t realize that the AC wasn’t circulating well to that room. Can anyone smell their CPR & let me know if theres a very faint chemical smell? I know it’s supposed to be odourless but I can’t seem to remember if it’s always had a faint hint of a smell or not. Basically, I wanna make sure my CPR didn’t go bad lol, TYIA

Not a weird question at all IMO! I just smelled my Leather CPR and it does have a slight chemical smell.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

Not a weird question at all IMO! I just smelled my Leather CPR and it does have a slight chemical smell.

Yay! Thank you!!

 

[whateve]

Advice? Help? Creative Ideas? Here's what happened. I bought a "lot" of Coach bags on an online auction site. And it was a LOT. 15 pieces. Anyway, most were in good shape. This one has multiple rips/holes in the canvas right at the top of the bag. Other than that, it looks really good. I don't think I could rehab this bag enough to sell it, however, I like it for me. Ideas on how to repair or hide these holes? I was thinking about glue-ing a strip of leather or ribbon as a trim at the top. However, I read on this forum somewhere that it is sacrilege to alter a Coach bag. In this case, I just want to use it for me and not have it look so bad. Ideas? Thanks for sharing your hive mind and expertise and creativity. x o View attachment 5103685View attachment 5103686

Go ahead and do whatever you need to fix the bag so you can use it. Once someone took one of these to Coach repair and they put leather piping along the top edge. I'm sure they won't do that anymore. This kind of wear is very common on this style. Once I had one with a burn hole. I used an iron fabric patch on the inside to fix it. It was a black and gray signature and a black patch.

 

[LaVinCoach]

I used all Saphir Creme Surfine for the refresh in these colors: Blue Jean, violet, taupe, and cream. Mixed with a lot of CPR! If I was going to do it again, I’d probably use acrylic paint or Saphir Juvacuir to mix with the Blue Jean Creme Surfine instead of straight Creme Surfine! The CPR helped, but the Creme Surfine still took about a week before it felt permanent.

For the piping, I ended up mixing the Blue Jean Creme Surfine with purple and taupe Angelus leather paint and eggshell Saphir Creme renovatrice. This mix cured much faster than the Creme Surfine mix I used for the overall color refresh! It was alot thicker and I would cut it with lots of CPR if I was going to use this mix on more than the piping. Except for the Blue Jean Creme Surfine, I actually had all these product sitting around from various other rehabs

Just to clarify, for the Angelus leather paint, did you use the regular taupe color or the grey taupe color? On amazon there were several Angelus taupe shades and the regular taupe just seems so brown...

 

[Ebkbay]

Could I ask a weird favour from anyone with some CPR? Its been a month since I last rehabbed & I had all my CPR stored in a spare room. It’s been super hot where I live & I didn’t realize that the AC wasn’t circulating well to that room. Can anyone smell their CPR & let me know if theres a very faint chemical smell? I know it’s supposed to be odourless but I can’t seem to remember if it’s always had a faint hint of a smell or not. Basically, I wanna make sure my CPR didn’t go bad lol, TYIA

I just sniffed mine and it does have a faint smell. I don’t know whether to call it chemical, though.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

I just sniffed mine and it does have a faint smell. I don’t know whether to call it chemical, though.

I didn’t really know how else to describe it, I think we’re all smelling the same thing. It doesn’t seem to be strong at all

Eta: I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t the only one so Id know my CPR didn’t go bad in the heat lol

 

[ConnieinSeattle]

Ooo let's see a lot photograph?

 

[Lucyblue13]

Oh how the rehab bug has bit... Now that my first *real-ish* rehab has boosted my confidence, I've decided I'm going to fix all the bags I was too scared to touch before (slowly but surely).

Still finishing up that Quincy bag I've been working on. I noticed that the edges felt kind of chalky after being painted, which is what I expected it to feel like due to the acrylic paint, but I conditioned it and it was nice and smooth again! I think I'm done with the corners even though one still seems to darken suspiciously whenever I condition the bag.. Looks fine dry, so I'm gonna leave it as is! It's currently drying from the... (lost track of number of CPR applications)... conditioning.

Also dunked 2 more bags last night and conditioned them. Waiting for them to dry so I can retouch their edges.

I've seen a lot of talk about horsehair brushes and buffing the bags.. I'm either not doing it right or it's a very subtle change, but I don't really see a difference.. All I am noticing is that horsehair gets stuck all over my bags Do you guys wait for the bags to fully dry after conditioning to buff? Or do you rub in the conditioner with the brush?

I've been going back and rehabbing my earlier attempts as well. I figure it's a good way to keep myself busy with rehabs while not spending on bags!

As for the brush, I haven't had a problem with hair on my bags. I use a cheap kiwi brush I got at Walmart. I have no idea when everyone else buffs, but here is how I do it...dunk, 1st coat of conditioner while wet. I don't buff that coat, just massage in enough CPR to keep it from cracking while drying (ask me how I learned this )
When it is almost dry, I put another layer of CPR, and I do buff after that second coat. So not soaking wet, but not completely dry...slightly damp? After that second coat I sometimes put one or two more coats, depending in how much moisture I feel the leather needs. Sometimes the bag is already dry at this point. If I do have to add more coats than two, I buff after each coat. I've only used BlackRock when the bags are already dried(after cpr). Curious if anyone has applied BR to a damp bag.

