Those of you that own motorcycles and like to have leather motorcycle gear and accessories will like this post I believe. My brothers and I used to custom make all types of boots, chaps, saddlebags for bikes & horses, leather bikinis, customize leather jackets & other leather gear, leather vests, and many other leather articles for motorcycle riders. My brother, Paul named the business "Gypsy Custom Leather" and we had so much fun doing what we loved doing. Side by side with our shoe repair businesses we made and repaired all manner of motorcycle leather gear you could think of.
So, if you have a plain ordinary leather jacket, vest, pants, boots or chaps do not think that they have to stay plain and ordinary. You can customize them yourself if you want to take the time and expense and even the possible risk of doing it yourself or you could take the article to a shoe repair or a custom leather shop and have them do something for you to your taste. Now granted, I have been trained by my older brothers to do what I have done in my past and they were trained by our uncle Rod who was GREAT at what he did. You are capable of doing it yourself with the right tools and materials.
First you would need to decide exactly what custom changes you would like to make to your leather article, say a leather vest. Personally, I would want to maybe braid some leather down the side for a different look which would also serve as a air vent to allow air to circulate through without taking away from the strength of the vest.
Tools required: Multi-hole punch or a 1/4" hole punch or smaller and mallet (Has a ring of about 6
different size hole punches on a pliers)
Tape measure and a seam marker (A seam marker wipes off very easy when
finished)
White grease marker (To mark the placement of the holes to be punched)
1/4" width, long leather strips (The color you want or the same color as the article
working on)
Lacing Needles (Flat needles for lacing thin leather strips, the end has small barbs)
All of these tools and supplies can easily be found and bought at a TANDY Leather Company which can be found in several cities all over the place or on the WEB.
Once you have your supplies and tools, you need to mark off on the vest exactly where you will be punching the holes so that you can braid the leather strips into it for your custom look. Start by folding the vest over at the seam that runs down the outside under the arm. Once folded, mark a thin line about a 1/2" in from the seam. This will be the line you will punch your holes down. Now mark small cross lines starting from the top just below the top seam of stitching so as not to punch a hole in any stitching of a seam every 1/4" going down to the bottom. You will end up with a line with small crosses on it and you will be ready to punch holes centered over each cross. Use the grease marker to go over and mark each cross if you wish to ensure you do not miss one or accidentally rub one off while punching the holes. It is very important that while punching the holes, that you do not move the folded seam area of the vest. You want to keep the opposite side lined up exactly. Once you have marked all of the holes to be punched, you are ready to start punching holes. You can use bulk paper office clips, the kind you pinch the handles together to open the C-clamp on to clip onto the seam of your leather vest to hold it together while you punch the holes. Whatever it takes for you to ensure you get straight and even holes on both sides of the vest seam. Once you are finished punching the holes, get the 1/4" leather strips and a lacing needle for each end of the leather strip. Start from the top on the inside of the vest feeding the needles out evenly so that the leather strip is flat on the inside and that you have the same length on either side. Now insert the needle in the third hole on the opposite side and bring it back out of the second hole of that same side. Then do likewise with the other needle on the other side. Now, repeat this skip one hole on the opposite side inserting the needle and come back out of the hole you skipped, then do the same with you other needle on the other side. Remember that if you start from the left side, always start from the left side with each new braid. It will keep it uniform and smooth. Once you have reached the bottom, feed the excess through the opposite side forming the final cross or braid so that the needles are on the inside. Flip the vest inside out and insert the needles into the braid center and back out about 2" higher above the finished braid. If you have either some rubber cement or contact cement that you can put on the soft side of the strips before inserting them here it could make for a more secure bond, but it is not required. Once you are finished braiding the side, unfold the vest completely and lay the seam over something solid and lightly tap the newly braided seam with a mallet or hammer. Do not hit it hard or you may cut or damage the leather braiding you have just worked so hard to put in. Repeat on the other side of the vest for a uniform look.
You can also put leather tassels on your leather articles yourself if you choose using the same tools, by punching either two holes for a simple look or four holes for a crossed or braided look. You can place all types of metal or other decorative objects into these leather tassels if you so desire.
Like I said before, customizing your leather motorcycle gear is not hard and you can do it yourself or pay to have a professional do it for you.
