Docride's Hermes vintage bag nightmares & Hermes leather care

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#1,186
buttonmushroom said:
I was just looking at this the other day (along with the saddle soap), but didn't dare to get it at that time. Now feel much more reassured that I can try using this to salvage the situation. Will be extra careful, many thanks for helping out after my own klutziness caused the trouble :flowers:
Click to expand...

Do Not use the saddle soap
Be very gentle : do Not get rubbing like your cleaning a bath tub follow the directions

And folks please note just because I mention a fix for a specific problem on a specific leather this does not mean it's for every problem on every leather ok?



Thanks a bunch
Doc
 
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#1,187
Keren16 said:
Thanks for your thoughts
Are the stains possibly from water? The climate where I live can be moist. The leather is Box. The stains appear more noticeable in the pictures than wearing it. My husband hardly sees them.
I will send the bag to a professional if the appearance continues to bother me
Click to expand...

Hi there
I didn't know what they were when I answered in the first question and I'm sorry to say I haven't gotten any more information that would help me
So I still don't know
Good luck
Doc
 
#1,188
docride said:
Hi there
I didn't know what they were when I answered in the first question and I'm sorry to say I haven't gotten any more information that would help me
So I still don't know
Damp climate wouldn't make these marks
A splash accident of something is what it appears to be ... What that something is I have no idea
Water or liquid might have left a blister a raised mark
Oil or oily stuff most likely would be flat
Sugar containing liquids can leave stains too wine pop coffee with sugar etc
Again I still don't know what it is
Good luck
Doc
Click to expand...
 
#1,192
Keren16 said:
The marks are flat. Almost like part of the leather
Click to expand...

And not indented?
If not they might be oil type marks
These might be helped with a degreaser but in the hands of a professional
If the marks are really not as bad as you see in the photos could you live with them?
Just asking
Best regards doc
 
#1,193
docride said:
Hi lovely2008,
Well maybe it is lol
it's been my experience that Barenia swift gulliver vache charmonix vache espace, tan box calf, porc skin can all be mixed up interchangeably most sellers don't know as much as Hermes forum
TPFers [emoji23]
If indeed it is vache naturelle then you might be able to push the patina darker and make those spots less noticeable
A lot of work though
And the leather should be very sturdy and not tearing or cracking to start with
How does the rest of the bag look?
Here is a vache naturelle Birkin I pushed the patina on in my shop just a week ago View attachment 3682949
All the best doc
Click to expand...

I can't help it and keep thinking of that bag. :biggrin: How did you push the patina darker and those spots less noticeable?
 
#1,194
lovely2008 said:
I can't help it and keep thinking of that bag. :biggrin: How did you push the patina darker and those spots less noticeable?
Click to expand...

Hey there
I couldn't even begin to explain that process it's something I do in my workshop it involves months of work and multiple products . The end results are cool though
It's not something i want to teach here ;as folks already get into enough trouble misunderstanding something they've read here
It's s process that can go badly even in the right hands and would need some skills to set right if it did so
If you want to play around with patina pushing I'd say get a less expensive bag which has very little semifinish to learn on.
Thing is many of these Hermes Vn bags have a semi finish which needs removed to get the patina pushed and you never know what is under the semifinished being hidden by it
Additionally you can't know how the leather will look with any certainty
Some responds one way and others respond another way
Some even change into a strange color during the process
As I think a number of differently processed leathers might have been grouped as Vn, and they can all react differently to the solvents sometimes needed to remove the semifinish I'll state such a project is a crap shoot lol

If you love the bag and all its funny character then get it kill the mold and start conditioning it to darken it some.
But if you are hoping to make it so you'll never see those spots then I'd say pass

Sometimes we get into adoption mentality
I have personally done this ad nauseam.
I start feeling sorry for a bag and I get it to try and save it!

