Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[whateve]

So- is it like contact glue, but more flexible? I bought something like that at Tandy leather (Tandy's own brand) to repair a saddle horn repair. The Ebay stuff does look interesting. One advantage for me is using all this repair stuff on my horse tach as you usually just use a smidgen for purses!
Again, thank you so much for all your help. We learn so much from you!

It seems a lot like Aleene's tacky glue. I haven't found it to be very good as a glue, as in gluing two leather pieces together, but it works great in building up edges. If I have something that needs repair in the edge coat, I'll smooth on a bead of leather cement, and then once that is dry go over it with edge kote. It works so much better than edge kote alone.

 

[mellopan]

Hi, fellow rehabbers! I am working on a black NYC Madison Satchel that is in decent shape except the short handles are dry & cracked. It has already benefited from a dunk, is still drying & has a coat of leather lotion (Pictured). I also put Obenauf's oil on the handles (Pictured). I plan to continue conditioning, then Obenauf's oil & finally Blackrock.

Are there any other suggestions to help with the cracked handles? Thanks!

View attachment 3102685
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Wow this is the same bag that I just bought and I'm working on it now as my first rehab project! Well, mine is not a NYC bag but everything else looks the same. My handles are not cracked but they feel kind of gummy and flimsy. Let us know if/how you decide to work on the handles, I'd love to see how it turns out

 

[whateve]

Wow this is the same bag that I just bought and I'm working on it now as my first rehab project! Well, mine is not a NYC bag but everything else looks the same. My handles are not cracked but they feel kind of gummy and flimsy. Let us know if/how you decide to work on the handles, I'd love to see how it turns out

gummy and flimsy is another problem. In a way I think it is worse because I can't think of anything to try. I assume there was originally something stiff that the leather is wrapped around and now that has degraded.

 

[mellopan]

gummy and flimsy is another problem. In a way I think it is worse because I can't think of anything to try. I assume there was originally something stiff that the leather is wrapped around and now that has degraded.

Yeah that could be it! I don't know if maybe water could have done some damage too. Unfortunately I can't remember how the handles felt before I washed the bag. But it's not severe enough to bother me, and does not affect use thankfully

 

[whateve]

Yeah that could be it! I don't know if maybe water could have done some damage too. Unfortunately I can't remember how the handles felt before I washed the bag. But it's not severe enough to bother me, and does not affect use thankfully

I've rehabbed several bag of this style and others with stiff handles. As long as they were in decent shape to begin with, the water of the bath didn't affect them. Maybe if you soaked them for over an hour, it might do something. I think once I had a briefcase type bag that had cracks/splits in the leather handles and when those got soaked in the bath, it did make them floppier.

 

[Zealous]

Wow this is the same bag that I just bought and I'm working on it now as my first rehab project! Well, mine is not a NYC bag but everything else looks the same. My handles are not cracked but they feel kind of gummy and flimsy. Let us know if/how you decide to work on the handles, I'd love to see how it turns out

Hi, Mellopan! Welcome to rehab! I did see a mention of your Madison satchel here in this thread during my searches & found your photo in the Authentication thread late last night.

Does your bag have leather tabs on the sides? I have the larger version with rings for a long strap. Mine didn't come with the long strap, so I'll just borrow one from another vintage bag. Here's a post by Hyacinth that includes a catalog photo:

In order -
Broadway Satchel, introduced 1991 had shorter tabs holding the handles and an extended zipper tab

the name "Boston Satchel" or "Boston Bag" was never used by Coach. There is no such animal, just as there is no Coach "Speedy"

Madison Satchel came in 2 different sizes & was introduced in 1986. The smaller one didn't include a shoulder strap.

In regards to the shorter straps, I went light on conditioning them while they were drying. Also, I am trying to be patient & give time for the products to dry before applying additional coats. The 24-hour suggested time between is a good rule of thumb. The other bag I worked on with cracked piping felt mushy (like the piping wasn't drying completely) & I had wondered if it had something to do with too much conditioning while wet & absorbing in the cracks. I'm not sure if this is similar to your current situation.

I hope to post about a rehab success when all is done. I look forward to hearing about yours too!

 

[Two.time.bags]

Replacement shoulder strap

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-V...EMENT-Strap-/131584493858?hash=item1ea30c0922

 

[StarBrown]

As a result of joining this Forum I have been rehabilitating (minor) some of my older purses to make them look better. I have been quite successful and all the purses on which I have worked look much better. However, I have one favourite large messenger type bag which seems to have brass plated, as opposed to solid brass hardwear.

The bag is perfect except for the somewhat beaten up hardwear and there isn't much of it. I have read through all kinds of threads on hardwear and can't find a solution. So,I "googled" and came up with some stuff called "Rub'n Buff", which appears to be some sort of brass coloured stuff which is rubbed on to the metal to refinish it.