For all of you that live in or near WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS you can contact
my brother, J.D. at his shoe repair at 972-938-7979. Hours of operation
are: Tues. - Fri. 10 am - 6 pm & Sat. 10 am - 5 pm. If you are
close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 507 N.
Hwy. 77, Ste. 1100C, Waxahachie, TX 75165. You can also contact him at: TexasBootRepair.com
For those of you that live in or near WEST JORDAN, UTAH you can
contact my brother, Dan at his shoe repair at 801-448-1928. Hours of
operation are Tues. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm. If you are close to the area,
you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 7650 S. Redwood Rd., Ste. B,
West Jordan, UT 84084. You can also contact him at: roycecustomleather.com, his business is Royce Custom Leather LLC.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Welcome to my blog about leather care & repair.
Welcome to my blog about leather care and repair everyone. I will be writing about all types of leather products for the care and treatment of your leather shoes, boots, bags, briefcases, coats/jackets, chaps, pants, skirts, furniture, motorcycle gear, saddlebags, saddles, tack, sports equipment, and basically anything that you can think of that is made from leather. In my over 30 years of experience, I have cleaned, conditioned, polished, waterproofed, recolored and repaired just about every kind of leather made product you have heard of and some you may not have.
I will be introducing you to many products and explaining just how to use them so that you can get the best results yourself. Everyone owns some type of shoes or boots that require cleaning, conditioning, polishing and repairing from time to time. I will start with talking about how to take care of your leather purses, briefcases, skirts and coats/jackets because the care for these articles and products is very much the same as taking care of your shoes and boots. Although, the biggest difference is that you need to use more care in the amount of polish with color on these types of articles due to the fact that they tend to rub against your clothing throughout the day. You really do not want to have color transfer from say a burgundy briefcase onto a beige skirt or khaki pants. I will explain how you can keep your articles clean, conditioned, polished and professional looking almost like new for a long time. Doing this yourself will save you lots of money as well.
I will also let you know about the places where you can find these different products to care for your leather articles as well as to get your articles repaired when needed. Lets face it, leather is not as strong as we all would like it to be. Some repairs you will be able to do yourself and I will explain how to do them. While other repairs will require the help of a trades craftsman such as a shoe repairman or a custom leather repair shop. Do not always think you have to go to a custom leather repair company though just because you have expensive leather goods. As a shoe repairman, I repaired so many different types of leather products that had nothing to do with shoes or boots. Shoe repairman in some cases have great skills to repair nearly any type of leather product, although there are some repairman that have not been trained properly either. So, if you do not find one that can repair your article, just go to the next repair shop and ask.
I will continue to post to this blog more information about how to care for your leather goods and give details on just how you can do it yourself or where you can go to get it done if you do not have the time.
I will be introducing you to many products and explaining just how to use them so that you can get the best results yourself. Everyone owns some type of shoes or boots that require cleaning, conditioning, polishing and repairing from time to time. I will start with talking about how to take care of your leather purses, briefcases, skirts and coats/jackets because the care for these articles and products is very much the same as taking care of your shoes and boots. Although, the biggest difference is that you need to use more care in the amount of polish with color on these types of articles due to the fact that they tend to rub against your clothing throughout the day. You really do not want to have color transfer from say a burgundy briefcase onto a beige skirt or khaki pants. I will explain how you can keep your articles clean, conditioned, polished and professional looking almost like new for a long time. Doing this yourself will save you lots of money as well.
I will also let you know about the places where you can find these different products to care for your leather articles as well as to get your articles repaired when needed. Lets face it, leather is not as strong as we all would like it to be. Some repairs you will be able to do yourself and I will explain how to do them. While other repairs will require the help of a trades craftsman such as a shoe repairman or a custom leather repair shop. Do not always think you have to go to a custom leather repair company though just because you have expensive leather goods. As a shoe repairman, I repaired so many different types of leather products that had nothing to do with shoes or boots. Shoe repairman in some cases have great skills to repair nearly any type of leather product, although there are some repairman that have not been trained properly either. So, if you do not find one that can repair your article, just go to the next repair shop and ask.
I will continue to post to this blog more information about how to care for your leather goods and give details on just how you can do it yourself or where you can go to get it done if you do not have the time.
