Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[whateve]

Hi! Wondering if anyone has any advice on how to remove or maybe at least lighten the spots on this red ba? I can't quite tell what they are...just a lot of them. Thanks in advance!

looks like mold damage to me. That is permanent. You could try dyeing over them but the dents will still be there.

 

[NatalieBalbuena]

Need some advice on some bags!

I recently got this Bottle Green Sidepack and it does have some stains on it. I’m not entirely sure what the stains are (input welcome), but am I ok and thinking the following:

1. Vinegar treatment (spray) + dry
2. Condition (to help open the pores to release dirt) + Rest
3. Saddle soap/Lexol
4. Condition

Thanks ❤️

 

[NatalieBalbuena]

Also looking for any input on this Waverly I thrifted a couple weeks ago!
I found it very bent out of shape; It’s essentially curled in on itself.

The question is do I dunk the bag? I’m afraid of awakening mold spores that could damage it. Would treating it with vinegar first prevent that? Would just saddle soap/a general clean help with this?

I’ve also heard of a method using heat/sun, this takes longer. I’m wondering if anyone here has heard about that!

Thanks ❤️

 

[ConnieinSeattle]

Need some advice on some bags!

I recently got this Bottle Green Sidepack and it does have some stains on it. I’m not entirely sure what the stains are (input welcome), but am I ok and thinking the following:

1. Vinegar treatment (spray) + dry
2. Condition (to help open the pores to release dirt) + Rest
3. Saddle soap/Lexol
4. Condition

Thanks ❤️

I don't see "dunking" in your lineup. That would be my first order of business. If those are watermarks they will go "poof." Vinegar in the rinse water will kill any mold. PS: BEAUTFUL bag!!

 

[whateve]

Need some advice on some bags!

I recently got this Bottle Green Sidepack and it does have some stains on it. I’m not entirely sure what the stains are (input welcome), but am I ok and thinking the following:

1. Vinegar treatment (spray) + dry
2. Condition (to help open the pores to release dirt) + Rest
3. Saddle soap/Lexol
4. Condition

Thanks ❤️

I agree with Connie, it should be dunked. That's your best chance of getting rid of those stains. I might even use slightly hotter than usual water. If it is a water stain, hotter water might make it go away.

 

[whateve]

Also looking for any input on this Waverly I thrifted a couple weeks ago!
I found it very bent out of shape; It’s essentially curled in on itself.

The question is do I dunk the bag? I’m afraid of awakening mold spores that could damage it. Would treating it with vinegar first prevent that? Would just saddle soap/a general clean help with this?

I’ve also heard of a method using heat/sun, this takes longer. I’m wondering if anyone here has heard about that!

Thanks ❤️

I would dunk. If there is mold, vinegar in the rinse will kill it. You can always put the bag in the sun for awhile before the dunk if you want. Sun will also kill mold.

 

[ConnieinSeattle]

Finishing up work on my burgundy binocular bag. It's amazing how different the color looks indoors versus sunlight.

 

[LunaLago]

Finishing up work on my burgundy binocular bag. It's amazing how different the color looks indoors versus sunlight.

How lovely 😍. I’ve had my eye on a dark green version of this bag, but it’s a bit pricey at £199 😔.

 

[mdorton]

I’ve been wanting to move into this #9992 since I got her, but I had to restitch the leather pad by the turn lock. I picked up a stitching awl at Hobby Lobby, and that helped wonders to finish up the rehab on this bag. And I finally finished today, and put some edge coat around it. OMG I love this bag!

So beautiful!!

 

[mdorton]

Finishing up work on my burgundy binocular bag. It's amazing how different the color looks indoors versus sunlight.

I love the shape of this bag!

