Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[whateve]

Can anyone advise me of what product is best to fill someone's failed attempt to punch additional holes in a vachetta strap? They are more like slash/cuts than actual holes. Thanks! :greengrin:

I tried this once, not very successfully. At the time I didn't have leather cement, which is what I'd try now. I used silicone caulking, then covered it with LR. I couldn't get it completely smooth. The strap still had a slight depression. If yours are just slashes, you might be successful in gluing them closed with leather cement, or possibly the superglue for leather.

Good evening!! What are the prevailing thoughts on dunking patent? The removable shoulder strap on one of my totes needs flattening. I want to dunk it then weight it, but I'm not sure if that's the right thing for patent.

If water got underneath the patent coating, it would get dull I think. I'd probably weight it without dunking. I don't think dunking would help get rid of the wrinkles anyway since the water would just sit on top.

 

[soozlz]

I didn't dunk all patent leather bag, however, I dunked a fabric bag with patent handles, twice. It went quite uneventful.

Good to know!! Thank you!! I've been mulling over dunking the bag. The handles that are attached to the bag are sort of squared off on top. This isn't a vintage bag. Im more concerned about cleaning this bag than I am any of the older ones I've done. The older ones just seem more sturdy.

 

[Almmac]

Thank you! I've never heard about SGVLM. It's information like this that makes this forum so great. :urock:

You're very welcome and thank you! It's great to be able to swap information in a nice place like this. :urock: too!

 

[Catbird9]

Hi, can someone authenticate this for me?
Thrift store find:
Creed has numbers 648-1914
Black zip bag with two outside pockets
I can't figure what these odd red threads in the seams are; they are in several places
View attachment 3313228View attachment 3313231View attachment 3313241
Thank you!

Another member (vintageb1) posted this on the Authenticate This Coach thread recently, wondering about the mysterious red threads.

I'm posting this follow-up here for all of us who may be obsessed with the construction details of these vintage Coach bags (count me in!)

This is a different bag, currently in my possession, with a NYC creed and xxx-xxxx serial number. This photo shows where a bit of the edging was missed by the sewing machine, and you can see the red stitches underneath. Red thread was apparently used to sew the main sections of the bag together. The edging/piping was sewn on top of that.

 

[LondonUK]

So a couple of questions regarding older bags and the patina. I have an older stewardess bag that has gorgeous patina but I wanted to clean it and reshape it. If you dunk it do you lose the patina it currently has?

 

[LondonUK]

Also, what do you think this is on the smaller pocket on the front. I was wondering g if I should attempt a rehab but am not sure if whatever it is will come out.

 

[coach943]

So a couple of questions regarding older bags and the patina. I have an older stewardess bag that has gorgeous patina but I wanted to clean it and reshape it. If you dunk it do you lose the patina it currently has?

Also, what do you think this is on the smaller pocket on the front. I was wondering g if I should attempt a rehab but am not sure if whatever it is will come out.

I would dunk it if it were my bag. It will help the scratches, and in my opinion it only makes the patina prettier when you recondition it. It is impossible to know what is on the pocket or whether it will come out. Rehabbing is a crap shoot, but that is part of the fun.

 

[Ravvie99]

Another member (vintageb1) posted this on the Authenticate This Coach thread recently, wondering about the mysterious red threads.

I'm posting this follow-up here for all of us who may be obsessed with the construction details of these vintage Coach bags (count me in!)

This is a different bag, currently in my possession, with a NYC creed and xxx-xxxx serial number. This photo shows where a bit of the edging was missed by the sewing machine, and you can see the red stitches underneath. Red thread was apparently used to sew the main sections of the bag together. The edging/piping was sewn on top of that.

I have seen these too and wondered what they were. Mostly I've seen broken ones poking out of the piping like random weeds and wondered what strange things go on inside these bags that I don't understand. Thanks for sharing the solution to the mystery!

 

[Almmac]

So remember that bag I got with the hole (I'm pretty sure it is a gunshot) and all the ink exploded on the interior? I asked what I should do about the ink and how to keep it from seeping through to the exterior. I think whateve said to just leave it alone. Well I got around to prepping the bag for the patch and was using denatured alcohol to clean the hole area. I started wondering if maybe denatured alcohol was the answer to ink problems and found out the hard way that no, it is not! Now I have a bag that has a patched area that I am starting to fill in with gel medium but it also has an ink spot that has seeped through from the interior from using denatured alcohol. I also used acetone on the spot to lighten it up, which worked but it also took all the color off the bag in that spot. Should I completely redye the bag or should I try to match the color? I've been attempting to do just that but so far have not gotten the color right. I have a complete set of Liquitex paints on the way but I am still pondering what to do. I'll share pics of my latest misadventure and the progress on the patching job. (The last pic is what it looked like when I started. Notice there was not such a large hole? A large chunk of leather fell out of the hole while I was working on the ink stain). What would you do?