Hope any of this helps.

 

[LaVinCoach]

I've been going back and rehabbing my earlier attempts as well. I figure it's a good way to keep myself busy with rehabs while not spending on bags!

As for the brush, I haven't had a problem with hair on my bags. I use a cheap kiwi brush I got at Walmart. I have no idea when everyone else buffs, but here is how I do it...dunk, 1st coat of conditioner while wet. I don't buff that coat, just massage in enough CPR to keep it from cracking while drying (ask me how I learned this )
When it is almost dry, I put another layer of CPR, and I do buff after that second coat. So not soaking wet, but not completely dry...slightly damp? After that second coat I sometimes put one or two more coats, depending in how much moisture I feel the leather needs. Sometimes the bag is already dry at this point. If I do have to add more coats than two, I buff after each coat. I've only used BlackRock when the bags are already dried(after cpr). Curious if anyone has applied BR to a damp bag.

Hope any of this helps.

Thanks for the help! I think mine is a cheap kiwi brush too.. maybe cheaper if it's letting go of so much hair and fluff
This bone bag I have feels so dry in comparison to my other bags. Not sure if it has to do with the way the dye is applied differently with bone bags? I've done quite a few coats of CPR and it still feels kind of stiff :/ I'll try adding a few more coats and buffing after each one like you mentioned and see if that helps!

 

[Lucyblue13]

Thanks for the help! I think mine is a cheap kiwi brush too.. maybe cheaper if it's letting go of so much hair and fluff
This bone bag I have feels so dry in comparison to my other bags. Not sure if it has to do with the way the dye is applied differently with bone bags? I've done quite a few coats of CPR and it still feels kind of stiff :/ I'll try adding a few more coats and buffing after each one like you mentioned and see if that helps!

Maybe somebody who has some lighter colored bags will be able to help you more. I don't use light bags so I have no idea of the difference. Seems like I have read something about the lighter colors being different, maybe a painted on coating or something?

 

[lilybonbon]

Ive done this with good success! I mostly save this technique for badly worn corners and edges on darker bags. If @americandreaming ’s method doesn’t bring back the color as expected, you could try mixing up acrylic paint to match the green, and THEN diluting it with CPR and applying in light layers with a paint brush. Better to do several very thin coats of color than get the color wrong/too heavy, I’ve found.

Good luck!

Colour refreshing is a great idea when a bag is faded, unevenly coloured or the piping worn. The trick is to mix only a TINY bit of acrylic paint with the CPR:

View attachment 5095713

Plenty of CPR and mix THOROUGHLY:

View attachment 5095714

The ideal is for the acrylic paint to be absorbed into the leather along with the conditioner, rather than creating an obviously painted surface. Make sure the acrylic paint is completely mixed with the CPR before applying and do thin, even coats. I apply in a circular motion like straight conditioning. Watch for any accidental streaks of colour and blend in/disperse immediately with straight CPR.

Blacks are much easier and more forgiving to colour refresh than colours!

Good luck and have fun!

I’ve been scared to try acrylic paint in a rehab. Thanks to your tips, and the rehabs some of you amazing ladies have shared of your periwinkle bags, I decided to take the plunge on a periwinkle Soho belted pouch.

The side-by-sides are before and right after coloring with my acrylic and CPR mixture. The last photo is a few hours later. I wasn't achieving any discernible coverage after multiple coats, so I got a little creative with my ratio. As a result, I didn't achieve the level of absorption I was hoping for. The color dried to blend seamlessly, but if you're a perfectionist, you'll notice some paint in the seam in the last photo. Had I exhibited more patience, and continued to add coats with the suggested ratio, would I have eventually achieved coverage for the level of color loss pictured? I know I can be antsy and make rash decisions, but that knowledge doesn't always stop me from being antsy and making rash decisions.....

I'd like to rub a final coat or two over the whole bag tomorrow strictly adhering to LadaZuri's acrylic to CPR ratio. I think that would be enough to fully blend the remaining lighter spots and add a little pop overall. Should I run an acetone-dipped skewer through that seam or take any other corrective action to the areas I'm concerned have unabsorbed paint first? I really want to end up with a beautiful bag that's been properly rehabbed to stay beautiful for the long haul, despite what my going rogue with ratios earlier today might suggest.

 

[LaVinCoach]

I’ve been scared to try acrylic paint in a rehab. Thanks to your tips, and the rehabs some of you amazing ladies have shared of your periwinkle bags, I decided to take the plunge on a periwinkle Soho belted pouch.

The side-by-sides are before and right after coloring with my acrylic and CPR mixture. The last photo is a few hours later. I wasn't achieving any discernible coverage after multiple coats, so I got a little creative with my ratio. As a result, I didn't achieve the level of absorption I was hoping for. The color dried to blend seamlessly, but if you're a perfectionist, you'll notice some paint in the seam in the last photo. Had I exhibited more patience, and continued to add coats with the suggested ratio, would I have eventually achieved coverage for the level of color loss pictured? I know I can be antsy and make rash decisions, but that knowledge doesn't always stop me from being antsy and making rash decisions.....

