Docride's Hermes Lazarus Thread (can this Hermes be Saved? )

[docride]

Hi Doc,

I feel so bad that I haven't conditioned her! Hopefully, as you said, some conditioning will help her improve. I have to pick a bag up from the Hermes spa next week so I will bring her in then. Thank you so much for your advice.

Its not uncommon for folks not to condition their box calf bags for many years because to the eye they look fine ... with box calf which maybe be shiny due to the surface polish. Shiny box calf does not mean its well conditioned and healthy necessarily. I think its good to have a bit of a conditioning before going in the box for storage and about once a year if left in storage maybe put a sticky note on the storage box so you know when you'll want to give it a little conditioning upkeep (kind of like when you have a sticker on your windshield to remind you when you will want to do your next oil charge ). If the bag is out and being used often I would say increase that to 2-3 times a year ... light conditioning is easy to handle and should only take you about 15-20 minutes. Some companies make handy care kits and conditioning care wipes specifically for lightly conditioning leather which can be very handy.
I hope this helps?
All the best,doc

 

[Hauteessentials]

Hello there,
Well you are choosing from two very different bags and to radically different leathers that’s for sure.
Epsom and courchevel leathers have a small embossed grain which gives it both a uniform appearance and added stiffness or body to the leather. Although somewhat scratch resistant it is not scratch proof and when a scratch moves across the grains and pushes them down or disrupts the pattern it can look quite glaring in certain light or angle. So while some color work may improve the look of a scratch if it has had missing color , it will not make the bag look as though it is as original condition. Eventually with more scratches and time perhaps the scratches will seem less glaring to you but if you baby your bags and don’t tend to scratch them then this may be too distracting to the over all beauty of the bag. ? It’s how you feel about it after all.

Vache natural is beautiful yes but it’s organic quality means its color and presentation will not stay as pristine as original
It will spot a d darken with weather and use unless treated against water marks
Scratches will eventually blend into the bags patina and look less noticeable. So if you want a bag that will gain color marks and patina then this is for you it will take some upkeep to keep this leather from gaining water marks.
In truth most people whom are sensitive to signs of use type flaws and marks or live in a society that is critical of such would not find much pleasure in owning and using this leather unless they had a game plan of upkeep so it could develop beautifully and fairly evenly .

I hope this helped you in some way? Have a think about it .
If you are looking for a bag in tan color in a stiff leather that will refurbish well and not get too banged up try these in a relatively small sized bag as they do tend to beget less bashing and banging in accident.

Smooth finished leather like Box calf or veau Charmonix or veau tadelak > because these are smooth finished leathers they can be touched up with color and buffed out to help mask scratches and add to a patina. A bit of upkeep is needed to protect these leathers from water damage but it’s not difficult.

In a smaller bags such as a 28cm sellier Kelly or a Constance chèvre or fjord or courchevel or Epsom even Togo with tens to hold the bags shape nicely all leathers scratch and dent and wrinkle with use and it abuse or improper storage.


Personally if these marks do bother you to begin with wait fir a bag which has its marks on the edges rather than out in the middle of the panels ? Or purchase a bag in new or mint condition without such flaws if the marks bother you ... oddly enough buying a bag in the hopes and flaws will be fixed is kinda a crap shoot. Realistically, one should hope for improvement and not like new appearance after spa or restoration.

I hope this helped?
All the best, doc

Thanks for much for the insightful read. I’ll definitely have a think over what I really want before pulling the trigger.

I definitely don’t have to have a pristine bag as scratches and marks tell the story of a bag. And now that I have a better understanding about the types of leathers and styles of the bags, I’m more confident in purchasing a pre-loved bag.

Thanks again. You’ve been a great help!

 

[docride]

Thanks for much for the insightful read. I’ll definitely have a think over what I really want before pulling the trigger.

I definitely don’t have to have a pristine bag as scratches and marks tell the story of a bag. And now that I have a better understanding about the types of leathers and styles of the bags, I’m more confident in purchasing a pre-loved bag.

Thanks again. You’ve been a great help!

 

[lovely2008]

Hi Docride! How are you? I wanted to get your expertise on this bag. Seller is unsure of what leather it is. It is D - 2000. Do you know what leather it is and what do you think of its condition? I see color loss on corner and around the corner area, does it just look worn or actual dryness? I see dark stains on the bottom and white spots on the inside. Can cleaning/conditioner remove or make it less obvious? Thanks so much for your help!

 

[docride]

Hi Docride! How are you? I wanted to get your expertise on this bag. Seller is unsure of what leather it is. It is D - 2000. Do you know what leather it is and what do you think of its condition? I see color loss on corner and around the corner area, does it just look worn or actual dryness? I see dark stains on the bottom and white spots on the inside. Can cleaning/conditioner remove or make it less obvious? Thanks so much for your help!

Can you send me a link the photos really aren’t all that clear for me to see the leather well
Thanks

 

[lovely2008]

Can you send me a link the photos really aren’t all that clear for me to see the leather well
Thanks

Those are the pics that seller sent to me. Do you want me to email them to you?

 

[docride]

Those are the pics that seller sent to me. Do you want me to email them to you?

