Leather protection on Vernis

L

lucky_palm

O.G.
Jun 14, 2008
284
187
#1
I did a search on this topic, but wasn't able to quite get a feel of it, so I decided to create a new thread and ask you all about your experience.

Does anybody spray a leather protectant (Apple Guard, Shining Monkey, Kiwi, Wilson, etc...) not only on the Vachetta leather, but also on the Vernis leather? I have read that some people do, but others discourage it. I read once that using a particular kind of water repellent spray (not available in the US) actually wrinkled the Vernis leather. I have been using Kiwi water repellent spray for about 8 years, and it works wonderfully on Vachetta leather, but I remember it made the Vernis leather look not so shiny, so I just wiped it off (it was very easy to wipe it off BTW and never damaged the Vernis leather). I am under the impression that, not all the leather protectant is appropriate for Vernis leather, but some are actually good and indeed protect it. If that is correct, which ones are good and which ones are bad?

If anybody has any experience with leather protectant on Vernis (positive/negative experience), please please share with me.

Thank you!
 
#2
i don't spray anything on vernis leather. i don't think there is anything you can put on it, b/c it is so shiny and its non-porous surface so anything you put on it wouldn't "take", KWIM?

also vernis is very durable and scratch-resistant IMO. i have several vernis bags ranging from 1-10 years old and the only way you can tell the old from the new is from the vachetta (patina) , not the vernis itself.

anyway, i'd highly advise you not to put anything on the vernis itself, as it may end up doing more harm than good.
 
#3
sweetneet said:
i don't spray anything on vernis leather. i don't think there is anything you can put on it, b/c it is so shiny and its non-porous surface so anything you put on it wouldn't "take", KWIM?

also vernis is very durable and scratch-resistant IMO. i have several vernis bags ranging from 1-10 years old and the only way you can tell the old from the new is from the vachetta (patina) , not the vernis itself.

anyway, i'd highly advise you not to put anything on the vernis itself, as it may end up doing more harm than good.
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I agree with this - since the Vernis can absorb colour, you do not know how a protectant may react with the surface, and this may cause staining !
 
#4
I do. I spray my vernis with Wilson's leather spray, and it's fine, I guess i probably don't need to, but it didn't take the shiny off and it is a protectant.
 
#5
Veronika said:
I do. I spray my vernis with Wilson's leather spray, and it's fine, I guess i probably don't need to, but it didn't take the shiny off and it is a protectant.
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Strange! Same spray but different experience--I wouldn't recommend it. I accidentally sprayed some Wilson's leather spray on the vernis (was aiming at the vachetta and had masked-off the vernis with paper, but my fingers slipped and some got onto the vernis). The spray dulled the shine of the vernis, but I was able to remove the spray residue to restore the shine. Luckily, it left no stain.

I recall reading (on the LV website, I think) that vernis is porous when it comes to oils (I recall warnings against exposure to makeup and the like), but I think the vernis coating is water-repellent as is, with no need to spray it for water-repellency.
 
#7
Wow, thank you all so much for sharing your experiences and opinions. I really appreciate it! :happydance:

Interesting stories about the Wilson spray. blueiris, that is exactly what happened when I sprayed Kiwi on Vernis. Mmm... I wonder why different people see different effects using the same product...

After reading all the responses, I feel that I should stay away from leather protectant on the Vernis leather. I really wanted something to make it less prone to color transferring and discoloration, but I don't want to make it worse by applying a protectant. :s Veronika, do you feel that by using the Wilson spray on the Vernis, did it become less prone to these problems?

Oh BTW, I also heard a successful story with Apple Guard. Does anybody have any experience spraying Apple Guard on Vernis?
 
#9
I guess I'm not spraying anything anymore...no, I've never had any problems with any of my vernis pieces. I'm careful when I carry them, and I've never had any water spots on vachetta either. I definately didn't notice anything different when I sprayed, but I sprayed very lightly from far away. The coating is very porous and soaks everything up, hence, color transfer. So, if I really think about it, it would soak up the leather spray too. Oh well, i'm not going to spray anymore. I've sprayed once a year, since I've owned my bags, mainly to protect vachetta, but like I said, I just held about 3 feet away and sprayed lightly from above. So, no change whatsoever.... my pieces are all still shiny....
 
#11
Thanks again everyone for all the comments! After reading them, I was pretty much convinced that I would NOT use a protectant on my Vernis leather. Then, I had an opportunity to talk to a person who has been spraying AG on her Vernis leather for years, including light colored ones, without any problems at all. She says that the leather is still as shiny as when it was brand new, and the color has not changed. I actually saw close up photos of the Vernis leather, and it really looked great (though I have to admit that it is not super easy to feel the texture by looking at the photos). She believes that it protects the Vernis leather from discoloration and color transfer.

Mmm... Maybe I will try AG on my older Vernis, on a place that is not very visible (like the bottom) and see how it looks. I am not so concered about protecting the Vernis leather from water and scratches; I really would like to have something against discoloration and color transfer, especially for the light colored ones. I need to think about it first, though...
 
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