Hermes Vintage Bag Nightmares & Hermes Leather Care

[Hermesaholic]

Doc:

Is Hermes Vache Naturel best left alone? I would prefer to darken it a tad and protect it but I am not sure what to do.

Thanks!

 

[docride]

Doc:

Is Hermes Vache Naturel best left alone? I would prefer to darken it a tad and protect it but I am not sure what to do.

Thanks!

Hello, I have given extensive care instructions for this leather and you can find it all within this thread..Personally,I do not think it should go naked as it will develop water marks easily if not preconditioned... Some folks don't mind water marks..I do though.
Also, virgin vache natural looks rather pale and almost ill at first..IMO it looks much better as the color deepens...and gains it's patina. Here are some photos of one of my customized Vache Natural Birkins.. this color work was done carefully over many many months (less time and less consitioners=less color/lighter color) with various leather conditioners some of which were:
Blackrock leather N Rich
Hermes Baume
Obenauf's L.P. Heavy Duty

 

[Hermesaholic]

Hello, I have given extensive care instructions for this leather and you can find it all within this thread..Personally,I do not think it should go naked as it will develop water marks easily if not preconditioned... Some folks don't mind water marks..I do though.
Also, virgin vache natural looks rather pale and almost ill at first..IMO it looks much better as the color deepens...and gains it's patina. Here are some photos of one of my customized Vache Natural Birkins.. this color work was done carefully over many many months (less time and less consitioners=less color/lighter color) with various leather conditioners some of which were:
Blackrock leather N Rich
Hermes Baume
Obenauf's L.P. Heavy Duty

Thanks Doc.

 

[ladyraven65]

Hello, I have given extensive care instructions for this leather and you can find it all within this thread..Personally,I do not think it should go naked as it will develop water marks easily if not preconditioned... Some folks don't mind water marks..I do though.
Also, virgin vache natural looks rather pale and almost ill at first..IMO it looks much better as the color deepens...and gains it's patina. Here are some photos of one of my customized Vache Natural Birkins.. this color work was done carefully over many many months (less time and less consitioners=less color/lighter color) with various leather conditioners some of which were:
Blackrock leather N Rich
Hermes Baume
Obenauf's L.P. Heavy Duty

Doc every time I see that bag I drool! What a beautiful job you did with it-the color is absolutely stunning!

 

[docride]

Doc every time I see that bag I drool! What a beautiful job you did with it-the color is absolutely stunning!

Awe shucks:shame: Thanks!
Here's a bit more... Note I have a natural barenia bag (Left) next to full patina Vache Natural (right) see how close the colors are?

 

[liccabeary]

Hi there, If the price is right..and the rest of the bag looks good and you like vintage...then this might be a good project..the questions I have can be answered by seeing the rest of this bag... so with only this one photo I say bid offer with caution...

Thanks so much Doc. Am trying to see if the price can be lowered It seems to require a bit of work so am still mulling over it

I really enjoyed this section. I never knew the "power" of blackrock and obernauf before findng your postings

 

[ladyraven65]

Awe shucks:shame: Thanks!
Here's a bit more... Note I have a natural barenia bag (Left) next to full patina Vache Natural (right) see how close the colors are?

You are absolutely welcome! Yes, the colors are very close and both are equally gorgeous...someday I hope I am fortunate enough to own a beauty like that. Thanks for sharing the photos!

 

[docride]

You are absolutely welcome! Yes, the colors are very close and both are equally gorgeous...someday I hope I am fortunate enough to own a beauty like that. Thanks for sharing the photos!

I hope you will fid your special beauties and when you do..come on over and I'll help you take care of them or restore them if need be

 

[docride]

Thanks so much Doc. Am trying to see if the price can be lowered It seems to require a bit of work so am still mulling over it

I really enjoyed this section. I never knew the "power" of blackrock and obernauf before findng your postings

LOL! the "power of" yup that's the truth sounds magical And I think they are!

 

[Kallie Girl]

Hi Doc, as I mentioned in the other thread .. I have the Hermès vache natural purse charm. One side is just fine but one side got rain drops on it and they are visible. I would love to try to fix it so please advise!! Many thanks!!!