Has anyone heard of it, and is it any good?

thanks,
H.

Rub 'n' Buff is a wax based product that may not be the best for parts that get a lot of handling. You can polish brass-plated hardware and it'll look nice. That also helps you see how much plating is really gone. Another trick I tried on some feet, because the plating always comes off, is Amber-yellow sharpie. Not the paint pen variety, just the regular sharpie; have to let it sit undisturbed for a bit while the ink "dries" on. It looks like brass when colored on a white metal.

 

[mrk2014]

Hello ladies, I am in search of advice on how to fix/improve this spot on the piping of (I believe) a Scout bag I am rehabbing. I would like to make it less obvious and also protect it if possible to get further damage, at least for awhile?

What product do you recommend? Thank you in advance

Also... I think the best way to reshape this Sheridan Gleenwood, would be to dunk it, but I am not sure if the green would transfer to the lining. BTW what shade of green is this? I had another Gleenwood awhile back that was like forest green, this one is like tree frog green, LOL

 

[waterlily1]

Rub 'n' Buff is a wax based product that may not be the best for parts that get a lot of handling. You can polish brass-plated hardware and it'll look nice. That also helps you see how much plating is really gone. Another trick I tried on some feet, because the plating always comes off, is Amber-yellow sharpie. Not the paint pen variety, just the regular sharpie; have to let it sit undisturbed for a bit while the ink "dries" on. It looks like brass when colored on a white metal.

Hi will try your suggestions. There are only two small metal bits on each side and a few tiny "buttons". The zipper pulls are very dull also.

Thanks,
H

 

[whateve]

Hi will try your suggestions. There are only two small metal bits on each side and a few tiny "buttons". The zipper pulls are very dull also.

Thanks,
H

You can try vinegar and very fine steel wool to shine them up.

 

[mrk2014]

It seems a lot like Aleene's tacky glue. I haven't found it to be very good as a glue, as in gluing two leather pieces together, but it works great in building up edges. If I have something that needs repair in the edge coat, I'll smooth on a bead of leather cement, and then once that is dry go over it with edge kote. It works so much better than edge kote alone.

If I am not mistaken, this solution might be the answer to my question. I have the tacky glue and edge coat.

 

[whateve]

Hello ladies, I am in search of advice on how to fix/improve this spot on the piping of (I believe) a Scout bag I am rehabbing. I would like to make it less obvious and also protect it if possible to get further damage, at least for awhile?

What product do you recommend? Thank you in advance

Also... I think the best way to reshape this Sheridan Gleenwood, would be to dunk it, but I am not sure if the green would transfer to the lining. BTW what shade of green is this? I had another Gleenwood awhile back that was like forest green, this one is like tree frog green, LOL

That piping should be fairly easy to fix. I've used all these methods:
1. acrylic paint, possibly the artist version which is thicker, to fill in the area covered with acrylic gloss medium.
2. leather cement to fill, covered by color. The color can be acrylic paint mixed with conditioner, acrylic paint mixed with acrylic gloss, or leather refinisher.
3. fabric puff paint.
My current favorite method is #2.

I believe people have washed Sheridans without any bleeding. The leather is treated to be water repellent so it wouldn't make sense for it to not be colorfast.

Every ad I've seen for Sheridans just describes the color as green, but I know I've seen at least 2 different greens, possibly 3 - a kelly or forest green, and an olive green.

 

[waterlily1]

You can try vinegar and very fine steel wool to shine them up.

Hi Whateve,

Do you mean just on the zipper pulls? Because the "brass" appears to be plated, I suspect that either the sharpie or the Buff 'n Rub might be better for the bits joining the straps/handles, as the colour has worn down to whatever the base metal is. As I said, there isn't a lot of hard wear but what there is, is worn. The colour has almost entirely come off the zipper pulls though, and as I am not sure that adding colour will help, the steel wool and vinegar, might do it. They are not very visible anyway. I did do the vinegar and baking soda already to clean them but to be honest they don't look much different.

I am having fun giving new life to my old purses, so thank you all very much!

H.:

 

[mrk2014]

That piping should be fairly easy to fix. I've used all these methods:
1. acrylic paint, possibly the artist version which is thicker, to fill in the area covered with acrylic gloss medium.
2. leather cement to fill, covered by color. The color can be acrylic paint mixed with conditioner, acrylic paint mixed with acrylic gloss, or leather refinisher.
3. fabric puff paint.
My current favorite method is #2.

I believe people have washed Sheridans without any bleeding. The leather is treated to be water repellent so it wouldn't make sense for it to not be colorfast.

Every ad I've seen for Sheridans just describes the color as green, but I know I've seen at least 2 different greens, possibly 3 - a kelly or forest green, and an olive green.

Thank you so much