Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[whateve]

View attachment 3313126View attachment 3313128

I would use a little acrylic paint or Leather refinisher or leather dye mixed with conditioner for the corners. I would condition the rest. I wouldn't try any color on anything other than the edges. It doesn't usually cover stains or blend in well, in my experience. Conditioners, especially Blackrocks, will probably make those corners look great but it won't be permanent. By using a coloring agent, you can extend the length of time it will look good. One of the reasons I use acrylic paint or LR over leather dye is because I can remove it easily if I'm not happy with the results, as long as I do it fairly soon. Dye isn't removable the instant it touches the leather.

Thank you - as a newbie I appreciate your bringing up issues that I might not have considered. I hadn't seen her post, but have read some folks are conditioners-only restorers. I've been thinking of LR as a last resort after trying all spot removal and conditioners and trying to use only a teeny bit with conditioner on a small area. I will give this more thought.

Dumb question: I get why dyes like Tarrago that sit on top of the leather would be lumped in with acrylics, but what about penetrating oil dyes like Fiebings mixed with conditioner for touching up corners? Do those still smother leather/stitching? Or is it more about preserving the bag's original integrity? These are honest questions - I really do want to understand the risks of different restoration approaches better.

Some people don't believe in the use of any coloring products at all. Most of the purses I rehab aren't collector's items so I don't think I'm committing a sin by touching up with color. For NYC and Bonnie Cashin bags I'm more of a purist. When you rehab bags like these, you shouldn't be aiming for perfection. Embrace the patina.

By the way, I've always tried to keep the Leather Refinisher off the stitches.

I haven't had a lot luck covering up ink stains with any product. For the bag that I used LR all over, I had covered the ink with acrylic paint first. On other bags, I haven't been able to get the thin coats of LR I use to cover up ink stains.

I had an off white bag with multiple stains. Leather Refinisher didn't cover them completely, even though they weren't super dark.

My other successes with ink are the use of Lincoln E-Z cleaner on the suede lining of a Dakota bag, the use of zit cream on a white leather bag, and the use of puff paint on a recent pebbled leather bag.

I've used Fiebings dye mixed with Lexol on a non-Coach briefcase that had sun and water damage, and it worked great. It evened out the color back to its original. I may have used it on a Coach bag that had an ink stain, but I can't remember now. I'm not sure whether that damages the stitching. I wouldn't think so, but I'm not sure.

Personally, I'm probably in the middle as far as restoration products go. I've definitely used more than just conditioners on restoration, and I dyed a bag that would have been unusable to me otherwise, but I'm careful about what products I choose and how I use them. I don't think using a small amount of Wood-N-Stuff mixed with conditioner to touch up corner wear would be a huge deal, but I'd hate to see a bag covered with it that would've been ok otherwise. I think there is a balance when it comes to rehab. In the end, if it is your bag for your enjoyment, you should do what you want to it.

I'm pretty much the same way. I try to avoid dye, partly because it isn't easy to get good results.

I really love LR is on recent pebbled leather bags. I used it diluted with conditioner on a couple of faded bags and it looked great. If you put it on full strength, it feels like plastic.

 

[soozlz]

I would use a little acrylic paint or Leather refinisher or leather dye mixed with conditioner for the corners. I would condition the rest. I wouldn't try any color on anything other than the edges. It doesn't usually cover stains or blend in well, in my experience. Conditioners, especially Blackrocks, will probably make those corners look great but it won't be permanent. By using a coloring agent, you can extend the length of time it will look good. One of the reasons I use acrylic paint or LR over leather dye is because I can remove it easily if I'm not happy with the results, as long as I do it fairly soon. Dye isn't removable the instant it touches the leather.

Some people don't believe in the use of any coloring products at all. Most of the purses I rehab aren't collector's items so I don't think I'm committing a sin by touching up with color. For NYC and Bonnie Cashin bags I'm more of a purist. When you rehab bags like these, you shouldn't be aiming for perfection. Embrace the patina.

By the way, I've always tried to keep the Leather Refinisher off the stitches.

I haven't had a lot luck covering up ink stains with any product. For the bag that I used LR all over, I had covered the ink with acrylic paint first. On other bags, I haven't been able to get the thin coats of LR I use to cover up ink stains.

I had an off white bag with multiple stains. Leather Refinisher didn't cover them completely, even though they weren't super dark.

My other successes with ink are the use of Lincoln E-Z cleaner on the suede lining of a Dakota bag, the use of zit cream on a white leather bag, and the use of puff paint on a recent pebbled leather bag.

I'm pretty much the same way. I try to avoid dye, partly because it isn't easy to get good results.

I really love LR is on recent pebbled leather bags. I used it diluted with conditioner on a couple of faded bags and it looked great. If you put it on full strength, it feels like plastic.

Got it!! Thank you!! So CPR with a bit of color for the corners, plain CPR for the rest and blackrocks to finish. (I remember doing this to a bottle green waverly).