Ok I'm done now lol

All the best doc
 
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#1,195
docride said:
Hey there
I couldn't even begin to explain that process it's something I do in my workshop it involves months of work and multiple products . The end results are cool though
It's not something i want to teach here ;as folks already get into enough trouble misunderstanding something they've read here
It's s process that can go badly even in the right hands and would need some skills to set right if it did so
If you want to play around with patina pushing I'd say get a less expensive bag which has very little semifinish to learn on.
Thing is many of these Hermes Vn bags have a semi finish which needs removed to get the patina pushed and you never know what is under the semifinished being hidden by it
Additionally you can't know how the leather will look with any certainty
Some responds one way and others respond another way
Some even change into a strange color during the process
As I think a number of differently processed leathers might have been grouped as Vn, and they can all react differently to the solvents sometimes needed to remove the semifinish I'll state such a project is a crap shoot lol

If you love the bag and all its funny character then get it kill the mold and start conditioning it to darken it some.
But if you are hoping to make it so you'll never see those spots then I'd say pass

Sometimes we get into adoption mentality
I have personally done this ad nauseam.
I start feeling sorry for a bag and I get it to try and save it!

Ok I'm done now lol

All the best doc
Click to expand...


ok thank you for your advice! :smile::smile:
 
#1,197
docride said:
Do Not use the saddle soap
Be very gentle : do Not get rubbing like your cleaning a bath tub follow the directions

And folks please note just because I mention a fix for a specific problem on a specific leather this does not mean it's for every problem on every leather ok?



Thanks a bunch
Doc
Click to expand...

Hi doc, just want to say a BIG THANKS! The cleaning soap worked well and it looks much better now after cleaning and applying some matching polish (I know you don't recommend colored polish but it was a little splotchy and I normally carry it with dark clothes so took the risk).

By the way, is this cleaning soap suitable for most non-exotic leather? I'm not planning to overdo the conditioning again but it seems to be good for cleaning up the surface especially for vintage bags.

Am super relieved about this bag now, many thanks again :heart:
 
#1,198
Hi Doc,
I have recently received a barenia Kelly, almost 20 years old and maybe just slightly dry in areas. I'd really like to give her a light condition before using but I'm finding it hard to get the H saddle balm in the UK at the moment. Is there anything else more readily available I can use please?
I have Saphir renovator but I'm not sure if that is suitable for an unfinished leather? Would Saphir Etalon Noir Leather Balm for saddlery be more appropriate? It is colourless despite the name I believe! Ideally I'd like something that won't darken the leather too significantly, just add a little moisture as I have no idea when this bag may have last or ever been conditioned.
Many thanks for your help :)
 
#1,199
docride said:
Hi lovely2008,
Well maybe it is lol
it's been my experience that Barenia swift gulliver vache charmonix vache espace, tan box calf, porc skin can all be mixed up interchangeably most sellers don't know as much as Hermes forum
TPFers [emoji23]
If indeed it is vache naturelle then you might be able to push the patina darker and make those spots less noticeable
A lot of work though
And the leather should be very sturdy and not tearing or cracking to start with
How does the rest of the bag look?
Here is a vache naturelle Birkin I pushed the patina on in my shop just a week ago View attachment 3682949
All the best doc
Click to expand...
Doc, my eyeballs just popped out the sockets seeing that vache. Seeing your results prompted me a few years ago to buy a vache naturelle Dalvy. However your caution to others in pushing the colour gives me pause to push mine, which is okay, Dalvy will grow old (and darken) in her own time. But I HAD to tell you how your leather work inspires me and makes me drool just a bit at the same time ;)
 
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#1,200
Hi Docride!

I recently purchased my dream bag, a 1999 Black Fjord birkin. However, when I was conditioning her with Cadillac leather conditioner, I noticed a lot of black was coming off (attached a photo below as example, there was only one of ten stains, it wouldn't stop staining!) I then took non-alcoholic, fragrance free baby wipes and just started buffing the bag all over until it stopped bleeding as much. It still does a bit.

Do you think this is just 18 years worth of dirt or was this bag poorly dyed at some point? Do you think it's even worth taking into Hermes to have them take a look?

Thanks so much!
 
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