Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

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Does anyone here have any experience rehabbing a bone/cream/ivory colored vintage bag? I recently got a bone (or cream or ivory, I'm not sure which the official color would be) convertible clutch that is in good condition, but somewhat dirty. I gave it a bath and some coats of Cadillac and Apple, but it's still a bit on the dingy side. I can tell because the hang tag and the panels beneath the front flap are still a few shades lighter than the flap and strap. I know borax has been suggested here before, so I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions or tips on de-dingyfying (my new word) a lighter colored leather.

Also, while overall the bag is in good condition, the edges have a kind of yellowish tinge which I'm not sure if it is grime or just rub wear. I'd be much obliged for any suggestions!

Hi, I got some great suggestions from Whateve about rehabbing edges (see post #9102) but I would also be curious if you got any advice about the dinginess of your bag?
My bone bag is also dingy after a bath, several coats of CPR, Meltonian and Blackrocks. I'm tempted to bathe her again--this time in Dawn (I usually use Ivory) and scrub her really well.
Any experience other rehabbers can share on scrubbing a light-colored bag would be welcome!
 
Hi, I got some great suggestions from Whateve about rehabbing edges (see post #9102) but I would also be curious if you got any advice about the dinginess of your bag?
My bone bag is also dingy after a bath, several coats of CPR, Meltonian and Blackrocks. I'm tempted to bathe her again--this time in Dawn (I usually use Ivory) and scrub her really well.
Any experience other rehabbers can share on scrubbing a light-colored bag would be welcome!

I'm currently working on a bone basic bag that looked to be in great shape until the bath removed the grime. The lighter bags just wear differently than the darker colors that are dyed all the way through. They are yellow or pale brownish underneath, with the lighter color kind of sitting on the surface. I would think more scrubbing would reveal more of the color beneath. I'm still experimenting with concoctions to touch up the piping on mine. If nothing else works, I will likely use the Wood N Stuff refinisher as sparingly as possible on the piping only. I want the bag to look vintage, but not dirty, as these white/off white bags tend to appear. I try to keep my collection to bags that I actually carry, and I cringe when I see women out with dirty looking bags! Here's a photo of mine in it's current state...
 
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OK folks -- can this bag be saved? It was mine in the late 1980s. My daughter used it for a few years since, but it sat in a closet for decades. The piping is cracked and the lining ripped. I believe this was called a binocular bag at the time. Don't see many even on the bay these days. I'm going to dunk it and treat it with some of the products this thread talks about -- Lexol, Edgekote, Blackrocks. Can anyone tell me what color Edgekote to use? Tan? Dark Brown? Should I wait until it's cleaned up to get a better idea? Have nothing to lose. If a rehab works, may try it on some others I have, including a Metropolitan and a drawstring bucket.
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Hello! I've loved reading through the posts and all the gorgeous bag pics! I'm newish to vintage coach and am wondering if you guys always dip bags if they are preowned? I have a couple of vintage bags that are on the newer side, no smells or stains, and am trying decide if you need to dip regardless for sanitary reasons. What do all of the experts think?! So far I've given the outside a wipe down with saddle soap, a couple coats of moisturizer, and polished the brass with Brasso.
 
Hello! I've loved reading through the posts and all the gorgeous bag pics! I'm newish to vintage coach and am wondering if you guys always dip bags if they are preowned? I have a couple of vintage bags that are on the newer side, no smells or stains, and am trying decide if you need to dip regardless for sanitary reasons. What do all of the experts think?! So far I've given the outside a wipe down with saddle soap, a couple coats of moisturizer, and polished the brass with Brasso.

I think dunking is a personal thing, especially if the bag is really clean. Some people just have to do it. I try not to, unless the bag is really gross and dirty. If it's fairly clean and just needs a little vacuum and wipe down, I'm good.
 
I think dunking is a personal thing, especially if the bag is really clean. Some people just have to do it. I try not to, unless the bag is really gross and dirty. If it's fairly clean and just needs a little vacuum and wipe down, I'm good.


Thanks! I think we are similar, I don't want to dunk if I don't absolutely have to!
 
