Hermes leathers for rainy climates.

[Hat Trick]

Would epsom work ? Thank you

Yes, but all leathers - do your best to dry them off (i.e. with a towel only, no heat from a fire or hairdryer) and then leave them for a day or more - it takes time for leather to dry naturally. As many tpfers can attest, it is surprising how much ‘abuse’ good quality leather can take and still turn out ( to our eyes) with minimal or no damage. I personally have had a clemence H bag soaked through so much that other objects inside (shawl and wrapped lunch) were dripping!!! I didn’t think my B would survive but I dried it as much as possible with towels, and then left it for a couple of days to slowly dry in a warm spot in the house (the same as I would do for a good pair of leather boots that got a soaking in rain or puddles). Ten years later I still have that B and it looks fine! However it did not look good for the first day or so after its soaking (and I did panic about it!).
Hope that helps,
H.T.

 

[xiaoxiao]

Would epsom work ? Thank you

Might want to read this...

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/think-my-hg-bag-is-ruined.1010707/

 

[papertiger]

Yes, but all leathers - do your best to dry them off (i.e. with a towel only, no heat from a fire or hairdryer) and then leave them for a day or more - it takes time for leather to dry naturally. As many tpfers can attest, it is surprising how much ‘abuse’ good quality leather can take and still turn out ( to our eyes) with minimal or no damage. I personally have had a clemence H bag soaked through so much that other objects inside (shawl and wrapped lunch) were dripping!!! I didn’t think my B would survive but I dried it as much as possible with towels, and then left it for a couple of days to slowly dry in a warm spot in the house (the same as I would do for a good pair of leather boots that got a soaking in rain or puddles). Ten years later I still have that B and it looks fine! However it did not look good for the first day or so after its soaking (and I did panic about it!).
Hope that helps,
H.T.

I was caught in the rain with a Box Bolide and no umbrella. To minimise the damage I kept making sure no droplets were forming and wiping it down with my sleeve (easy on a Bolide as every surface is rounded) and then home doing the same as you once home. The worst damage always seems to be when droplets stay on a bag for a long time. The sheen will be reduced until the bag is fully dry (on Box) but can be buffed back to a shine, a droplet may cause an actual blister. As you say, once wet, it's the drying process that's really important to get right, no one should be tempted to speed it up but def better in an airy room. No one should store it again until completely dry, and that may be days and days.

 

[NOIRetMoi]

Everyone is worried about rain, but should we be worried about relative humidity? Seems like a very insidious thing, but I wonder if in the long run, it could do a lot of damage to leather.
Anyone knows what the ideal relative humidity for storing leather goods is?

 

[PJW5813]

Everyone is worried about rain, but should we be worried about relative humidity? Seems like a very insidious thing, but I wonder if in the long run, it could do a lot of damage to leather.
Anyone knows what the ideal relative humidity for storing leather goods is?

Good point, cold weather and occasional heavy rain in Europe is a very different environment to high humidity and daily downpours in the tropics.

 

[allywchu1]

I show DH comments about the potential damage of water on box calf. He questioned most men shoes are made from box calf. How come don’t have the same problem with shoes?

Any insights from TPFer?

 

[PJW5813]

I show DH comments about the potential damage of water on box calf. He questioned most men shoes are made from box calf. How come don’t have the same problem with shoes?

Any insights from TPFer?

Frequent use of shoe polish after use.
Because feet tend to be moving water droplets get flicked off and do not form and rest like the droplets on a bag. (please note the use of the verb tend; not a categoric statement)
It's a good observation though.

 

[papertiger]

Everyone is worried about rain, but should we be worried about relative humidity? Seems like a very insidious thing, but I wonder if in the long run, it could do a lot of damage to leather.
Anyone knows what the ideal relative humidity for storing leather goods is?

Humidity will effect leather (as will a too arid climate). A constantly humid environment will breakdown leather more quickly than in a moderate climate but only eventually. This is usually more to do with storage over a long time than in use. Short-term and if used in rotation, it's usually just a matter of noticing a white bloom on the outside of leather or just a more matte appearance, this just needs to be buffed-out with a clean soft natural fibre cloth.

Storage is a big problem. The inside of leather bags are often more at risk, leather can even stick to itself or anything left inside (including the dye/lint from stuffing pillows, newspaper print etc). Clean, acid-free tissue paper can absorb some of the excess moisture and is sometimes better than specialist products better suited to moderate climates. If people go through their 'stuff' and clean things once in a while or just use their bags it's much easier longterm. The problem is people think putting them carefully in dustbags > boxes > tissue and 'preserving' bags for posterity/inheritance/resale for months/years but actually leather (a natural product that needs to breath) will deteriorate just stored. Over use of an AC can have the opposite effect and dry leather out. Too wet or too dry, either way leather weakens and will eventually decompose.

