That listing is funny. He seems very proud of the fact that he distressed it himself, blissfully unaware that bag lovers are horrified.
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
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That listing is funny. He seems very proud of the fact that he distressed it himself, blissfully unaware that bag lovers are horrified.
Totally agree, rather clueless unfortunately. That bag may have been saved but for him....oh well.
There are always more bags out there.
I've been researching dyes for a non Coach bag, and was thinking fabric dye might work on this type of leather. I've looked at Fiebings, but am not crazy about their colors. It's a Perlina bag, if you're familiar with that super soft leather. What is your technique Whateve? Did you dunk the bag or brush it on? Did you use a light or dark color. I'm thinking emerald or teal, and am worried about rub off. I tend to wear a lot of white shorts,skirts and capris in the summer. Thanks for any info you can share.
I dunked a Lightweights bag navy blue. Even with the dunking, it didn't go on completely even. It made the leather stiffer. I did a lot of conditioning after that to soften it back up. The conditioning removed some of the excess color, which might be why I don't have any problems with rub off. Normally when you use RIT dye you are supposed to set it with heat.
I also dunked a lime Sonoma. I was only going for a subtle refreshing of the color, so I didn't leave it in the dye long.
I've tried Fiebings a couple times and wasn't happy with the results. I couldn't get the color to go on even. It was much worse than RIT. Their suede dye was a complete waste of time. As soon as I brushed the suede, the color came off. I tried two coats and waited days before brushing but it still came off. I ended up using RIT and that worked much, much better. The dye seems permanent. I've rubbed it with a white cloth and nothing came off.
I'm not sure how effective RIT will be at completely changing a color. When I did my Lightweights, it ended up darker than I expected, but with conditioning and removal of the excess dye, it ended up a little lighter. I don't think it will give you complete coverage, so if you are trying to cover up stains you might have to use Leather Refinisher, which is the only product that completely covers.
I have a Legacy duffle that has faded and I've been going back and forth between using RIT or Leather Refinisher. I used Leather Refinisher on a Kristin and it came out fantastic. That leather had a bit of a sheen to it and the refinisher matched perfectly.
My main complaint with RIT is that it stiffens the leather. You can soften it back up with conditioner but maybe not back to the original softness.
Thank you! This is very helpful. This bag is a very pale green, so if I can just get an overall uniform color, I'll be happy, even if it isn't a deep color. I plan to condition after, but am hoping to keep the matte finish if I can.
Did you mix the dye stronger than the directions? Did you dunk in hot dye or allow it to cool? I was thinking warm would be okay.
I'm going to pick up some dye today while I'm out, and give it a whirl.
I think I followed the directions when I mixed the dye. I used very hot tap water in a bucket. For a vintage Coach bag, I felt it was safe. If they used glue on your bag, then the hot water might melt it so you are probably safer using warm, but I don't know how well it will work. Stir it frequently and make sure there aren't any folded parts where the dye might go on unevenly. The best thing about RIT is that it doesn't add any shine.
I hope to work on this project tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.
Happy 4th of July!
Does anyone know the name of this clutch/bag? It's pre-1994, so no style number.
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I need to see more details, including the creed and the back of the turnlock, as well as any pockets.
It's 9 3/4" long by 7 3/4" high. These are the only other photos I have. The seller says the serial number is 0386-333.
The creed looks fine. I don't think it is necessarily a fake. I've seen other NYC bags where the strap attaches through a hole in the top. Later styles have a ring on the side. The stitching on the front looks a little sloppy.
Bought a little coach cutie- a belt bag (not sure if that's the real name). Does anyone know if the push knob is solid brass? It hasn't arrived yet but the leather should be in great condition but I have to figure out how to clean up the knob.
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I think it is just plated brass.Bought a little coach cutie- a belt bag (not sure if that's the real name). Does anyone know if the push knob is solid brass? It hasn't arrived yet but the leather should be in great condition but I have to figure out how to clean up the knob.