Leather jacket repair and conditioning.
If you own a leather jacket and you have ever put to much stuff into the pockets or loaned it to a friend and the pocket was torn along the outer edge up the side of the jacket, you are not alone. This is a common tear in leather jackets. It may seem like it cannot be repaired, but let me assure you that it can be fixed. Simply take the jacket to a shoe repair or to a leather repair company and they will quote you a price to patch the tear. They will have to open up the seam at the bottom of the jacket to gain access to the inside of the pocket area. This way the leather patch can be glued into place on the inside of the tear to hold the torn leather together to make the tear not very visible. In some cases the patch may need to be stitched into place depending on how much stress the area gets during common wear. If stitching is needed, you will see stitching along both sides of the tear keeping it together. If the repairman is really good and knows how to do finishing work well, you may not even notice the tear after they are done unless it had to be stitched. Even then if it is finished and polished correctly with a good wax, the stitching can all but be hidden as well by smoothing it over with a semi-hard wax and buffing it with a buffing wheel. If the tear does not need to be stitched and the patch can be simply glued into place, the seam of the tear will be so clean and smooth it may not be seen without very close inspection.
Conditioning of your leather jacket is very simple. Simply pick a high quality leather conditioner, such as, Leather Balm or Tannery and use as directed. With either product you simply use small quantities and spread them over a large area to prevent from leaving excess on the jacket. The leather conditioner will go a long way. Leather Balm is a liquid cream that comes in a bottle and is applied with a rag over your finger. You apply it in small circles working it into the leather spreading it until the excess is completely worked in. You buff the conditioner off with a clean soft rag or t-shirt until the leather comes to a shine. Tannery is a spray conditioner and cleaner that comes in an aerosol can. With this conditioner you just spray it on lightly over the leather and allow it to soak in for a couple of minutes, then rub in with a rag or t-shirt to completely cover the area. Then buff the leather with a clean rag or t-shirt until all of the excess conditioner is removed and the leather comes to a shine.
This same type of leather repair applies to all types of leather products, not just jackets. The conditioning also applies to all types of leather as well.
Conditioning of your leather jacket is very simple. Simply pick a high quality leather conditioner, such as, Leather Balm or Tannery and use as directed. With either product you simply use small quantities and spread them over a large area to prevent from leaving excess on the jacket. The leather conditioner will go a long way. Leather Balm is a liquid cream that comes in a bottle and is applied with a rag over your finger. You apply it in small circles working it into the leather spreading it until the excess is completely worked in. You buff the conditioner off with a clean soft rag or t-shirt until the leather comes to a shine. Tannery is a spray conditioner and cleaner that comes in an aerosol can. With this conditioner you just spray it on lightly over the leather and allow it to soak in for a couple of minutes, then rub in with a rag or t-shirt to completely cover the area. Then buff the leather with a clean rag or t-shirt until all of the excess conditioner is removed and the leather comes to a shine.
This same type of leather repair applies to all types of leather products, not just jackets. The conditioning also applies to all types of leather as well.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Repairs and strap shortening on purses, bags and briefcases.
Purses, bags and briefcases all have a few things in common. They all get placed on the floor, tossed, on the car seat or floorboard, kicked under a desk, rub against our clothing while being carried, have straps and zippers and clasps. All of these things open up these articles of leather products for all sorts of repair possibilities and upkeep. All of the tossing kicking, placing on the floor and rubbing against our clothing can damage the finish and remove some of the color by scuffing the leather. Also, you may end up with cuts or tears in the leather as well as seams wearing our or the stitching just breaking. The straps, zippers and clasps have their own set of issues that can cause you headaches. I will cover each of these issues and address how you could fix it yourself if possible or recommend taking it to a shoe repair to have it fixed.
As with shoes and boots, purses, bags and briefcases need to be kept conditioned to protect the leather. Waterproofing will also help protect the leather from damage and even fading. However, with day to day use as we all know, these types of bags sustain many types of damage from small cuts and scuffs to large tears and even holes. Now the large tears and holes would require a skilled craftsman such as a shoe repairmen like myself or my brothers. There are many skilled leather craftsmen out there in shoe repair shops and leather repair businesses around the world, all you have to do is check around and ask questions. Just do not give up if one or two repair people tell you that they do not work on your type of leather product. I have worked on some very strange leather products in my past. With the small cuts and scuffs, you can get a tube of contact cement for leather to glue the cut down and clean off the excess glue off the surface after it dries. It usually will rub off, just be sure to rub it the direction of the cut so that you do not rub the cut open again.
