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#11,371
Hi guys! This is my first post :) I bought a Willis on tradesy that was listed as having no wear/great condition.. well there's a lot of tarnish (or oxidation? idk, it's something not pretty) on the hardware. What can I do to repair this? Vinegar? Bring to a repair shop? Return to tradesy and start the search over? It breaks my heart because the bag is SO PERFECT other than that.

s32.postimg.org/9aniadbbp/coach1.jpg

s32.postimg.org/y1d6o6qol/coach2.jpg

s32.postimg.org/llbvgp7yt/coach3.jpg
 
Last edited:
#11,372
whateve said:
It should have been disclosed in the listing. Unless you get a hefty discount, I would return the bag.

In my opinion, it is not extremely difficult. I haven't repaired a Madison but I've repaired the edges on other bags that have the wire enclosed edges, including Sheridans. I usually don't buy Madisons unless they are pristine as it is very hard to reshape these bags and cover scratches while maintaining the correct texture. My technique is to fill the area with fabric puff paint until the wire is covered and the proper shape is achieved. Then I'll use acrylic paint if necessary to cover. Sometimes I can get the edges looking almost perfect and other times you can see where the repair was made. In this picture, I repaired both corners. The one on the right is nearly perfect but the one on the left I never got right.
Click to expand...

Thanks Whateve and Dstalksalot for the feedback! No contact from the seller yet, so I'll reach out one more time before I contact Ebay. :sad:
 
#11,373
catchmyambition said:
Hi guys! This is my first post :) I bought a Willis on tradesy that was listed as having no wear/great condition.. well there's a lot of tarnish (or oxidation? idk, it's something not pretty) on the hardware. What can I do to repair this? Vinegar? Bring to a repair shop? Return to tradesy and start the search over? It breaks my heart because the bag is SO PERFECT other than that.

s32.postimg.org/9aniadbbp/coach1.jpg

s32.postimg.org/y1d6o6qol/coach2.jpg

s32.postimg.org/llbvgp7yt/coach3.jpg
Click to expand...

I would use very fine steel wool and Blue Magic to get most of the tarnish off. I would polish in between applications with a microfiber cloth to get all the blackened Blue Magic off and polish it up. If you are familiar with a Dremel, there are polishing attachments you can use that will make the work go quicker than by hand but you will need to be careful not to touch the leather surrounding the hardware. It's also a good idea to keep one damp cloth and one dry clean cloth nearby to quickly wipe off any Blue Magic that gets on the leather. Others have used press and seal wrap around the hardware to keep the polishing solution off the leather. Hope that helps! Good luck!
 
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#11,374
catchmyambition said:
Hi guys! This is my first post :) I bought a Willis on tradesy that was listed as having no wear/great condition.. well there's a lot of tarnish (or oxidation? idk, it's something not pretty) on the hardware. What can I do to repair this? Vinegar? Bring to a repair shop? Return to tradesy and start the search over? It breaks my heart because the bag is SO PERFECT other than that.

s32.postimg.org/9aniadbbp/coach1.jpg

s32.postimg.org/y1d6o6qol/coach2.jpg

s32.postimg.org/llbvgp7yt/coach3.jpg
Click to expand...

Almmac already gave very good suggestions, but if you can't find Blue Magic other folks have successfully used Brasso and I've also used Flitz. You can always try them without using steel wool but I think you will end up needing it esp. around the turnlock to make it look like-new. Whatever you use, do keep it off the leather!

You may already know all this, but you you can remove those screws in photo 2 & 3 to take the part off and make polishing it easier. Same goes for the turnlock parts if you're feeling adventurous! Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ava_13579
#11,375
whateve said:
It should have been disclosed in the listing. Unless you get a hefty discount, I would return the bag.

In my opinion, it is not extremely difficult. I haven't repaired a Madison but I've repaired the edges on other bags that have the wire enclosed edges, including Sheridans. I usually don't buy Madisons unless they are pristine as it is very hard to reshape these bags and cover scratches while maintaining the correct texture. My technique is to fill the area with fabric puff paint until the wire is covered and the proper shape is achieved. Then I'll use acrylic paint if necessary to cover. Sometimes I can get the edges looking almost perfect and other times you can see where the repair was made. In this picture, I repaired both corners. The one on the right is nearly perfect but the one on the left I never got right.
Click to expand...


Whateve, those repairs look great. What colors did you use to get the match? I've been wondering what to mix if I need to add color to British tan edging.
 
#11,376
Hello,


I have a few questions on rehabbing glove-tanned bags:

1) I've dunked a few vintage bags now to clean out the interior, and even after conditioning the heck out of them, they never seem to regain the incredible patina they had before the dunking. Is there any way you know of redeveloping the patina? (e.g. Would leaving it in a sunny room help?)

2) Is leather that has mottled perceived as a good thing or a negative on vintage Coaches? Does that mean that it was conditioned unevenly in the past or something? The mottling does not look like staining because its all over the bag.