 

[papertiger]

I show DH comments about the potential damage of water on box calf. He questioned most men shoes are made from box calf. How come don’t have the same problem with shoes?

Any insights from TPFer?

PJW made good points. The more you polish leather shoes the greater resistance to the elements (which is why shoes are polished, not just to look nice)

I have a pair of Box leather Land boots. I was told they were pre-treated and the rain does seem to run off. The worst enemy of all leather shoes and boots is salt laid down to counter snow.

 

[NOIRetMoi]

Humidity will effect leather (as will a too arid climate). A constantly humid environment will breakdown will breakdown leather more quickly than in a moderate climate but eventually. This is usually more to do with storage over a long time than in use. Short-term and if used in rotation, it's usually just a matter of noticing a white bloom on the outside of leather or just a more matte appearance, this just needs to be buffed-out with a clean soft natural fibre cloth.

Storage is a big problem. The inside of leather bags are often more at risk, leather can even stick to itself or anything left inside (including the dye/lint from stuffing pillows, newspaper print etc). Clean, acid-free tissue paper can absorb some of the excess moisture and is sometimes better than specialist products better suited to moderate climates. If people go through their 'stuff' and clean things once in a while or just use their bags it's much easier longterm. The problem is people think putting them carefully in dustbags > boxes > tissue and 'preserving' bags for posterity/inheritance/resale for months/years but actually leather (a natural product that needs to breath) will deteriorate just stored. Over use of an AC can have the opposite effect and dry leather out. Too wet or too dry, either way leather weakens and will eventually decompose.

Thank you very much, papertiger.
Yeah, I never thought that suffing every inch of a bag was not a good idea. I only use the little air pillows that come with the bags or some tissue paper. Now that you mention leather sticking to itself, I should try to buy or ask my SA for an extra felt. I have a box bag that doesn’t have one.

Is it ok to leave the raincoats inside the bags? I like to leave them inside, so I don’t forget them when I wear them.

 

[SDC2003]

Might want to read this...

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/think-my-hg-bag-is-ruined.1010707/

I have an epsom and was also glad that the tpfr who went through this experience with her Kelly shared what happened. It seems droplets are ok with Epsom but not being caught out in the rain for a period of time.

Re barenia, I do not have a bag in this but have a watch strap and if it gets wet it can spot. However, if the whole strap gets wet there are no spots. Otherwise, the leather holds up just fine. I imagine this is so as the leather used to be used on saddles? I’ve had saddles similar to barenia leather and rode in the rain with no problems.

 

[xiaoxiao]

Re barenia, I do not have a bag in this but have a watch strap and if it gets wet it can spot. However, if the whole strap gets wet there are no spots. Otherwise, the leather holds up just fine. I imagine this is so as the leather used to be used on saddles? I’ve had saddles similar to barenia leather and rode in the rain with no problems.

Thanks for sharing! It’s interesting you mentioned spots when getting wet, because mine got down poured on a few times and when it’s dried completely the water spots all disappeared. Did yours remain? I wonder if it’s oil instead, since they are sensitive to oil.

 

[SDC2003]

Thanks for sharing! It’s interesting you mentioned spots when getting wet, because mine got down poured on a few times and when it’s dried completely the water spots all disappeared. Did yours remain? I wonder if it’s oil instead, since they are sensitive to oil.

Yes the spots remained but if I stuck the whole band under the faucet the spots disappeared when dry. IOW if I got splashes of water on the watch the spots stayed until I got the whole strap wet. What I would see are dark outlines where the water hit the leather strap. So in you case when it down poured I’m guessing the whole bag got wet so that’s why yours has been ok? I think if you just got some droplets maybe there would be spots? It could also be that bags are different?

 

[xiaoxiao]

Yes the spots remained but if I stuck the whole band under the faucet the spots disappeared when dry. IOW if I got splashes of water on the watch the spots stayed until I got the whole strap wet. What I would see are dark outlines where the water hit the leather strap. So in you case when it down poured I’m guessing the whole bag got wet so that’s why yours has been ok? I think if you just got some droplets maybe there would be spots? It could also be that bags are different?

That’s interesting! Never thought of bags might be different but you could be right. Not the entire bag got wet during downpours, only partial. I’ve also gotten few drops here and there and never had dark outlines either.... so it really might be bags are different from watch straps.... so far my wallets hold up pretty well too (no water outline).

 

[cravin]

It’s pouring in NYC but the wife is determined to take the new B35 out for brunch since she unboxed it in front of the boys today. Fingers crossed.