Scuffs on your leather can be smoothed out with polish in some cases depending on how rough the scuff is and how much of the color has been scuffed off. If you can polish the scuff out, take you leather article to a shoe repair with you to match the color to a polish. Do not use to much polish! Rub the polish on in small circles spreading it out and rubbing it in until it is dull and there is no excess polish on the surface. Do not try to polish the entire purse, bag or briefcase at one once, do it in stages or areas. Once you have put polish over the entire area you are working on, use a horse hair polishing brush or a clean cotton t-shirt to buff the polish to a shine. Now take a clean cotton t-shirt or rag and rebuff the article to ensure that there is no excess polish that could rub off or transfer to your clothing. Then use a waterproof spray or a lite spray wax shine (MASTER SHINE) for leather to seal the polish.
If the scuff is extremely bad, you have a couple of choices. Your easiest choice is to find a shoe repair that recolors leather or refinishes leather. This is basically dying or painting the leather with specialized dyes and paints for leather. They will match the color as close as possible and recondition it after the refinishing is complete to ensure the new finish is not sticky and very flexible with the leather it is now apart of. You can do it yourself as well. Go to a shoe repair, take your leather article to match a color and ask about leather paint. Buy some leather cleaner such as thinner or spot remover to clean the entire surface of the article before you start and allow to dry completely. There are two major brands that I like: MELTONIAN and Nu-Life. Both of these brands are specialized for leather and I prefer to use TANNERY leather conditioner spray as my conditioner of choice after the paint has dried. With the bad scuffs, mist just enough paint directly onto the scuff to make it a little wet and rub it into the scuff with your finger tip until it is smooth and not wet looking. Completely cover the entire scuff mark in this manner to replace the color and smooth out the scuffed leather. The paint will help fill in the rough leather to bring back the smooth surface. Let this dry for a few minutes and then lightly mist the area with paint holding the can about 6 to 10 inches from the leather. AVOID WET RUNS IN THE PAINT. Paint the leather in a light coat to blend the new color with the old color to get an even color match all over. Once you have your desired color and appearance, allow to dry for at least several hours ever 24 hours if you can. Then use the Tannery leather conditioner spray by lightly spraying it over the leather article over the entire newly painted area and allow to sit for a couple of minutes and wipe off with a clean cotton t-shirt or rag. If you cannot find Tannery you can get Leather Balm or any other leather conditioner that may be recommended by the shoe repairmen where you buy the paint. The shoe repairmen will be a GREAT source of information and opinions when doing work yourself if you are not sure what to do.
Pretty much all sewing involving purses, bags and briefcases, I would recommend that you find a shoe repair near you and take it in to have them look at it and have it repaired. Most home sewing machines are not able to sew leather very well if at all and some issues requiring sewing on purses, bags and briefcases may require a patch or maybe even hand sewing with a hook awl needle.
Straps can be shortened if you find that they are to long for you or have new holes punched into them for further adjustment. If you have a strap that broke off from your purse, bag or briefcase, it can be repaired at a shoe repair. Do not get rid of your favorite bag because a strap broke. It usually does not cost very much to repair a strap depending on how it was attached and what needs to be done to re-attach it. Stitching comes undone on straps after months or years of being carried around. Straps can be restitched on machines or be hand stitched if needed. Shoulder purses and bags can have the straps shortened to make them hand bags.
Handles on briefcases can be replaced and repaired!
Zippers are an issue with all types of leather products, especially purses, bags and some briefcases. Zippers can be repaired or replaced and it is cheaper than replacing the leather article in most cases. Most of the time the zipper just needs to be fixed or adjusted. Sometimes a stitch or a clip to stop the slider at a new point will help. New sliders can be replaced and new zippers can be put in. Shoe repair shop do this all the time. You also have other repair companies out there that just work on baggage.
