Michael Kors Maintenance and Restoration Tips - Leather, Suede and Saffiano

[coivcte]

I have read somewhere in this forum that some ladies use Apple Brand Leather Care products.
Has anyone have experience with this product and is it safe to use on Miranda Satchel kind of leather?
I have just purchased a Apple Brand Conditioner and Cleaner from www.leatherstuff.com but the package came with a photo copied booklet (not original) and the cloth that came with the package was a cheap white towel instead of the "soft shine cloth" shown in the photo and specified in the booklet. I'm worried......

 

[ubo22]

I have read somewhere in this forum that some ladies use Apple Brand Leather Care products.
Has anyone have experience with this product and is it safe to use on Miranda Satchel kind of leather?
I have just purchased a Apple Brand Conditioner and Cleaner from http://www.leatherstuff.com but the package came with a photo copied booklet (not original) and the cloth that came with the package was a cheap white towel instead of the "soft shine cloth" shown in the photo and specified in the booklet. I'm worried......

Coivcte, I've only used Apply Brand Rain/Stain Repellent, and it's excellent! I'm sure their conditioner and cleaner set would also work well. Did you purchase at a discount from eBay? If so, you probably bought from a reseller of the product who was trying to save a few pennies by photocopying the booklet and substituting for a cheaper cloth. The product in the bottles should still be okay.

 

[coivcte]

Coivcte, I've only used Apply Brand Rain/Stain Repellent, and it's excellent! I'm sure their conditioner and cleaner set would also work well. Did you purchase at a discount from eBay? If so, you probably bought from a reseller of the product who was trying to save a few pennies by photocopying the booklet and substituting for a cheaper cloth. The product in the bottles should still be okay.

You are right, I got it from EBay reseller, that's false advertising then as they are showing the original packaging with the shiny cloth and coloured booklet etc. The cloth was so cheap, it's not funny....

ubo22, where did you buy your Apple Brand leather care products?
I am in Australia and didn't find anyone selling it except for EBay.

 

[ubo22]

You are right, I got it from EBay reseller, that's false advertising then as they are showing the original packaging with the shiny cloth and coloured booklet etc. The cloth was so cheap, it's not funny....

ubo22, where did you buy your Apple Brand leather care products?
I am in Australia and didn't find anyone selling it except for EBay.

I used to buy them at an online leather supply store, but now I also purchase from eBay. Maybe try another eBay seller?

 

[polskablondynka]

View attachment 2882370
Try not to tie the handles too closely together because this would happens to the bag... It will cause the waviness on the bag!!

Curious... how do you go about getting it back in shape?

 

[ubo22]

Curious... how do you go about getting it back in shape?

That's easy. Just pull outwards gently with your fingers on those indented areas along the top edge of the bag. You can pretty much straighten that area out with your fingers. It's a very superficial problem.

 

[Norwegian Girl]

That's easy. Just pull outwards gently with your fingers on those indented areas along the top edge of the bag. You can pretty much straighten that area out with your fingers. It's a very superficial problem.

I have a saffiano Hamilton that is a bit bulky on one of the sides. Looks like it's been stored without being filled correctly. I have stuffed it, and stored it. Can I hope that the bulk over time will decrease in size?

 

[ubo22]

I have a saffiano Hamilton that is a bit bulky on one of the sides. Looks like it's been stored without being filled correctly. I have stuffed it, and stored it. Can I hope that the bulk over time will decrease in size?

It should readjust over time. The saffiano leather on my n/s Hamiltons is not as thick as the saffiano leather on my Selmas, so is a bit more pliable. Kind of similar to the saffiano leather on the Sutton.

 

[Norwegian Girl]

It should readjust over time. The saffiano leather on my n/s Hamiltons is not as thick as the saffiano leather on my Selmas, so is a bit more pliable. Kind of similar to the saffiano leather on the Sutton.

Thanks! I think I'll let it stay there for a month and see

 

[CinthiaZ]

Thanks! I think I'll let it stay there for a month and see

On regular leather, you can actually wet the bag and soak it even! Squeeze out the excess water with a towel and stuff the towel inside to reshape the bag. Then you hang it up by the strap rings on hooks I made out of coat hangers, and blow a space heater on, turning it every couple of hours and shaping it with your hands, and it is back in it's shape the very next day!! Looks like new again and works beautifully! I have done this many times. I don't know about this saffiano leather, however. I have never worked with it and am not sure if you can wet it or not like you can with most other leather. have no clue. I am really good bringing leather back to like. I am going to have to break down and get one of these saffiano bags, just so I can feel the difference. I know it LOOKS very stiff and as if it is cut with something that blends into the original hide??
What kind of leather is saffiano? Is it cowhide, or what??

 

[ubo22]

On regular leather, you can actually wet the bag and soak it even! Squeeze out the excess water with a towel and stuff the towel inside to reshape the bag. Then you hang it up by the strap rings on hooks I made out of coat hangers, and blow a space heater on, turning it every couple of hours and shaping it with your hands, and it is back in it's shape the very next day!! Looks like new again and works beautifully! I have done this many times. I don't know about this saffiano leather, however. I have never worked with it and am not sure if you can wet it or not like you can with most other leather. have no clue. I am really good bringing leather back to like. I am going to have to break down and get one of these saffiano bags, just so I can feel the difference. I know it LOOKS very stiff and as if it is cut with something that blends into the original hide??
What kind of leather is saffiano? Is it cowhide, or what??

Saffiano is regular calfskin or cowhide leather that has been pretreated with a stain/rain type of coating. A cross-hatch pattern is stamped into the leather giving it a harder, water resistant exterior. Saffiano leather was developed by Prada originally. It was primarily used in the early years to prevent scratching and damage to briefcase style bags. It is now used on a lot of handbags, as well. You cannot use a space heater on it like you have with your regular, soft leather because it could melt the coating on the saffiano leather. In my experience, direct heat dries out most leathers, so should be avoided. I moisturize/condition my leather bags, shoes, jackets, etc. often to keep them in tip-top shape, especially if they are regular, soft leather. And, as I'm sure you know, moisture on soft leather that evaporates also dries out the leather requiring extra moisturizer/conditioner treatment.

 

[CinthiaZ]

Saffiano is regular calfskin or cowhide leather that has been pretreated with a stain/rain type of coating. A cross-hatch pattern is stamped into the leather giving it a harder, water resistant exterior. Saffiano leather was developed by Prada originally. It was primarily used in the early years to prevent scratching and damage to briefcase style bags. It is now used on a lot of handbags, as well. You cannot use a space heater on it like you have with your regular, soft leather because it could melt the coating on the saffiano leather. In my experience, direct heat dries out most leathers, so should be avoided. I moisturize/condition my leather bags, shoes, jackets, etc. often to keep them in tip-top shape, especially if they are regular, soft leather. And, as I'm sure you know, moisture on soft leather that evaporates also dries out the leather requiring extra moisturizer/conditioner treatment.

Well, you don't blow the heater directly on it, you just put it near it so it dries quickly. The bag is soaking wet, so it's not going to dry out, it 's just going to dry. Trust me I have done it many times and they turn out beautiful! I then condition it with a moisturiser afterwards and put a sealer on it. I use fieblings products form Tandy's leathers. You can also buy it on ebay. I also use a product from 'The Chemical Guys' for when I don't do this wetting process to reshape the bags.

I have been riding a Harley Davidson for 40 years and trust me, us bikers know our leather really well.lol! We practically live in it! It's funny how so many think we are bums when all the leather we have on costs 1000.00! lol! Not to mention the Harley is 40,000.00 itself! So we make sure we take care of all our leather because it is not cheap, and do this routinely , every year. We, ( my husband and I) have also done this with our leather riding jackets, boots and leather chaps and they come out looking new again and does not dry it out at all, because it is soaking wet to start with! lol! The dryer is just to help it dry quicker. If you leave it wet too long, it can actually mildew, so you have to use a dryer to dry it quickly. It can not stay wet for a long time. Also, we have done saddle bags and Harley seats to shape the leather over the frame of the seat, so trust me, it works really well. My husband has had the same jacket and chaps for 25 years and has washed them quite often using this process. That is how I started using the process on my leather bags. Works beautifully!

Editing to add that this is what many leather professionals taught us when going for repairs. We were shocked as well, but this is how they do it. We have seen many custom leather products made and redone on these motorcycles, such as seats, luggage packs and saddlebags as well as jackets and chaps, and this how we learned all of this, from long time bikers! lol! That have their own custom leather shops.

But yes, it doesn't sound like it would work on this saffiano. Sounds much different than the leather we are used to. Saffiano might be great for saddle bags since they are exposed to so much weather!

 

[ubo22]

Well, you don't blow the heater directly on it, you just put it near it so it dries quickly. The bag is soaking wet, so it's not going to dry out, it 's just going to dry. Trust me I have done it many times and they turn out beautiful! I then condition it with a moisturiser afterwards and put a sealer on it. I use fieblings products form Tandy's leathers. You can also buy it on ebay. I also use a product from 'The Chemical Guys' for when I don't do this wetting process to reshape the bags.

I have been riding a Harley Davidson for 40 years and trust me, us bikers know our leather really well.lol! We practically live in it! It's funny how so many think we are bums when all the leather we have on costs 1000.00! lol! Not to mention the Harley is 40,000.00 itself! So we make sure we take care of all our leather because it is not cheap, and do this routinely , every year. We, ( my husband and I) have also done this with our leather riding jackets, boots and leather chaps and they come out looking new again and does not dry it out at all, because it is soaking wet to start with! lol! The dryer is just to help it dry quicker. If you leave it wet too long, it can actually mildew, so you have to use a dryer to dry it quickly. It can not stay wet for a long time. Also, we have done saddle bags and Harley seats to shape the leather over the frame of the seat, so trust me, it works really well. My husband has had the same jacket and chaps for 25 years and has washed them quite often using this process. That is how I started using the process on my leather bags. Works beautifully!

Editing to add that this is what many leather professionals taught us when going for repairs. We were shocked as well, but this is how they do it. We have seen many custom leather products made and redone on these motorcycles, such as seats, luggage packs and saddlebags as well as jackets and chaps, and this how we learned all of this, from long time bikers! lol! That have their own custom leather shops.

But yes, it doesn't sound like it would work on this saffiano. Sounds much different than the leather we are used to. Saffiano might be great for saddle bags since they are exposed to so much weather!

Yes, saffiano leather is really for structured bags that need to be scratch, water, and stain resistant. You should definitely give it a try!

 

[CinthiaZ]

Yes, saffiano leather is really for structured bags that need to be scratch, water, and stain resistant. You should definitely give it a try!

I wonder if it can be purchased in yards?? I think my friends might be interested in this saffiano for motorcycle saddle bags. Hmmm. For all I know, they may be using it already! lol!

 

[missphilippa]

Is the black rubbery piping thing (red arrows, sorry I don't know what to call it lol) on the edges of the MK Selma sturdy? It doesn't crack or peel off easily? I remember I had a Mango bag (which of course is way cheaper than MK) with the same material on the edges, it cracked and peeled off after only a couple of months of use. It was so ugly and unsightly. Also, any tips to prevent this? Thanks!