Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[Almmac]

Here is some before and after for a rehab project. Love Patricias. The leather is so thick on them it always responds beautifully.

Beautiful job! What did you use on it? I'm curious about how you got the scratches to blend in so well. The leather looks so great... Blemish free! Usually you can still see some slight marks or indentations or something!

P.S. It may be that I am looking at the pics on my phone but even so.... Wow!

 

[Almmac]

Does anyone know where I can get a rivet (I think that's what this is) for a Coach bag I just bought? Thanks!

I found these at my local hobby store. There were several options but I can only upload 1 photo at a time.

 

[Catbird9]

Does anyone know where I can get a rivet (I think that's what this is) for a Coach bag I just bought? Thanks!

You can buy grommets (also called eyelets), but then you'd also need to buy a grommet-setting tool.

For just one hole like that, I would take it to a cobbler. Explain that you'd like the grommet to match the others as closely as possible.

 

[Ravvie99]

Does anyone know where I can get a rivet (I think that's what this is) for a Coach bag I just bought? Thanks!

You can buy grommets (also called eyelets), but then you'd also need to buy a grommet-setting tool.

For just one hole like that, I would take it to a cobbler. Explain that you'd like the grommet to match the others as closely as possible.

This is what I'd do, too. I've never had it done, but remember reading on this thread it was cheap, esp. since you'd have to buy the setter to DIY. I think rivets are solid while grommets (what you want) are open. If you really want to DIY and can't find solid brass grommets at the craft store, Tandy sells them and the setting tool. Good luck!

 

[bigal]

OK ladies, I've searched, but it's been a while since anyone posted about cleaning Bleekers with tattersall linings.

I stumbled on a cute one and the lining is gross, ink marks and all. Just looking for advice to clean the lining, I have stuff to clean the leather. Thank you so much!

 

[Catbird9]

OK ladies, I've searched, but it's been a while since anyone posted about cleaning Bleekers with tattersall linings.

I stumbled on a cute one and the lining is gross, ink marks and all. Just looking for advice to clean the lining, I have stuff to clean the leather. Thank you so much!

That bag is so cute! I had one recently. The lining cleaned up beautifully. Alcohol on a q-tip rubbed on the ink marks worked very well. Rub a bit, then blot with dry end of q-tip. I did them one at a time. I avoided saturating the entire lining.

The other soil on yours might respond to spray cleaner after you get rid of the ink (so it doesn't bleed.) See this series of posts:

http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-clubhouse/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-833400-414.html#post27276383

And here:

http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-clubhouse/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-833400-156.html#post26455505

 

[bigal]

That bag is so cute! I had one recently. The lining cleaned up beautifully. Alcohol on a q-tip rubbed on the ink marks worked very well. Rub a bit, then blot with dry end of q-tip. I did them one at a time. I avoided saturating the entire lining.

The other soil on yours might respond to spray cleaner after you get rid of the ink (so it doesn't bleed.) See this series of posts:

http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-clubhouse/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-833400-414.html#post27276383

And here:

http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-clubhouse/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-833400-156.html#post26455505

Ooo, perfect great ideas. Thank you!

 

[Almmac]

I don't think you can just fill in the hole without a backing. I would get a piece of leather to cover the hole from the back and glue it in. Then you can fill in the hole to make it level with the rest of the bag. Then put in the texture. Leather Refinisher is just a coloring agent. It will probably be good for the last step once you've got the texture right.

I have come to another stumper. How do I get the graining impression onto the gel medium? I've been experimenting with heavy body gel medium now but haven't gotten a perfect impression yet. The best one I got was when I heated the gel until it was almost set, sprayed the graining pad with a little leather cleaner/conditioner (to keep it from sticking) and pressed down on the impression using a large gel medium jar (I was unprepared) lol. I'm treating the gel medium the same way I would a traditional leather filler. What is in leather filler? I've been emailing some of the pros on YouTube and one says he could never fix a purse using his filler. I told him about the gel medium working really well and remaining flexible and sent him photos. He wasn't the most helpful person ever. He was a "can't do" kind of guy. Hopefully I can send him photos of the finished purse to show him it CAN be done. Has anyone successfully made an impression using gel medium? How?

 

[Almmac]

Let me ask this in another way. Has anyone ever patched a hole in a purse and recreated the texture or grain pattern to camouflage the repair? If so, what did you use and how did you do it? There has got to be at least one person out there who has successfully patched a purse. I've got the patch part and the filler almost done. Now I just need to create the pebbled grain pattern. Maybe I am looking at this repair the wrong way and need to come at it from a different direction. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[AggieK]

Let me ask this in another way. Has anyone ever patched a hole in a purse and recreated the texture or grain pattern to camouflage the repair? If so, what did you use and how did you do it? There has got to be at least one person out there who has successfully patched a purse. I've got the patch part and the filler almost done. Now I just need to create the pebbled grain pattern. Maybe I am looking at this repair the wrong way and need to come at it from a different direction. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated!

I've never done it, but I remember seeing ads on tv for repairing leather and vinyl chairs, etc. they gooped something on, and then used something to press in a leather texture. Is that what you're missing? I googled leather and vinyl repair and didn't see anything. I wonder if Tandy's or Michael's might have something. Another thought would be to make your own texture. Using something like a clay that hardens, press it into the texture you want, let it harden, cure, or whatever, and then use this to make your texture. Good luck!

 

[Almmac]

I've never done it, but I remember seeing ads on tv for repairing leather and vinyl chairs, etc. they gooped something on, and then used something to press in a leather texture. Is that what you're missing? I googled leather and vinyl repair and didn't see anything. I wonder if Tandy's or Michael's might have something. Another thought would be to make your own texture. Using something like a clay that hardens, press it into the texture you want, let it harden, cure, or whatever, and then use this to make your texture. Good luck!