Clasps, "D" rings, "O" rings and other attachments on purses, bags and briefcases can be replaced or repaired as well. Do not think that just because it broke to just throw it away. Take it to a shoe repair and ask the question. Odds are that they can fix it or know someone that can. Most articles with straps or handles have "D" rings, "O" rings or other types of links to attach them to the bags. When a strap breaks loose from these it can be re-attached either by patching, new leather straps or just sewing back into place. New rings or links can be replaced without a problem as well.
Simple thing is that you should never think that all you can do is donate or throw away your leather article just because it is broken or damaged. If you are attached to or if it is an expensive leather article always take it to a shoe repair shop or a leather repair shop and ask about repairing it and get a price before you just get rid of it.
As with shoes and boots, purses, bags and briefcases need to be kept conditioned to protect the leather. Waterproofing will also help protect the leather from damage and even fading. However, with day to day use as we all know, these types of bags sustain many types of damage from small cuts and scuffs to large tears and even holes. Now the large tears and holes would require a skilled craftsman such as a shoe repairmen like myself or my brothers. There are many skilled leather craftsmen out there in shoe repair shops and leather repair businesses around the world, all you have to do is check around and ask questions. Just do not give up if one or two repair people tell you that they do not work on your type of leather product. I have worked on some very strange leather products in my past. With the small cuts and scuffs, you can get a tube of contact cement for leather to glue the cut down and clean off the excess glue off the surface after it dries. It usually will rub off, just be sure to rub it the direction of the cut so that you do not rub the cut open again.
Scuffs on your leather can be smoothed out with polish in some cases depending on how rough the scuff is and how much of the color has been scuffed off. If you can polish the scuff out, take you leather article to a shoe repair with you to match the color to a polish. Do not use to much polish! Rub the polish on in small circles spreading it out and rubbing it in until it is dull and there is no excess polish on the surface. Do not try to polish the entire purse, bag or briefcase at one once, do it in stages or areas. Once you have put polish over the entire area you are working on, use a horse hair polishing brush or a clean cotton t-shirt to buff the polish to a shine. Now take a clean cotton t-shirt or rag and rebuff the article to ensure that there is no excess polish that could rub off or transfer to your clothing. Then use a waterproof spray or a lite spray wax shine (MASTER SHINE) for leather to seal the polish.
If the scuff is extremely bad, you have a couple of choices. Your easiest choice is to find a shoe repair that recolors leather or refinishes leather. This is basically dying or painting the leather with specialized dyes and paints for leather. They will match the color as close as possible and recondition it after the refinishing is complete to ensure the new finish is not sticky and very flexible with the leather it is now apart of. You can do it yourself as well. Go to a shoe repair, take your leather article to match a color and ask about leather paint. Buy some leather cleaner such as thinner or spot remover to clean the entire surface of the article before you start and allow to dry completely. There are two major brands that I like: MELTONIAN and Nu-Life. Both of these brands are specialized for leather and I prefer to use TANNERY leather conditioner spray as my conditioner of choice after the paint has dried. With the bad scuffs, mist just enough paint directly onto the scuff to make it a little wet and rub it into the scuff with your finger tip until it is smooth and not wet looking. Completely cover the entire scuff mark in this manner to replace the color and smooth out the scuffed leather. The paint will help fill in the rough leather to bring back the smooth surface. Let this dry for a few minutes and then lightly mist the area with paint holding the can about 6 to 10 inches from the leather. AVOID WET RUNS IN THE PAINT. Paint the leather in a light coat to blend the new color with the old color to get an even color match all over. Once you have your desired color and appearance, allow to dry for at least several hours ever 24 hours if you can. Then use the Tannery leather conditioner spray by lightly spraying it over the leather article over the entire newly painted area and allow to sit for a couple of minutes and wipe off with a clean cotton t-shirt or rag. If you cannot find Tannery you can get Leather Balm or any other leather conditioner that may be recommended by the shoe repairmen where you buy the paint. The shoe repairmen will be a GREAT source of information and opinions when doing work yourself if you are not sure what to do.
Pretty much all sewing involving purses, bags and briefcases, I would recommend that you find a shoe repair near you and take it in to have them look at it and have it repaired. Most home sewing machines are not able to sew leather very well if at all and some issues requiring sewing on purses, bags and briefcases may require a patch or maybe even hand sewing with a hook awl needle.