 

[soozlz]

So remember that bag I got with the hole (I'm pretty sure it is a gunshot) and all the ink exploded on the interior? I asked what I should do about the ink and how to keep it from seeping through to the exterior. I think whateve said to just leave it alone. Well I got around to prepping the bag for the patch and was using denatured alcohol to clean the hole area. I started wondering if maybe denatured alcohol was the answer to ink problems and found out the hard way that no, it is not! Now I have a bag that has a patched area that I am starting to fill in with gel medium but it also has an ink spot that has seeped through from the interior from using denatured alcohol. I also used acetone on the spot to lighten it up, which worked but it also took all the color off the bag in that spot. Should I completely redye the bag or should I try to match the color? I've been attempting to do just that but so far have not gotten the color right. I have a complete set of Liquitex paints on the way but I am still pondering what to do. I'll share pics of my latest misadventure and the progress on the patching job. What would you do?

I'm not sure about repair....but a loaded purse?!?

 

[soozlz]

So a couple of questions regarding older bags and the patina. I have an older stewardess bag that has gorgeous patina but I wanted to clean it and reshape it. If you dunk it do you lose the patina it currently has?

I agree with dunking it. Getting off the unwanted grime and a nice conditioning will enhance the patina.

 

[Almmac]

I'm not sure about repair....but a loaded purse?!?

That's what I think happened. The edges of the hole are burnt and you can see the way the leather exploded. A tote is probably not the best place to carry a firearm.
I don't know if it was a good thing or not that the leather fell out of the hole. On one hand, it seems like a more quality repair to get rid of all the old damaged leather but on the other, I have a lot more work to do now. At least it seems like I have a lot more work to do. I will have to get the texture right when I am getting to the last coat of gel medium. I really wish I would have taken whateve's advice about the ink though. Either way I would have ended up having to color match or redye to cover up the patch job. I got the purse to work on it and learn and I am definitely getting my money's worth! I wish my experiments would always be a success though.

 

[soozlz]

That's what I think happened. The edges of the hole are burnt and you can see the way the leather exploded. A tote is probably not the best place to carry a firearm.

I don't know if it was a good thing or not that the leather fell out of the hole. On one hand, it seems like a more quality repair to get rid of all the old damaged leather but on the other, I have a lot more work to do now. At least it seems like I have a lot more work to do. I will have to get the texture right when I am getting to the last coat of gel medium. I really wish I would have taken whateve's advice about the ink though. Either way I would have ended up having to color match or redye to cover up the patch job. I got the purse to work on it and learn and I am definitely getting my money's worth! I wish my experiments would always be a success though.

I can totally see the burned edges. It's amazing what you've done so far!! Years ago they used to sell a leather repair kit on tv. They said it was for all kinds of tears and holes. The kit also had a texture pad.....so I wonder if Tandy or other leather place sells such a thing.

 

[Almmac]

I can totally see the burned edges. It's amazing what you've done so far!! Years ago they used to sell a leather repair kit on tv. They said it was for all kinds of tears and holes. The kit also had a texture pad.....so I wonder if Tandy or other leather place sells such a thing.

Thank you! I've ordered some SEM graining pads but I don't know how well they will work since I can't see the grain very well and there is not much information about them. The professionals make their own graining pads by making a silicone mold of the undamaged leather and then creating their own. It requires a system that I don't think my husband would be ok with me ordering. Even if he was ok with it, how often would I use it? It does look kind of fun though. LOL

 

[soozlz]

Thank you! I've ordered some SEM graining pads but I don't know how well they will work since I can't see the grain very well and there is not much information about them. The professionals make their own graining pads by making a silicone mold of the undamaged leather and then creating their own. It requires a system that I don't think my husband would be ok with me ordering. Even if he was ok with it, how often would I use it? It does look kind of fun though. LOL

Interesting!! I didn't know that about professional graining. There HAS to be a way to bring out the grain so you can see it better. Kind of like fingerprinting, but not necessarily with ink. At least if you could see it you could gauge it better.