I have the graining paper that has a pebbled look to it. The impression may not be as deep as the area surrounding the repair but it will just look a bit worn... the way that leather grain slowly becomes after years of use. I am having a problem getting the imprint into the gel medium. When I first apply the gel medium, it is too wet to take an impression. If I put the graining paper on top while it is wet and then let it dry, the graining paper will become stuck to the repair. I've had the most success drying it until it is almost set and then pressing the graining paper into the repair. Sometimes there will be a top layer of gel medium that sticks to the paper though, which ruins the entire effect and I have to start over. I've started spraying a little leather cleaner/conditioner on the paper before pressing it to keep it from sticking. I started off using olive oil but it saturated the paper and made the repair greasy. I just don't know if I'm doing it right and I'm curious about what is in leather filler. I don't have a traditional leather filler because I was dissuaded by the answers I got from the companies that sell it. Most of the answers I got were that it might not work or that it definitely would not work on a purse. I know that the gel medium works as a filler. There is just not any information out there on using it as a leather filler or creating an impression in it. I don't know if it's the same as leather filler. There are a few videos out there on filling leather and creating grain using a filler but I don't have a filler and probably won't get one because it might not work. I do have heavy body and regular gel medium, a graining paper, a heat gun, etc.
Fortunately I've only been experimenting on sample leather pieces that I made a hole in and filled. I would rather ruin my little samples than the purse.

 

[catthecurious]

I have the graining paper that has a pebbled look to it. The impression may not be as deep as the area surrounding the repair but it will just look a bit worn... the way that leather grain slowly becomes after years of use. I am having a problem getting the imprint into the gel medium. When I first apply the gel medium, it is too wet to take an impression. If I put the graining paper on top while it is wet and then let it dry, the graining paper will become stuck to the repair. I've had the most success drying it until it is almost set and then pressing the graining paper into the repair. Sometimes there will be a top layer of gel medium that sticks to the paper though, which ruins the entire effect and I have to start over. I've started spraying a little leather cleaner/conditioner on the paper before pressing it to keep it from sticking. I started off using olive oil but it saturated the paper and made the repair greasy. I just don't know if I'm doing it right and I'm curious about what is in leather filler. I don't have a traditional leather filler because I was dissuaded by the answers I got from the companies that sell it. Most of the answers I got were that it might not work or that it definitely would not work on a purse. I know that the gel medium works as a filler. There is just not any information out there on using it as a leather filler or creating an impression in it. I don't know if it's the same as leather filler. There are a few videos out there on filling leather and creating grain using a filler but I don't have a filler and probably won't get one because it might not work. I do have heavy body and regular gel medium, a graining paper, a heat gun, etc.
Fortunately I've only been experimenting on sample leather pieces that I made a hole in and filled. I would rather ruin my little samples than the purse.

You sure put a lot of creativity into this process, Almmac! I don't know if this would help you, but I'm now in the process of repair of a sloppily made hole in a leather strap (just a regular medium-thick leather bag from mid-90s), I first thought about evening the borders out, and then decided to just get rid of the hole althogether. I used puff paint as a filler (thank you, Whateve!), and for the top layers on both sides - diluted matching acrylics (to make it thinner), added with 12-24 hour intervals, with lots of sanding in between. Now how I'm trying to re-create the texture: when the paint is half-dry (partially set), I twist the strap gently in different directions, trying to follow the pattern on the leather which is wrinkled a bit diagonally. If I'm not fully getting the desired effect, I take the back side of a medium-sized needle and sort of "help" to extend the grooves (the tip of the needle was making too narrow and unnaturally looking grooves), twisting some more in the process. I'm far from being done, and I'm not sharing this as a successful experience, just as sort of work in the process. Not sure if this would be useful in your case though.

 

[Ravvie99]

Let me ask this in another way. Has anyone ever patched a hole in a purse and recreated the texture or grain pattern to camouflage the repair? If so, what did you use and how did you do it? There has got to be at least one person out there who has successfully patched a purse. I've got the patch part and the filler almost done. Now I just need to create the pebbled grain pattern. Maybe I am looking at this repair the wrong way and need to come at it from a different direction. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated!

You continue to amaze! Of course I've never done this but what if you try applying something to the imprinter that is non-stick but will evaporate, like WD-40 or maybe Purell hand sanitizer gel? No idea if this will work so glad you have practice scraps!

Another idea would be spraying or misting the olive oil, so you apply less. I have a Mist-O from BB&Beyond that you fill with oil, pump it, and it creates an aerosol mist. Just trying to keep your idea wheels turning...

 

[ZSP]

Not exactly a rehab question but rather a "what to do." lol

I ordered this bracelet for my granddaughters birthday next month and this is how it looks...it was originally placed nicely in an elongated plastic bag but then folded in half to fit in the brown paper envelope 10 times its size. Ugh...any tips to make it flat again or should I just return it.





Sorry about the dirty envelope...it's the one it arrived in.

 

[Catbird9]

Not exactly a rehab question but rather a "what to do." lol

I ordered this bracelet for my granddaughters birthday next month and this is how it looks...it was originally placed nicely in an elongated plastic bag but then folded in half to fit in the brown paper envelope 10 times its size. Ugh...any tips to make it flat again or should I just return it.

Sorry about the dirty envelope...it's the one it arrived in.

I would open it out flat, cover it with a towel, and put some heavy books on it. Maybe warm it a bit with a low-setting hairdryer first.