Straps can be shortened if you find that they are to long for you or have new holes punched into them for further adjustment. If you have a strap that broke off from your purse, bag or briefcase, it can be repaired at a shoe repair. Do not get rid of your favorite bag because a strap broke. It usually does not cost very much to repair a strap depending on how it was attached and what needs to be done to re-attach it. Stitching comes undone on straps after months or years of being carried around. Straps can be restitched on machines or be hand stitched if needed. Shoulder purses and bags can have the straps shortened to make them hand bags.
Handles on briefcases can be replaced and repaired!
Zippers are an issue with all types of leather products, especially purses, bags and some briefcases. Zippers can be repaired or replaced and it is cheaper than replacing the leather article in most cases. Most of the time the zipper just needs to be fixed or adjusted. Sometimes a stitch or a clip to stop the slider at a new point will help. New sliders can be replaced and new zippers can be put in. Shoe repair shop do this all the time. You also have other repair companies out there that just work on baggage.
Clasps, "D" rings, "O" rings and other attachments on purses, bags and briefcases can be replaced or repaired as well. Do not think that just because it broke to just throw it away. Take it to a shoe repair and ask the question. Odds are that they can fix it or know someone that can. Most articles with straps or handles have "D" rings, "O" rings or other types of links to attach them to the bags. When a strap breaks loose from these it can be re-attached either by patching, new leather straps or just sewing back into place. New rings or links can be replaced without a problem as well.
Simple thing is that you should never think that all you can do is donate or throw away your leather article just because it is broken or damaged. If you are attached to or if it is an expensive leather article always take it to a shoe repair shop or a leather repair shop and ask about repairing it and get a price before you just get rid of it.
My Brothers J.D. & Dan run Shoe Repair Businesses in Texas & Utah.
For all of you that live in or near WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS you can contact
my brother, J.D. at his shoe repair at 972-938-7979. Hours of operation
are: Tues. - Fri. 10 am - 6 pm & Sat. 10 am - 5 pm. If you are
close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 507 N.
Hwy. 77, Ste. 1100C, Waxahachie, TX 75165. You can also contact him at: TexasBootRepair.com
For those of you that live in or near WEST JORDAN, UTAH you can contact my brother, Dan at his shoe repair at 801-448-1928. Hours of operation are Tues. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm. If you are close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 7650 S. Redwood Rd., Ste. B, West Jordan, UT 84084. You can also contact him at: roycecustomleather.com, his business is Royce Custom Leather LLC.
For those of you that live in or near WEST JORDAN, UTAH you can contact my brother, Dan at his shoe repair at 801-448-1928. Hours of operation are Tues. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm. If you are close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 7650 S. Redwood Rd., Ste. B, West Jordan, UT 84084. You can also contact him at: roycecustomleather.com, his business is Royce Custom Leather LLC.
Exotic skin repair and conditioning.
With your exotic skin leather products, if you do not keep them
conditioned you will find that they will begin to dry and peel. If you
find that your exotic skin article already has splits or areas of
peeling, you can repair this yourself before you condition it. To repair the splits or peeling, you will need to either go to a shoe repair or to a store that sells shoe repair type products because you will need Contact Cement especially for leather. Personally, I would recommend taking it to a shoe repair because they will repair ir for you and make sure that any excess glue is removed. Also, depending on the shoe repair sometimes they will do a quick conditioning of your product after they repaired it. The cost is usually very low, in most cases in my own business past I only charged $3.00 minimum for a repair such as gluing something or a minor sewing job. Be aware that there are some exotic skin repairs that may require sewing or some type of patching to place some type of thin leather behind the slit in order to provide extra strength.
Exotic skin products such as boots, shoes, bags/purses, belts, etc. tend to cost more to buy and some are extremely expensive. So before you just decide that the article is ruined take it to a shoe repair and have them look at it to see if they can repair it. If the first place you go says no or says they cannot or have never done that before, try another shoe repair. Not all repairmen have the same experience but they all have their own strengths.