 

[coach943]

Here are before photos of a very old pre-creed bag that I've been working on for the past few weeks. It was really dry, and I was worried about the leather cracking given the age and condition of the bag, but it did so well. The lighting is bad in these pictures, but the bag had an almost grayish tint to it in places. I am so happy with how it turned out. More in the next post.

 

[coach943]

Here are the after photos. The bag is a beautiful mahogany. It has a leather Coach cartouche stamp on the inside and no creed. It appears there was a sticker of some kind below the stamp.

I washed the bag with Castile soap. It was the first time I've used Castile soap, and I'm definitely going to keep using it for all my rehabs. I liked it because it seemed very gentle and wasn't overly sudsy and, therefore, was easy to rinse.

I used three coats of Montana oil followed by one application of Skidmore's leather cream. I finished with two applications of Blackrocks. The leather is super soft, and the patina is beautiful. All the wear along the binding completely went away during the conditioning process. This bag is truly a testament to Coach's quality.

 

[Catbird9]

Here are the after photos. The bag is a beautiful mahogany. It has a leather Coach cartouche stamp on the inside and no creed. It appears there was a sticker of some kind below the stamp.

I washed the bag with Castile soap. It was the first time I've used Castile soap, and I'm definitely going to keep using it for all my rehabs. I liked it because it seemed very gentle and wasn't overly sudsy and, therefore, was easy to rinse.

I used three coats of Montana oil followed by one application of Skidmore's leather cream. I finished with two applications of Blackrocks. The leather is super soft, and the patina is beautiful. All the wear along the binding completely went away during the conditioning process. This bag is truly a testament to Coach's quality.

It's luscious! I love how the Mahogany color seems to resemble polished wood.

Does the Castile soap come in liquid form, or is it a bar?

 

[coach943]

It's luscious! I love how the Mahogany color seems to resemble polished wood.

Does the Castile soap come in liquid form, or is it a bar?

It is a bar. It made it a little more difficult to work with than a liquid.

 

[soozlz]

Here are the after photos. The bag is a beautiful mahogany. It has a leather Coach cartouche stamp on the inside and no creed. It appears there was a sticker of some kind below the stamp.



I washed the bag with Castile soap. It was the first time I've used Castile soap, and I'm definitely going to keep using it for all my rehabs. I liked it because it seemed very gentle and wasn't overly sudsy and, therefore, was easy to rinse.



I used three coats of Montana oil followed by one application of Skidmore's leather cream. I finished with two applications of Blackrocks. The leather is super soft, and the patina is beautiful. All the wear along the binding completely went away during the conditioning process. This bag is truly a testament to Coach's quality.

Wow!! It looks great!!

 

[Ravvie99]

Here are the after photos. The bag is a beautiful mahogany. It has a leather Coach cartouche stamp on the inside and no creed. It appears there was a sticker of some kind below the stamp.

I washed the bag with Castile soap. It was the first time I've used Castile soap, and I'm definitely going to keep using it for all my rehabs. I liked it because it seemed very gentle and wasn't overly sudsy and, therefore, was easy to rinse.

I used three coats of Montana oil followed by one application of Skidmore's leather cream. I finished with two applications of Blackrocks. The leather is super soft, and the patina is beautiful. All the wear along the binding completely went away during the conditioning process. This bag is truly a testament to Coach's quality.

Wow, that looks so soft and glowy, I want to touch it! Marvelous job!

You are inspiring me to give Castile soap another try - couldn't stand the scent of the liquid I bought.

 

[Almmac]

I just wanted to share some info on one of my favorite tools that I use often in everyday life as well as for rehabbing vintage bags. Sorry if this has been posted before. It's Gingher embroidery scissors that are great for many uses - trimming hairy old leather straps before putting Edge Kote, cutting loose threads etc. They could be found on eBay for under $15 with shipping. Here're some pictures:

I have 2 pairs (large and small) of Gingher scissors and love them both! They are the best scissors I've ever owned. The embroidery scissors are so pretty!

 

[Ravvie99]

I dipped the magic sponge in vinegar and wrung it out. It helps but probably won't make it perfect.

Whateve, you are a genius (in case you didn't already know)! I had read the above so when I found a thrift store Dooney vachetta wallet today, I snatched it up. The vinegar and magic eraser worked so well in only 5 min. I have one little spot that needs more attention but it looks fab already! Bonus was it worked on the fabric, too. :urock:
Thanks for asking the question Soozlz.

 

[soozlz]

Whateve, you are a genius (in case you didn't already know)! I had read the above so when I found a thrift store Dooney vachetta wallet today, I snatched it up. The vinegar and magic eraser worked so well in only 5 min. I have one little spot that needs more attention but it looks fab already! Bonus was it worked on the fabric, too. :urock:

Thanks for asking the question Soozlz.

It works great!! The vachetta on my bag was dry and ashy looking after the vinegar scrub. Whateve suggested using Cadillac condition. Now the vachetta has it's warm glow back!! Unfortunately I didn't take a "before cadillac" picture. Hats to to Whateve!!