 

[docride]

Hi Doc, as I mentioned in the other thread .. I have the Hermès vache natural purse charm. One side is just fine but one side got rain drops on it and they are visible. I would love to try to fix it so please advise!! Many thanks!!!

Hi there, use some clear gycerine based soap (or liquid saddle soap) or Lexol PH . Coat the entire piece in an even amount of one of the above mentioned soaps rub gently with a wet cloth in a circluar motion evenly...then use luke warm water to remove the suds and excess soap..the whole item should be saturated/wet ... pat of excess water allow the item to dry slowly in a room temperature room. That should do the trick... Let me know how it goes

 

[trishaluvslv]

hi doc, i have been lusting over this brique box birkin....it looks to have the typical color fading/loss on the handles, straps and corners/piping....but it's patina is coming in nicely

http://www.ebay.com/itm/32076109933...:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_22403wt_1296

....i have refurbished (using your methos of course) my black box birkin using color preparer/stripper and fiebings dye to recolor the handles and corners and piping...but black is easy....this bag's white stitching is giving me angina just thinking about recoloring/touch ups...would you leave this to H or do you think the color can be matched? i love box but the fading makes me nuts. would you attempt this? i am pretty comfortable with leather "projects" given my experience but i just cannot see matching the color..???? and cannot imagine sending my bag to H spa every year for two or three months....

I jsut read your study on barenia vs VN and this the VN could be easier to work with over time and achieve the same color tone/family as brique...which would you choose, this brique or VN? (barenia is out, too floopy for me)

 

[docride]

hi doc, i have been lusting over this brique box birkin....it looks to have the typical color fading/loss on the handles, straps and corners/piping....but it's patina is coming in nicely

http://www.ebay.com/itm/32076109933...:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_22403wt_1296

....i have refurbished (using your methos of course) my black box birkin using color preparer/stripper and fiebings dye to recolor the handles and corners and piping...but black is easy....this bag's white stitching is giving me angina just thinking about recoloring/touch ups...would you leave this to H or do you think the color can be matched? i love box but the fading makes me nuts. would you attempt this? i am pretty comfortable with leather "projects" given my experience but i just cannot see matching the color..???? and cannot imagine sending my bag to H spa every year for two or three months....

I jsut read your study on barenia vs VN and this the VN could be easier to work with over time and achieve the same color tone/family as brique...which would you choose, this brique or VN? (barenia is out, too floopy for me)

I love this bag, the color is great! I would not be having angina about the restoration, it takes a calm mind and a steady hand and a bit of skill thrown in for good measure..I say go for it But there's not much time...hurry! The auction is ending shortly
I would choose a good vache over this but they are hard to find and even more so finding one that's not completely trashed..lol... again I say grab this one I like it very much.
Additionally Box Calf will not be too heavy in this size...when compared to other leathers.

 

[trishaluvslv]

I love this bag, the color is great! I would not be having angina about the restoration, it takes a calm mind and a steady hand and a bit of skill thrown in for good measure..I say go for it But there's not much time...hurry! The auction is ending shortly
I would choose a good vache over this but they are hard to find and even more so finding one that's not completely trashed..lol... again I say grab this one I like it very much.
Additionally Box Calf will not be too heavy in this size...when compared to other leathers.

thank you so much doc....i did manage to make my own color dye combo to work on my blue thalassa so i should be able to do the same with brique (gotta love the color stripper and tarrago dyes ) I adore the weight of boxcalf, it's ideal truly....ok, here is one other VN auction i have been watching...which do you think has more "potential"? and less headache from restoraton/treatment standpoint? the brique or VN?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/33061523936...:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_25480wt_1185

 

[docride]

thank you so much doc....i did manage to make my own color dye combo to work on my blue thalassa so i should be able to do the same with brique (gotta love the color stripper and tarrago dyes ) I adore the weight of boxcalf, it's ideal truly....ok, here is one other VN auction i have been watching...which do you think has more "potential"? and less headache from restoraton/treatment standpoint? the brique or VN?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/33061523936...:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_25480wt_1185

The vache will be more interesting when completed the color more complex and certainly one of a kind, but that smile mark is not going to ever go away...you can lighten it though...remove the black from it...
The Brique wil look the best after restoration and the process will take less time.
In this instance I vote for the brique based on the condition in comaparrison with the vache natural.