Hello! I've loved reading through the posts and all the gorgeous bag pics! I'm newish to vintage coach and am wondering if you guys always dip bags if they are preowned? I have a couple of vintage bags that are on the newer side, no smells or stains, and am trying decide if you need to dip regardless for sanitary reasons. What do all of the experts think?! So far I've given the outside a wipe down with saddle soap, a couple coats of moisturizer, and polished the brass with Brasso.
It depends on the bag. I almost always dunk all-leather bags. If the bag needs moisturizer, it is going to soak in better after a bath. If the leather is soft and supple and the bag isn't misshapen, then I wouldn't dunk unless it was dirty. I have a couple I got in brand new condition that I didn't dunk. When I first started collecting, I didn't dunk many of the 90s bags. Often there is lint and crumbs that you can't really get totally out without dunking.
 
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OK folks -- can this bag be saved? It was mine in the late 1980s. My daughter used it for a few years since, but it sat in a closet for decades. The piping is cracked and the lining ripped. I believe this was called a binocular bag at the time. Don't see many even on the bay these days. I'm going to dunk it and treat it with some of the products this thread talks about -- Lexol, Edgekote, Blackrocks. Can anyone tell me what color Edgekote to use? Tan? Dark Brown? Should I wait until it's cleaned up to get a better idea? Have nothing to lose. If a rehab works, may try it on some others I have, including a Metropolitan and a drawstring bucket.
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That's a neat bag! I've rehabbed some Sheridans like yours. I repaired the holes in the piping with puffy fabric paint. Somewhere in this thread, I posted before and after pictures of the repair. I believe edgekote is way too thin to fix those holes in the piping. You might be able to fill them in with leather cement, then cover with Leather Refinisher by Wood 'n' Stuff in the British tan color. For the pebbled leather, I would use just Blackrocks. If the color needs refreshing, you could use a thin coat of Leather Refinisher or a tiny bit of acrylic paint mixed with Lexol.
 
My black vintage Taft came today. It kind of reminds me of 'Flat Stanley'!!!! She's been dunked and I changed the water 3 times (ewwww!) she was dirty!
She has one scraped up area on the outside pocket on the piping but if I use leather cement and then cover with a black coating it should be almost invisible.
This bag is going to be awesome once rehabbed and conditioned......I'll post pictures later after she dries out.
 

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That's a neat bag! I've rehabbed some Sheridans like yours. I repaired the holes in the piping with puffy fabric paint. Somewhere in this thread, I posted before and after pictures of the repair. I believe edgekote is way too thin to fix those holes in the piping. You might be able to fill them in with leather cement, then cover with Leather Refinisher by Wood 'n' Stuff in the British tan color. For the pebbled leather, I would use just Blackrocks. If the color needs refreshing, you could use a thin coat of Leather Refinisher or a tiny bit of acrylic paint mixed with Lexol.

Thanks for the good advice! I'm taking this one step at a time since I am new to the enterprise, but we'll see where it goes. That bag is OLD. I believe I remember carrying it in 1988 or even 87. Here's a pic of the ripped lining:
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Thanks for the good advice! I'm taking this one step at a time since I am new to the enterprise, but we'll see where it goes. That bag is OLD. I believe I remember carrying it in 1988 or even 87. Here's a pic of the ripped lining:
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What are you going to do about the lining? It looks very worn out. I don't think they made this style before the early 90s.
 
Finished my re-hab on my Oliver Bag 9902. It was dusty, mis-shaped and all the trim was scraped down.
After a scrubby bath, I shaped it with towels, and while it was still slightly damp I applied mink oil with my finger tips to the trim. Applied several coats after it was dry and am thrilled with the results. Looks brand new. Applied several coats of Blackrock to the entire bag and buffed with a soft rag and then a brush. Cleaned up the brass while bag was soaking. Great bag, looks almost new. Hope you like it.
 

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Finished my re-hab on my Oliver Bag 9902. It was dusty, mis-shaped and all the trim was scraped down.
After a scrubby bath, I shaped it with towels, and while it was still slightly damp I applied mink oil with my finger tips to the trim. Applied several coats after it was dry and am thrilled with the results. Looks brand new. Applied several coats of Blackrock to the entire bag and buffed with a soft rag and then a brush. Cleaned up the brass while bag was soaking. Great bag, looks almost new. Hope you like it.
Wow, it looks great! I like mink oil too. The price on Amazon has doubled since I bought it.
 
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