 

[WishingonaCoach]

The only edge work I've done has involved applying numerous coats of dura edge or edge kote. I am experimenting with edging now since I've had to start over on the Hampton bag as the dye-prep melted my edging job. I am thinking of mixing the dura edge with matte gel medium and seeing how that works. I'll keep you updated. As far as a good leather cement, Feibing's makes an excellent product. I've tested that, E6000, and Super Glue Vinyl and Leather Adhesive and it came in at the top. I was surprised! E6000 was so close that it was really a tie. I will probably use the two together when I apply a patch to a bag I'm working on. Still waiting on the patch material to come in. I don't know how Leather Cement would work as an edging material but it's worth a shot. The leather cement is very thin so I don't think it will help with building up quickly as you are wanting to dn the other hand, I can see the benefit of having a product that would be less visible (hide mistakes) to build up the area. You will still have to completely cover it with paint at the end though. You could do a test and put a bit of cement on a scrap of leather, let it dry, and then paint it to see what happens. I think matte gel medium is your best bet for building up quickly. It does shrink as it dries, so you may have to do a few coats but that is actually a good thing because it allows you to correct mistakes. It also dries slowly (overnight for first coat) which is another consideration. Good luck! Keep us posted!

I have used Leather Cement for edging. Mine is Fiebings too. It is hard to get it even. When you are done, you can paint it.

Thank you both for your input. I am not a patient person, so I think I will try the gel medium first and the leather cement as last resort.

 

[mrk2014]

The only edge work I've done has involved applying numerous coats of dura edge or edge kote. I am experimenting with edging now since I've had to start over on the Hampton bag as the dye-prep melted my edging job. I am thinking of mixing the dura edge with matte gel medium and seeing how that works. I'll keep you updated. As far as a good leather cement, Feibing's makes an excellent product. I've tested that, E6000, and Super Glue Vinyl and Leather Adhesive and it came in at the top. I was surprised! E6000 was so close that it was really a tie. I will probably use the two together when I apply a patch to a bag I'm working on. Still waiting on the patch material to come in. I don't know how Leather Cement would work as an edging material but it's worth a shot. The leather cement is very thin so I don't think it will help with building up quickly as you are wanting to dn the other hand, I can see the benefit of having a product that would be less visible (hide mistakes) to build up the area. You will still have to completely cover it with paint at the end though. You could do a test and put a bit of cement on a scrap of leather, let it dry, and then paint it to see what happens. I think matte gel medium is your best bet for building up quickly. It does shrink as it dries, so you may have to do a few coats but that is actually a good thing because it allows you to correct mistakes. It also dries slowly (overnight for first coat) which is another consideration. Good luck! Keep us posted!

As an update, Flitz looks promising for taking off gnarly scratches on nickel hardware. Just tried it on this Donald Pliner before I risk it on a Soho tote. If only it could remove that pesky varnish coating on brass...

Thank you for the detailed explanation, and sharing results. I think my supplies need to grow again, the matte gel medium sounds like a good thing to try with my straps.

 

[mrk2014]

I am a bit late to the discussion about the Leather Refinish, but I wanted to add my opinion.

For vintage bags I admire the "vintage" part, I like to make them look better not like new again. Clean, condition and touch ups on the corners, clean brass, etc... is as much as I am comfortable doing it.

For new bags, it depends how much I like the bag and how much damage to it. I made a mess of a white crossbody using the acrylic paint and moisturizer, I should have used the LR instead, but I didn't know about it at the time. I have used it and I am very happy with the results on the corners and straps of a Parker. I had to mix shades to get close to the color (magenta and cream), not perfect as it was my first use of it, but I am happy. I used their Leather Refinish solution as well.

 

[Almmac]

I am a bit late to the discussion about the Leather Refinish, but I wanted to add my opinion.

For vintage bags I admire the "vintage" part, I like to make them look better not like new again. Clean, condition and touch ups on the corners, clean brass, etc... is as much as I am comfortable doing it.

For new bags, it depends how much I like the bag and how much damage to it. I made a mess of a white crossbody using the acrylic paint and moisturizer, I should have used the LR instead, but I didn't know about it at the time. I have used it and I am very happy with the results on the corners and straps of a Parker. I had to mix shades to get close to the color (magenta and cream), not perfect as it was my first use of it, but I am happy. I used their Leather Refinish solution as well.

Looks great! I will keep this LR product in mind for my next venture....actually I already have one that I've been pondering what to do. (A DB bag that I dunked and the paint peeled off in places). I was surprised to say the least! I didn't dunk it for very long. Just long enough to rinse the fabric lining really well. As it was drying the paint started running down the lining so I had to keep cleaning the lining as it was drying to keep it from setting in! Now I have a patchy looking bag that I was considering trying to find the right color in acrylic and mixing it with CPR. It may be easier to find the right color in the LR and try that. Adventures in purse rehabbing!