[Roger Koh]

The bottom line is most people are cheapskates and if they 'think' they can clean it with baby wipes they will and won't take a blind bit of notice of you until it goes all sticky and clammy which is how I advertise it now.

Mike,

I agree that specific advertisement is more effective than just pushing for leather cleaning.

But could you please share with us how you would solve this “sticky and clammy problem from baby wipes?

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

[Mike Osbourne]

Roger,


Depends on the cause of the problem and the type of leather Roger.

How, in simple terms, would you tackle it?

Mike

 

[LTT Leathercare]

You have to be careful that you distinguish 'cleaning' jobs from repair and restoration jobs.  Stickiness from baby wipes cannot be 'repaired' by simply cleaning as the top finish has been damaged.  Repair jobs take a lot more knowledge and understanding to do than straight fprward cleaning.

[JandS]

5 hours seems a long time.
Last one I did was 2 weeks ago and it took me just short of 2 hours, and it came up a treat.

John

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

5 hours is a ludicrous amount of time to spend cleaning a suite but it must have been filthy! It usually takes me 2-2.30 hours to clean a leather suite properly.

[COLIN BRIGHT]

when it comes to leather cleaning, my price varys on the amount of soling
from £150.00 to £400.00
if they dont want to pay
DON'T DO IT!
thats why i always go out and do a quote.

[craigp]

I like your style Colin, to many of us put up with people that only want to pay a token payment thats not enough to really make any money.

[LTT Leathercare]

Every leather job should be assessed and quoted for as an individual job.  You cannot generalise as the leather has to be identified and the cleaning approached in a way appropriate for the leather and the level of cleaning/repair/restoration required, only then can a real price be given.

[Ian Gourlay]

What were you using Ian, a Rug Doctor ?

Only time I spent that long on a suite was about 20 years ago.............it was thick with sticky tobacco residues and I only had a little portable with me, don't remember what I was using, but it was nothing like todays products and it taught me a lesson.

robert m

Rob
Did not knowI could use a rug doctor on  leather 


It was Cream and she did smoke. 

Did think I should use those special sponges  but did not..  Just thought I would let you all know

[carlton care]

Thought you could create miracles with them Ian, at least that's the impression given...............I actually thought you were referring to a fabric suite !

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

Thought you could create miracles with them Ian, at least that's the impression given...............I actually thought you were referring to a fabric suite !

i can rember doing a ten cushion suite in dralon where  when i per spayed it there was that much fAg smoke on it it lefted brown run marks down the cushions ! it took two of us 4 hours to clean  what a bugger that was for 35 pounds !   

mine you i got all her daughts rented houses to do after seeing how good we were ! she now as 38 houses ! so it was worth lossing on that job

[mike townsend]

£35?
how long ago, not recently i hope, dont you quote when you see the job?

[Roger Koh]

Roger,


Depends on the cause of the problem and the type of leather Roger.

How, in simple terms, would you tackle it?

Mike

 

Mr Osbourne,

In simple term use acidifier2.0™ as per instruction until it revert to a healthy squeaky feel.


acidifier2.0™ concentrate - shake well and mix with 25 parts distilled water before use.

Ready-to-use specialty leather cleaner pH value 2.0 is a water-based strong leather acidifier.

For:
All leathers - aniline, pure-aniline, semi-aniline, vegetable-tanned, pigmented, bicast, nubuck and suede or woolskin and fur skin.

To:
Neutralize strong alkaline exposure that cause bleeds, marks, streaks, brightness, tackiness or sliminess;
especially after alkaline-cleaners, hand-soap, ammonia, bleach, lye, caustic-soda, baby-wipes, etc.

Instruction:

1. To detect alkaline exposure that result in sliminess or tackiness - check by lightly rubbing with wet fingers.

2. To apply - use brush, cotton swab or spray and agitate with leatherBrush1™, nubuckBrush2™ or suedeBrush3™.

3. To let dwell 5 to 30 minutes depending on exposure severity.

4. To test for satisfaction - check again with wet fingers for a healthy squeaky feel.

5. To extract - use dry absorbent towel.

6. To remove all foreign residues - use rinse3.0™ for all leather types and rinse4.0™ for wool and fur types.

Roger Koh
leather Doctor®

[derek west]

bit too brief for me roger, can i have it in more complex terms.
derek

[Mike Osbourne]

MR KOH, THANK YOU!

My typical scenerio for me is a pigmant leather has worn or degraded through improper cleaning. They say whatever they clean it with doesn't make a difference.

Typically it's a clean/prep, paint, finish and protect.

[Roger Koh]

Mr. Osbourne,

When there is a sticky problem, our initial step is to rectify with acidifier2.0™ until the finish is strong and healthy again with a squeaky feel.

Otherwise adhesion and peeling might be a problem depending what route you take as a prep.

In your typical worn and degraded pigmented finish, we agree that the logical route to take is a refinishing.

We do encourage our system user to warranty up to 5 years (to show our confidence in the Leather Doctor® system).

Do you give a “Warranty”?

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®



#1 Sectional before Refinishing


#2 Sectional after Refinishing


________________________________________

And Mr West, this detail is for you!


(This is the typical technical back-up when you are not sure).

This is the armrest proposed sequence of steps for your appraisal.

Step 1: d’Ink7.7™ as grease and oil removal double up as prep cleaner with leatherBrush1™, nubuckBrush2™ & anilineEraser4™ without resorting to solvent.
Let dwell 30 minutes thereafter extract until towel shows clean.
Solvent deteriorates the partial removed finish and more likely to fail on adhesion.
Solvent dries the finish plasticizers thus making it brittle and diminishes the fatliquor in the leather structure thus stiffen the leather too!