For me it’s not enough
So sending the same photos again isn’t going to help
Sorry
Not enough photos clear enough for me to identify the leather type with certainty
Might be peau porc. / Pigskin but then again I can’t be sure it might be something else completely so I really don’t want to commit to a leather with what you e posted here
those photos are not clear enough sorry

As to condition again more photos needed
Areas of bending would be important as well as strap insertions and strap in general the photos of the strap do not show close up detail

For an evaluation I need better photos


Thanks
Doc

 

[PurseOnFleek]

Hi Doc i have a similar problem that Tinklemd had with her epsom bag but in my situation the bag is far worse than i anticipated when purchasing online and there are what i would describe as small scrapes/cuts all over the bag (have a case open as she described as 95% new and only slightly scratched with no detail photos of all scratches but i have to see if ebay awards in my favour to return the bag). In your experience is this much lifted leather and colour beyond repair; or would the bag even if repaired come out looking very non-uniform? In the event i am stuck with the bag i will take it to H spa but do you have any recommendations to protect epsom leather from this sort of damage reoccurring? I actually have another epsom bag which has no damage at all but receiving this bag has really opened my eyes to the leather and now i am definitely regretting not just going with the VN bag i first had my eyes on(was trying to go for a pop of colour [emoji24])

 

[phisigbb]

Hi Doc,
I hope this is the right thread to discuss. After conditioning box leather, should a neutral polish always be applied? Or can you just buff with a cloth? Thanks!

 

[docride]

Hi Doc i have a similar problem that Tinklemd had with her epsom bag but in my situation the bag is far worse than i anticipated when purchasing online and there are what i would describe as small scrapes/cuts all over the bag (have a case open as she described as 95% new and only slightly scratched with no detail photos of all scratches but i have to see if ebay awards in my favour to return the bag). In your experience is this much lifted leather and colour beyond repair; or would the bag even if repaired come out looking very non-uniform? In the event i am stuck with the bag i will take it to H spa but do you have any recommendations to protect epsom leather from this sort of damage reoccurring? I actually have another epsom bag which has no damage at all but receiving this bag has really opened my eyes to the leather and now i am definitely regretting not just going with the VN bag i first had my eyes on(was trying to go for a pop of colour [emoji24])

Hello,
This epsom bag should spa up nicely ,what a pretty color! . I think the VN would have been one spot after another as that is the nature of it and probably not making you happy. In fact I would not spend anther moment in regret.
Condition is subjective, 95% new? What does that even mean? Anyhow, epsom will be much easier t carry and enjoy than a VN bag that is for sure.
All the best doc
PS> Step 3 feet away from your bag now look at it... this is the way you should see your bag in totality
After all, this is the way others see it when you wear it.

 

[docride]

Hi Doc,
I hope this is the right thread to discuss. After conditioning box leather, should a neutral polish always be applied? Or can you just buff with a cloth? Thanks!

Hi,
It depends upon the conditioner.. but usually neutral polish can be forgone if you wish .. it is encouraged for added shine and weather protection.
I hope that helped?
All the best,doc

 

[docride]

Hi Docride! How are you? I wanted to get your expertise on this bag. Seller is unsure of what leather it is. It is D - 2000. Do you know what leather it is and what do you think of its condition? I see color loss on corner and around the corner area, does it just look worn or actual dryness? I see dark stains on the bottom and white spots on the inside. Can cleaning/conditioner remove or make it less obvious? Thanks so much for your help!

Hi again,
I'm leaning toward this bag being peau porc / pig skin. This is a semi fnished type leather and it gets a patina and water stains as well, It looks like you have some water or liquid stains on the exterior; those will remain.
Conditioning might make the rest of the leather darker which might make the water spots less dark looking in comparison. Keep in mind conditioning this leather can make worn areas look even darker as well. so you really wont get an even uniform result as a matter of course.
However, if you enjoy an organic look this is a wonderful leather !
The interior spots might be any number of things ... dirt, make up, mold,color-loss from contact with ? I cant say from a photo. Cleaning may help...cant say for sure.
The corners look scuffed/worn. The bag may also be dry, do you see cracking? Ask the seller for photos of areas that bend and look there for signs of cracking.
When dealing with natural unfinished and semi finished leathers (barenia,vache natural,peau porc, vache bride,vache espace etc...) areas of color loss and or wear are not going to benefit from color restoration and it is not encouraged and should not be considered as a possibility to handle covering stains or touching up corners or handles when viewing such leathers.
I hope this helps?
All the best,doc

 

[phisigbb]

Hi,
It depends upon the conditioner.. but usually neutral polish can be forgone if you wish .. it is encouraged for added shine and weather protection.
I hope that helped?
All the best,doc

Hi Doc,
Thank you!!

 

[Hauteessentials]

Hi doc,

I would love to get your opinion on this bag. It’s a Clemence leather and the leather on the shoulder strap looks like it’s cut. Is there a way to spa it? Or is it a goner?

Also wondering if spa would improve the corners, the resin edging on the flap and the tarnished turnlock.

Many thanks in advance for taking the time to help.

 

[Hrmeslve]

Hi Doc!

I have been doing lots of research lately in order to help me decide what to look for in a vintage box calf Kelly. I keep getting directed to your advice and am so impressed and grateful for all your post and the knowledge you share with everyone.

I’m currently contemplating this bag but I’m not sure if the state of the leather is something I can improve or if I should continue my search. I would love your input.

Thank you in advance

https://www.fashionphile.com/hermes...MIp6Xi6art2QIVgcDICh0-7AUVEAQYAyABEgL-rfD_BwE