 

[mdorton]

Hi: I did a search but could not find an answer. I just became obsessed with vintage coach bags after seeing a few restored ones on social media. Thanks to you experts, I learned the basics of authentication and felt confident enough to take a stab at buying bags in rough shape and then rehabbing them. (I don’t plan to sell them - my goal is to restore about 8 and give them as holiday gifts to the women in my family.) So to begin, I bought both a Court (pre-94) and Curtis (1995?) bag off of eBay that need a little work. Because I’m new and excited, I bought the bags without realizing they both were not only missing their crossbody/long straps but the Curtis is also missing the D rings. (Plus the Curtis has some deep gauges that weren’t photographed well in the ad.) In any event, here is my question: I want to give these as meaningful gifts. Is it a breach of protocol/“disrespectful” to use non-brand hardware? If not, are there reputable replacement part brands/sellers you’d recommend? If I want authentic coach vintage replacement part, what’s the most economical source? The branded replacement parts I’ve seen cost more than the bags themselves, which just might be the cost of my lesson learned, I suppose. Thank you in advance.

 

[Aurora-B]

Hi: I did a search but could not find an answer. I just became obsessed with vintage coach bags after seeing a few restored ones on social media. Thanks to you experts, I learned the basics of authentication and felt confident enough to take a stab at buying bags in rough shape and then rehabbing them. (I don’t plan to sell them - my goal is to restore about 8 and give them as holiday gifts to the women in my family.) So to begin, I bought both a Court (pre-94) and Curtis (1995?) bag off of eBay that need a little work. Because I’m new and excited, I bought the bags without realizing they both were not only missing their crossbody/long straps but the Curtis is also missing the D rings. (Plus the Curtis has some deep gauges that weren’t photographed well in the ad.) In any event, here is my question: I want to give these as meaningful gifts. Is it a breach of protocol/“disrespectful” to use non-brand hardware? If not, are there reputable replacement part brands/sellers you’d recommend? If I want authentic coach vintage replacement part, what’s the most economical source? The branded replacement parts I’ve seen cost more than the bags themselves, which just might be the cost of my lesson learned, I suppose. Thank you in advance.

There are others here with far more experience and expertise, but you might consider finding some really terrible condition bags as donor bags for the hardware. It's tougher to find straps, as these seem to be a weak link when it comes to longevity. It never hurts to look. For me, that is at least half of the fun.

 

[mdorton]

There are others here with far more experience and expertise, but you might consider finding some really terrible condition bags as donor bags for the hardware. It's tougher to find straps, as these seem to be a weak link when it comes to longevity. It never hurts to look. For me, that is at least half of the fun.

Thanks for responding. Yes totally, I am looking on poshmark and eBay. I’d love to hear any other suggestions!

 

[whateve]

Hi: I did a search but could not find an answer. I just became obsessed with vintage coach bags after seeing a few restored ones on social media. Thanks to you experts, I learned the basics of authentication and felt confident enough to take a stab at buying bags in rough shape and then rehabbing them. (I don’t plan to sell them - my goal is to restore about 8 and give them as holiday gifts to the women in my family.) So to begin, I bought both a Court (pre-94) and Curtis (1995?) bag off of eBay that need a little work. Because I’m new and excited, I bought the bags without realizing they both were not only missing their crossbody/long straps but the Curtis is also missing the D rings. (Plus the Curtis has some deep gauges that weren’t photographed well in the ad.) In any event, here is my question: I want to give these as meaningful gifts. Is it a breach of protocol/“disrespectful” to use non-brand hardware? If not, are there reputable replacement part brands/sellers you’d recommend? If I want authentic coach vintage replacement part, what’s the most economical source? The branded replacement parts I’ve seen cost more than the bags themselves, which just might be the cost of my lesson learned, I suppose. Thank you in advance.

It depends on the person as to how authentic they want their bag to be. I've seen other brands that have hardware that looks like vintage Coach. Once I bought an offbrand bag that had a strap that matched my Coach bag perfectly. D rings are pretty generic. I think you should be able to find some that look similar.

Generally when someone is selling just a strap, they will price it higher.

 

[ConnieinSeattle]

Got a bag to rehab. Not Coach. An amazing, possibly VERY vintage looks-to-be-hand-made crocodile bag. I found this special reptile cream, ready to try it out: