leather.... a bit of a let down

« **Reply #60 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:17:15 am »

Post #11 by Roger:

impregnator26™ if you are talking just for the armrest only than I think 60ml will be more than enough.

adhesion73™ just for the sitting cushion, back cushion and armrest 250ml to 500ml depending on leather absorbency.

pigColor64™ you will need less if you are refinishing the exact color probably between 500ml to 1500ml.

This off-white is probably up to 90% white05 with Ochre-84 and Black-12 (Yes we do custom match).

pigTop56™ comes in both gloss and matte, intermixable to produce the desired sheen you may need probably 750ml.

And in most cases you need only matte.

« **Reply #61 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:21:15 am »

Post #12 by Chet:

Roger,

I applied several coats of impregnator26 mixed with 10% pig color.

Let it dry overnight, sanded it lightly then applied several more coats, dried with hair drier.

Then sanded it again with 1500 grit sandpaper.

It looked much better, however the deeper coarse breaks seemed to fill with the debris from sanding and did not come out with a tack cloth.

I'm also concerned that the deep coarse breaks never did fill all the way.

I had to finish the sofa and get it delivered, it looked very good, however I still see and feel the deeper coarse breaks.

I know if I filled them all the way I would have lost the grain and ended up with a smooth finish.

How would I get the grain back?

Do you have pictures and more explanation as to how to complete this repair in the future?

« **Reply #62 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:23:40 am »

Post #13 by Roger:

First the whole idea of the impregnator26™ is to strengthen the leather structure internally.

The first few coats have to be done without any pigment mix allowing the product to work accordingly.

The subsequent coats can be mixed with color as you did, it’s OK.

Debris can be removed by leatherBrush1™ or your air nozzle.

For deeper cracks can be further strengthen and fill with a combination of:

1. leatherBond3D™ alone first then follows with color mixture.

2. For deeper cracks leatherBond3D™ first, then follows with a mix of leatherBond3D™, leatherFill90™ and color.

The objective is for strengthening with flexibility to even out the stress rather than just for look.

Note:
Coarse Breaks = Creases or Wrinkles.
We are talking about Leather Structure Cracks = Broken Fibers be it micro or macro.

How much of the following products have you used?
1. impregnator26™.
2. adhesion73™.
3. pigColor64™.
4. pigTop56M.
5. Others

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System

« **Reply #63 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:25:29 am »

Post #14 by Chet:

Roger,

I used the entire bottle of 60ml impregnator26™, however I used it on a few other areas, that had minor coarse breaks.

The first few coats were made without color (lucky I guess)

I used only one bottle 250ml of adhesion73™

I used only 1 bottle 500ml of pigColor64™.

Used 10% thickener (I only mixed the one bottle. It covered very well).

I used only 1 250ml bottle of pigtop56M™.

« **Reply #64 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:29:40 am »

Post #15 by Roger:

Roger I used the entire bottle of 60ml impregnator26™, however I used it on a few other areas that had minor coarse breaks.

“Coarse Breaks” refers to deep permanent creases without cracks -
I believe you are talking of micro or macro cracks here, am I right?

"Fine Breaks" refers to temporary creases - now you see, now you don't!

Also indicates that the leather structure is supple or soft to allow "fine breaks".

On the other hand "coarse breaks" denotes stiffen leather structure with diminished fatliquor.

The first few coats were made without color (lucky I guess).

Logically intelligent rather than luck, I suppose!

I used only 1 bottle of pigColor64™, Used 10% thickener (I only mixed the one bottle. It covered very well).

10% is a bit to the high side, I would normally use 5% by weight.

I used only 1 bottle of pigTop56M™.

No harm to apply additional coating on the heavy wear areas.

Did you apply leatherScent’B™?

What is your customer’s comment?

Are you more confident with this new found system?

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System

« **Reply #65 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:32:03 am »

Post #16 by Chet:

There are several things that I think are much better, time will tell how well it holds up.

As I told you originally the other system always failed within two years, and sometimes within 3-6 months.

Most of the failures were with very used furniture, and in those high use areas.

The client was thrilled with the results, and yes I did use leatherScent’B™.

I would like more detail as to application and amount of time between steps.

Do you have pictures?

I'll be starting another sectional as soon as I get your supplies, and it is on another post.

« **Reply #66 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:35:10 am »

Post #17 by Roger:

Do you have pictures and more explanation as to how to complete this repair in the future?

Repair starts with prep cleaning - using d’Ink7.7™ follows by clean3.8™ and rinse3.0™.

Not with solvent, alcohol or alkaline cleaners - using these makes the leather stiffer, weaker and more prone to repair failure too soon.

The criteria of repair in high use areas is determine by the number of flexes it can withstand.

The softer and suppler the entire panel is, the more flexes it can take; the less chance it will crack again.

So keeping the leather supple and soft is the only way to prevent cracking through periodic fatliquoring.

Follows by proper hydration with relaxer3.3™ and seal off tight against evaporation overnight.

Squeeze moist of excess water then fatliquor with fatliquor5.0™ seal off and left overnight too.

When dry the crack is ready for repair:

The following are the picture steps I practice.

#1: impregnator26™ application - to tighten and strengthen the leather structure inter-fibrillary spaces, thus becomes part of the leather.