Step 2: Use clean3.8™ to remove sticky residue with agitation using either brush to fit situation and extract until towel shows clean.

Step 3: Use rinse3.0™ to acidifier rinse, agitate and extract until towel shows clean.

Step 4: Use relaxer3.3™ to hydrate the thickness of the leather structure and best to seal it up for at least 4 to 8 hours.

Step 5: Extract as dry as possible, the worn areas with light hand scudding to squeeze out suspended foreign soil particulates without causing further damages.

Step 6: Use fatliquor5.0™ to fatliquor into the moist leather structure.

Step 7: Plastic wrapped up for another 4 to 8 hours.

Step 8: Remove the plastic and let dry another 4 to 8 hours.

Step 9: When leather is dry (must be dry like normal) use an iron without steam (small travel iron) and iron over new printing paper (on wool to cotton setting) to remove all these creases.

Step 10: If the surface feels oily from the non penetrated fatliquor clean with clean3.8™ follows with rinse3.0™.

Step 11: Use impregnator26™ and brush with a 3” foam brush to saturate all the weak and absorbent areas.

Step 12: Use a blow dryer helps the drying process.

Step 13: Now use 1000 grit to 1500 grit sandpaper and smoothen all rough spots.

Step 14: Reapply impregnator26™ to satisfaction to weak absorbent areas only.

Step 15: Use a damp lint free towel and wipe off non worn areas - avoiding unnecessary build-up.

Step 16: Use adhesion73™ and apply with a clean foam brush concentrating on worn areas and feather out avoiding streaks.

Step 17: Either color coat with semiColor74™ or pigColor64™ to match existing leather type using padding or foam brush as the first light coat without streaks, follows with air spraying.

Step 18: Follows with either semiTop57™ or pigTop56™ by air spraying.

Step 19: leatherScent’B™ can be brush on with a 3 to 4 inch foam brush.

Need further explanation?


#3 Close-up before


#4 Close-up after

[carlton care]

Mike

I think it really does make a difference, as I and I'm sure many others have discovered over the years, as I live in a village which is famous for producing high quality leather I thought the products they sold would be correct for the purpose of cleaning / conditioning, when I started cleaning leather 20 years ago but they are pretty useless. One product is what Roger refers to as fat liquor, which the leatherworks has sold for years as a conditioner.

I've played around for years with many products, ending up with foams and sponges / scourers / brushes, but even then, it's easy to strip of the top coat.

Since attending both F/C and L/T/T courses I only use safe products to create the foam.

Roger posted before me.

That's a typical abused suite, the kind we come accross frequently, but rarely as bad. While the renovation would be straightforward, the cost could make it non viable, unless, of course the processes were speeded up dramatically.

I like working with leather and it's physically easier to work with, hope to develop this in the coming months.

[derek west]

roger.
going on the cost of materials, one quote you gave came to around £300 quid, and the length of time it takes to clean, your way, i.e. leave 4 to 8 hrs, leave fore 30 mins leave for another 4 to 8 hours plus all the work inbetween leaving and dwelling. after all this, wouldn't it be cheaper and quicker to re-upholster the suite's, with far better results and all in all a happier customer.
just a thought.
not having a dig, just logic thinking from an outsider-ish type person.

derek

[Mike Osbourne]

I really enjoy working on leather although I would be the first to admit I'm at the start of my learnings in leather resto.

I'm very happy with the simplicity of Furniture Clinics products and approach whilst aware there are other differing thoughts on how to tackle certain jobs.

I've not heard of any problems with the quality and longevity of FCs products in the field.

All Rogers stuff seems aimed at high value items and therefore the products, time and workspace are easily factored into the prices.

I'm also a big fan of raising the perception of value in the customers eyes but I just shake my head when I see Rogers product inventory, but hats off to him cos it obviously works.

[Roger Koh]

roger.
going on the cost of materials, one quote you gave came to around £300 quid,

This aniline wax pull-up “starter kit” recommended will have leftover from the initial loveseat.
No! We definitely will not consume all of these for just one love seat on the (leather problem thread)!

Products:      Ready-To-Use in Liters      Equivalent Price in ₤ @ Nov 18th

d’Oil4.4™      60 ml            ₤23.84
d’Grease4.9™      1.32 L            ₤36.93
clean3.8™      3.9 L            ₤46.63
rinse3.0™      4.86 L            ₤51.60
relaxer3.3™      1.56 L            ₤23.27
fatliquor5.0™      1.5 L            ₤33.96
waxEffect95™      1.32 L            ₤35.15
leatherScent’D™   2.62 L            ₤59.32
                     (Total ₤310.70)


and the length of time it takes to clean, your way, i.e. leave 4 to 8 hrs, leave fore 30 mins leave for another 4 to 8 hours plus all the work inbetween leaving and dwelling.

Typical tannery operations are divided into a Wet Operation and a Dry Operation a total of 19 process.
Leather Doctor® system follows the exact sequence of process with the same principles.
No short cuts that's why!

 after all this, wouldn't it be cheaper and quicker to re-upholster the suite's, with far better results and all in all a happier customer.

True, we work with upholsterer too, they pass us job in return we referred back if there a need to reupholster.
 
just a thought.
not having a dig, just logic thinking from an outsider-ish type person.

We are not chasing after cheap sets - we rather sell them the products for them to do it themselves even on refinishing.

We are proud that we can re-produce world class standard, better than new of any leather types garment (Zegna®, Brioni®, Hugo Boss®, etc), furniture (de sede®, Rolf Benz®, etc.)

Do you know that modern classic leather appreciate in value through the years.

These modern classic are found in Museum (New York & Hamburg).

Learn how to identify a modern classic piece -  that’s where the money is!

You go no where with cheap sets!

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®