Your tea stain idea is interesting. It might be fun to experiment. I agree, though, about not spending more time on a bag you aren't in love with.
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
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Your tea stain idea is interesting. It might be fun to experiment. I agree, though, about not spending more time on a bag you aren't in love with.
I think that is very good, considering how old this bag is. In lighter bags, they tend to get brownish spots as the original leather color comes through, so sometimes cleaning can make it worse. With vintage, you've got to used to not getting perfection. If you don't love it, I would probably try to sell it.
This Prairie has been sitting for months as I searched for a way to lighten the couple of dark spots on the flap further. But now that I dressed it with hardware and a new charm, I love it! Thank you to the AT team for authenticating my first red.
It was cardboard-y dry when I got it, so I gave it a few coats of Leather Therapy and a coat of Leather Honey in addition to the usual bath + 2x CPR + 2x BR. While it was drying, I went totally overboard and fit strips of stiff cardboard in each compartment to shape the bottom and side curves. I also wrapped my buffing brush in a cotton jersey and buffed like crazy between coats. Steel wool + Flitz on the hardware.
It was cardboard-y dry when I got it, so I gave it a few coats of Leather Therapy and a coat of Leather Honey in addition to the usual bath + 2x CPR + 2x BR. While it was drying, I went totally overboard and fit strips of stiff cardboard in each compartment to shape the bottom and side curves. I also wrapped my buffing brush in a cotton jersey and buffed like crazy between coats. Steel wool + Flitz on the hardware.
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Beautiful work! I love the care you took, the attention to detail, and the perfect finishing touch of the little bird. You're an artist!
Before and after shots of a burgundy Lexington briefcase. It was pretty cool because I found a Coach gift receipt in the inner zip pocket for May 1994. I like to imagine that it was a graduation gift for a budding lawyer...
The bag was structurally intact but the leather was stiff, dry and scratched. It didn't soften up as much as I hoped even after a gazillion rounds of Leather CPR but definitely nice enough to continue its working life as my office laptop bag
1st picture = Before
2nd = After
The bag was structurally intact but the leather was stiff, dry and scratched. It didn't soften up as much as I hoped even after a gazillion rounds of Leather CPR but definitely nice enough to continue its working life as my office laptop bag
1st picture = Before
2nd = After
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Before and after shots of a burgundy Lexington briefcase. It was pretty cool because I found a Coach gift receipt in the inner zip pocket for May 1994. I like to imagine that it was a graduation gift for a budding lawyer...
The bag was structurally intact but the leather was stiff, dry and scratched. It didn't soften up as much as I hoped even after a gazillion rounds of Leather CPR but definitely nice enough to continue its working life as my office laptop bag
1st picture = Before
2nd = After
It looks great! It's nice that you found the receipt and can imagine its former life (one of the special pleasures of working with these bags, for me.)
Thanks! That red crescent I just got authenticated might've helped me decide to be done with this one
Before and after shots of a burgundy Lexington briefcase. It was pretty cool because I found a Coach gift receipt in the inner zip pocket for May 1994. I like to imagine that it was a graduation gift for a budding lawyer...
The bag was structurally intact but the leather was stiff, dry and scratched. It didn't soften up as much as I hoped even after a gazillion rounds of Leather CPR but definitely nice enough to continue its working life as my office laptop bag
1st picture = Before
2nd = After
It sure looks softer after all your CPR coats! More glow, too. Cool find on the receipt.
i believe you are correct about the inside of my wallet....i have cleaned it several times with the lexol cleaner.....and a soft toothbrich and micro fiber rag......so far so good.....for so reason i'm unable to post pictures.
How much conditioner is too much??? I ask because this wallet has soak up sooooo much conditioner and seems to still want more.
It looks wonderful and I love the bird! I can't see the spots you referred to. I just saw a new thing to try for spots - chalk. It is supposed to absorb grease.
It looks wonderful. I think since it is a briefcase, it isn't supposed to get really soft and slouchy. What a treat finding the gift receipt. I've started keeping my receipts or the original tags inside all my new bags.Before and after shots of a burgundy Lexington briefcase. It was pretty cool because I found a Coach gift receipt in the inner zip pocket for May 1994. I like to imagine that it was a graduation gift for a budding lawyer...
The bag was structurally intact but the leather was stiff, dry and scratched. It didn't soften up as much as I hoped even after a gazillion rounds of Leather CPR but definitely nice enough to continue its working life as my office laptop bag
1st picture = Before
2nd = After
Tell me more if you can about how to use chalk to absorb grease. I made a bit of a mess with some obenauf's oil on a crescent bag and it's uneven and splotchy and I wonder if there isn't a way to soak some excess spots up a bit. I do think it may eventually soak in from prior experience but I would like it to happen a little faster! Some bags seem to take a month to soak that stuff up properly.
This looks beautiful! Do you take the hardware off when you wash it? I have been a bit lazy, only removing hardware if there is visible verdigris build up.
Thanks! And another trick to try - I'm intrigued! I'm guessing you'd use chalk like the baking soda/iron method??
Thank you and I do almost always take off the hardware. I'm a sucker for the contrast of mirror-shine hardware and vintage leather, and It seems I can never can get it really shiny without taking it off. Definitely my least favorite part of rehab!
Before and after shots of a burgundy Lexington briefcase. It was pretty cool because I found a Coach gift receipt in the inner zip pocket for May 1994. I like to imagine that it was a graduation gift for a budding lawyer...
The bag was structurally intact but the leather was stiff, dry and scratched. It didn't soften up as much as I hoped even after a gazillion rounds of Leather CPR but definitely nice enough to continue its working life as my office laptop bag
1st picture = Before
2nd = After
Wow ladies, what an improvement. I also like the color, one of my favorites.
I mostly find garbage in the pockets, but also once I found a receipt from a Woolworth? (sp) store, for the purchase of some shoes from 1997, wow if the price of shoes have gone up, LOL
Time to request you input....
I just got authenticated the bag I exchanged for the basic one, with the bad snaps replacement on the strap, thank goodness this one was still there.
Flatiron Flap in very decent condition, but I would like to do the full treatment of the bath, conditioning, etc.. I am not worried about the liner as it is black as well, what concerns me is the strap.
The ends closer to the bag are really stiff, like some extra support is there...? I hope it is not cardboard or I imagine it would get ruined, any guesses? TIA
I just got authenticated the bag I exchanged for the basic one, with the bad snaps replacement on the strap, thank goodness this one was still there.
Flatiron Flap in very decent condition, but I would like to do the full treatment of the bath, conditioning, etc.. I am not worried about the liner as it is black as well, what concerns me is the strap.
The ends closer to the bag are really stiff, like some extra support is there...? I hope it is not cardboard or I imagine it would get ruined, any guesses? TIA