For all of you that live in or near WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS you can contact my brother, J.D. at his shoe repair at 972-938-7979. Hours of operation are: Tues. - Fri. 10 am - 6 pm & Sat. 10 am - 5 pm. If you are close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 507 N. Hwy. 77, Ste. 1100C, Waxahachie, TX 75165. You can also contact him at: TexasBootRepair.com
For those of you that live in or near WEST JORDAN, UTAH you can contact my brother, Dan at his shoe repair at 801-448-1928. Hours of operation are Tues. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm. If you are close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 7650 S. Redwood Rd., Ste. B, West Jordan, UT 84084. You can also contact him at roycecustomleather.com, his business is Royce Custom Leather LLC.
Exotic skin products such as boots, shoes, bags/purses, belts, etc. tend to cost more to buy and some are extremely expensive. So before you just decide that the article is ruined take it to a shoe repair and have them look at it to see if they can repair it. If the first place you go says no or says they cannot or have never done that before, try another shoe repair. Not all repairmen have the same experience but they all have their own strengths.
For all of you that live in or near WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS you can contact my brother, J.D. at his shoe repair at 972-938-7979. Hours of operation are: Tues. - Fri. 10 am - 6 pm & Sat. 10 am - 5 pm. If you are close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 507 N. Hwy. 77, Ste. 1100C, Waxahachie, TX 75165. You can also contact him at: TexasBootRepair.com
For those of you that live in or near WEST JORDAN, UTAH you can contact my brother, Dan at his shoe repair at 801-448-1928. Hours of operation are Tues. - Sat. 10 am - 6 pm. If you are close to the area, you could just stop by his shoe repair at: 7650 S. Redwood Rd., Ste. B, West Jordan, UT 84084. You can also contact him at roycecustomleather.com, his business is Royce Custom Leather LLC.
TANNERY leather cleaner and conditioner spray.
TANNERY is one of the simplest and effect spray cleaner and conditioners on the market. I have used it for many years on every type of leather and exotic skins of all kinds. This spray conditioner is perfect to use on all colors and all types of smooth leather. DO NOT USE ON SUEDE LEATHER! If you have a pair of ropers or other type of leather boots or even any other type of leather product that you may use a leather spray paint to recolor, Tannery is one of the best conditioners to treat it after the paint dries. I used it for years as a conditioner after recoloring boots and all other leather products.
If you have leather furniture, Tannery is great for keeping the leather soft and smooth. To use this product, you simply lightly spray it over the surface of the leather and let it set for a couple of minutes and then wipe with a clean cloth. For the most part, I used a clean old t-shirt. The cotton t-shirt worked extremely well wiping the cleaner and conditioner into the leather and taking the excess off. Tannery absorbs into the leather to condition deep and cleans the surface of all dirt and oils that are left behind from day to day use. Now there are some things that Tannery cannot remove and it cases when a stain will not come off, get a product called Spot Remover. If that does not work, depending on how delicate the leather is, take it to a shoe repair or try leather dry cleaner. After using any of these other striping and cleaning products though, you must recondition your leather article to replenish the moisture in the leather.
If you have leather furniture, Tannery is great for keeping the leather soft and smooth. To use this product, you simply lightly spray it over the surface of the leather and let it set for a couple of minutes and then wipe with a clean cloth. For the most part, I used a clean old t-shirt. The cotton t-shirt worked extremely well wiping the cleaner and conditioner into the leather and taking the excess off. Tannery absorbs into the leather to condition deep and cleans the surface of all dirt and oils that are left behind from day to day use. Now there are some things that Tannery cannot remove and it cases when a stain will not come off, get a product called Spot Remover. If that does not work, depending on how delicate the leather is, take it to a shoe repair or try leather dry cleaner. After using any of these other striping and cleaning products though, you must recondition your leather article to replenish the moisture in the leather.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Write me with questions
If you ever have questions for me about any type of leather
cleaning or repair of any kind, feel free to write me and ask. I will
answer them the best I can and as straight forward and honest as I can.
For those of you that live in Utah or in Texas, I can give you the
addresses to my brothers shops in Salt Lake City, Utah and in
Waxahachie, Texas if you would like to take your leather articles to a
leather craftsman.