Thanks in advance!
 
#11,377
I have a 2009 Coach bag. It is off white with light tan straps.the bag its self is patent leather and over time with regular summer use it has developed marks. Can anyone suggest for me a way I might clean my bag.... I love it so much...thank you!
 
#11,378
dignatius said:
Hello,


I have a few questions on rehabbing glove-tanned bags:

1) I've dunked a few vintage bags now to clean out the interior, and even after conditioning the heck out of them, they never seem to regain the incredible patina they had before the dunking. Is there any way you know of redeveloping the patina? (e.g. Would leaving it in a sunny room help?)

2) Is leather that has mottled perceived as a good thing or a negative on vintage Coaches? Does that mean that it was conditioned unevenly in the past or something? The mottling does not look like staining because its all over the bag.



Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Patina is hard to define, and may mean different things to different people. Dust, oils and stains are elements of it. Here's an interesting article on patina:

https://ullushop.com/leather-patina-the-art-of-graceful-aging/

Probably the best way to get your dunked and conditioned bag to develop more patina is to carry it. The natural oils from your hands and the warmth of your body will help. Leave it in the sunny room, or in the car while driving. (Prolonged, direct sunlight is probably not a good idea though.)

As for mottling, whether it's a "good thing" is pretty subjective. I've seen bags that looked totally trashed to me, sell for hefty prices on Etsy or eBay.

Some mottling might be caused by mold. Can you post a picture?
 
#11,379
Catbird9 said:
Patina is hard to define, and may mean different things to different people. Dust, oils and stains are elements of it. Here's an interesting article on patina:

https://ullushop.com/leather-patina-the-art-of-graceful-aging/

Probably the best way to get your dunked and conditioned bag to develop more patina is to carry it. The natural oils from your hands and the warmth of your body will help. Leave it in the sunny room, or in the car while driving. (Prolonged, direct sunlight is probably not a good idea though.)

As for mottling, whether it's a "good thing" is pretty subjective. I've seen bags that looked totally trashed to me, sell for hefty prices on Etsy or eBay.

Some mottling might be caused by mold. Can you post a picture?
Click to expand...
Here is a picture of the mottled bag that I was referring to.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121967200263?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Thanks!
 
#11,380
Ravvie99 said:
Almmac already gave very good suggestions, but if you can't find Blue Magic other folks have successfully used Brasso and I've also used Flitz. You can always try them without using steel wool but I think you will end up needing it esp. around the turnlock to make it look like-new. Whatever you use, do keep it off the leather!

You may already know all this, but you you can remove those screws in photo 2 & 3 to take the part off and make polishing it easier. Same goes for the turnlock parts if you're feeling adventurous! Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
Click to expand...

Another option for the turnlock which I've done recently was to contact Coach customer service. Give them the creed number and color of the hardware and they would send you a replacement turnlock with assembly instructions. It took about 2 weeks to arrive. Just a thought.
 
#11,382
Almmac said:
I would use very fine steel wool and Blue Magic to get most of the tarnish off. I would polish in between applications with a microfiber cloth to get all the blackened Blue Magic off and polish it up. If you are familiar with a Dremel, there are polishing attachments you can use that will make the work go quicker than by hand but you will need to be careful not to touch the leather surrounding the hardware. It's also a good idea to keep one damp cloth and one dry clean cloth nearby to quickly wipe off any Blue Magic that gets on the leather. Others have used press and seal wrap around the hardware to keep the polishing solution off the leather. Hope that helps! Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks to you and Ravvie99 for the replies! I took it to a jewelers and they told me they couldn't fix it. I've never repaired a bag before so I'm nervous that it won't turn out nicely.

Would it be easy to replace the hardware? I'm stopping by the Coach Outlet tomorrow but if they won't replace it, I found this site: http://sceckert.myshopify.com/collections/replacement-hardware-for-coach-bags-and-briefcases

Would it be easy to replace? I've never done it. What tools would I need?
 
#11,383

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#11,384
Oh oh. Attached is a picture of one of the bags I rehabbed. I thought the spots were oil splatter but now I'm wondering if it's actually mold. What do you think?

If it is mold, do I need to soak it again in Cider Vinegar and how would I know if the mold is dead?



Catbird9 said:
That mottling does not look like mold damage to me, just color variations that are part of the patina. Gorgeous bag!

Here's an example of mottling that was probably caused by mold:
Click to expand...
 

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#11,385
dignatius said:
Oh oh. Attached is a picture of one of the bags I rehabbed. I thought the spots were oil splatter but now I'm wondering if it's actually mold. What do you think?

If it is mold, do I need to soak it again in Cider Vinegar and how would I know if the mold is dead?
Click to expand...

I haven't personally dealt with mold damage, so I can't advise you there. Whateve may have some advice to offer.
 
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