I'd like to rub a final coat or two over the whole bag tomorrow strictly adhering to LadaZuri's acrylic to CPR ratio. I think that would be enough to fully blend the remaining lighter spots and add a little pop overall. Should I run an acetone-dipped skewer through that seam or take any other corrective action to the areas I'm concerned have unabsorbed paint first? I really want to end up with a beautiful bag that's been properly rehabbed to stay beautiful for the long haul, despite what my going rogue with ratios earlier today might suggest.

View attachment 5104017View attachment 5104018View attachment 5104085

Wow your bag's looking so good! Which acrylic paint/color did you use? @MrsGAM mentioned what she used to match her periwinkle bag but I'm hoping to find a less pricey option as well. Unless that's the combo you used as well and I'm just gonna have to pull the trigger

As for the ratio, I wasn't aware I needed to use that much CPR I've been using much less, definitely more CPR than paint but I've never filled up a container like that. I probably use that much amount of paint shown by @LadaZuri, and 3 times that paint amount worth of CPR. Granted, I've only done touch ups of the corners and I've only worked on 2 bags but I've been happy with the results so far! If you're going over a large area it might make more sense to use more CPR so that it's easier to paint on, but if you're only working on small areas that are more worn, I think using a more concentrated mix works as well. What I do is that I paint it on kind of globby-like and then quickly sponge over it with a damp painters brush so that its even.

Regarding the seam, I would have never noticed it if you hadn't mentioned it and even then I can barely see it! I wouldn't want to use acetone for fear of lifting off the color of the bag, not just the seam. Maybe try a dry toothpick and see if you can kind of scoop out or push in some of the paint. Maybe someone that has more experience could help you out. But I think if you left it as is, it would be fine too.

 

[LadaZuri]

I’ve been scared to try acrylic paint in a rehab. Thanks to your tips, and the rehabs some of you amazing ladies have shared of your periwinkle bags, I decided to take the plunge on a periwinkle Soho belted pouch.

The side-by-sides are before and right after coloring with my acrylic and CPR mixture. The last photo is a few hours later. I wasn't achieving any discernible coverage after multiple coats, so I got a little creative with my ratio. As a result, I didn't achieve the level of absorption I was hoping for. The color dried to blend seamlessly, but if you're a perfectionist, you'll notice some paint in the seam in the last photo. Had I exhibited more patience, and continued to add coats with the suggested ratio, would I have eventually achieved coverage for the level of color loss pictured? I know I can be antsy and make rash decisions, but that knowledge doesn't always stop me from being antsy and making rash decisions.....

I'd like to rub a final coat or two over the whole bag tomorrow strictly adhering to LadaZuri's acrylic to CPR ratio. I think that would be enough to fully blend the remaining lighter spots and add a little pop overall. Should I run an acetone-dipped skewer through that seam or take any other corrective action to the areas I'm concerned have unabsorbed paint first? I really want to end up with a beautiful bag that's been properly rehabbed to stay beautiful for the long haul, despite what my going rogue with ratios earlier today might suggest.

View attachment 5104017View attachment 5104018View attachment 5104085

You did a fabulous job!

 

[ConnieinSeattle]

My first official "rehab" in progress. I washed, conditioned overall, conditioned with mixed in black acrylic for the edges, shined up the brass elements, and used some of that "blackrock" product. I think one more shining up with blackrock, and I'll call it good. It's a handsome bag. I was shocked how well that brasso works! That last pic is before I started.

 

[whateve]

I’ve been scared to try acrylic paint in a rehab. Thanks to your tips, and the rehabs some of you amazing ladies have shared of your periwinkle bags, I decided to take the plunge on a periwinkle Soho belted pouch.

The side-by-sides are before and right after coloring with my acrylic and CPR mixture. The last photo is a few hours later. I wasn't achieving any discernible coverage after multiple coats, so I got a little creative with my ratio. As a result, I didn't achieve the level of absorption I was hoping for. The color dried to blend seamlessly, but if you're a perfectionist, you'll notice some paint in the seam in the last photo. Had I exhibited more patience, and continued to add coats with the suggested ratio, would I have eventually achieved coverage for the level of color loss pictured? I know I can be antsy and make rash decisions, but that knowledge doesn't always stop me from being antsy and making rash decisions.....

I'd like to rub a final coat or two over the whole bag tomorrow strictly adhering to LadaZuri's acrylic to CPR ratio. I think that would be enough to fully blend the remaining lighter spots and add a little pop overall. Should I run an acetone-dipped skewer through that seam or take any other corrective action to the areas I'm concerned have unabsorbed paint first? I really want to end up with a beautiful bag that's been properly rehabbed to stay beautiful for the long haul, despite what my going rogue with ratios earlier today might suggest.

View attachment 5104017View attachment 5104018View attachment 5104085

I think it looks great! I'm not seeing a problem with the seam.