Old School Saddle Soap Cleaner
Saddle Soap is one of the most well know cleaning and preserving leather products on the market. There are many companies that manufacture it these days. Most recently, I bought a can of Saddle Soap made by PEAK Shoe Products. I picked this can up to clean my daughter's boots that she had left laying on her closet floor. As luck would have it, there was a water leak when the water heaters pressure valve sprayed water all over, which soaked under her closet wall and soaked her carpet. Which in turn got her boots all wet since they were laying on their sides on the carpet, instead of on the shelf where they belong. If you have ever had wet leather shoes that stayed wet or damp for an extended period of time, then you already know how fast the mildew can grow on the leather.
To start cleaning the mildew off of the leather boots you get a clean cloth or old t-shirt, which is what I use. Old t-shirts just save you money since most of the time it is a t-shirt you do not wear any more. Use a damp wash cloth to wipe the boots off to clean off excess dirt and mildew. You can use a small horse hair dauber or a damp cloth/t-shirt to apply the Saddle Soap to the leather. While applying the Saddle Soap using small circular motions, work it into a slight lather as you work it over the entire boot. Wipe off the excess lather and allow to dry. Once it has dried for a while, buff the Saddle Soap on the leather with the old t-shirt until you obtain an even shine. The Saddle Soap will not only clean your leather, it will also soften and preserve it. Saddle Soap is a neutral color cleaner, so it is completely safe for all colors of smooth leather. DO NOT USE ON SUEDE because suede is a fuzzy leather and it will be matted down. There are special cleaners especially made for suede leather and I will cover those products on another post.
If you ever have questions for me about any type of leather cleaning or repair of any kind, feel free to write me and ask. I will answer them the best I can and as straight forward and honest as I can. For those of you that live in Utah or in Texas, I can give you the addresses to my brothers shops in West Jordan, Utah and in Waxahachie, Texas if you would like to take your leather articles to a leather craftsman.
To start cleaning the mildew off of the leather boots you get a clean cloth or old t-shirt, which is what I use. Old t-shirts just save you money since most of the time it is a t-shirt you do not wear any more. Use a damp wash cloth to wipe the boots off to clean off excess dirt and mildew. You can use a small horse hair dauber or a damp cloth/t-shirt to apply the Saddle Soap to the leather. While applying the Saddle Soap using small circular motions, work it into a slight lather as you work it over the entire boot. Wipe off the excess lather and allow to dry. Once it has dried for a while, buff the Saddle Soap on the leather with the old t-shirt until you obtain an even shine. The Saddle Soap will not only clean your leather, it will also soften and preserve it. Saddle Soap is a neutral color cleaner, so it is completely safe for all colors of smooth leather. DO NOT USE ON SUEDE because suede is a fuzzy leather and it will be matted down. There are special cleaners especially made for suede leather and I will cover those products on another post.
If you ever have questions for me about any type of leather cleaning or repair of any kind, feel free to write me and ask. I will answer them the best I can and as straight forward and honest as I can. For those of you that live in Utah or in Texas, I can give you the addresses to my brothers shops in West Jordan, Utah and in Waxahachie, Texas if you would like to take your leather articles to a leather craftsman.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Select a brand and color of polish.
My favorite brand of polish is called MELTONIAN, it is manufactured by KIWI Brands Inc. Meltonian comes in nearly 200 colors which covers basically every color of leather product you could own. You should be able to find it at nearly all shoe repair shops and some major department stores in their shoe care area of the shoe department. When choosing a color, the color does not have to be an exact match. You merely have to find a color that is very close. However, with so many colors to choose from it is not to difficult to find a good match. The original color of the leather article will stay true as the color of the new polish restores the color and shine.
Meltonian polish has very rich color as well as conditioning and some waterproofing properties. When using this brand of polish on your shoes and boots to recolor scuff marks and to just shine them, you can use a small horse hair dauber brush or just a plain old t-shirt to apply the polish in small circles to the leather area and rub it in. Using a horse hair polishing brush or the same t-shirt, use rapid buffing motions over the polished areas until the dull look of the polish has turned to a clear shine. In the case of leather articles such as a purse, briefcase or item that may ever rub against your clothing rebuff the entire article with another clean area of the t-shirt lightly to ensure that you do not have much excess transfer of the color. The last thing you want to have happen is to have color transfer from your blue or black purse or from your burgundy briefcase onto your beige skirt or khaki pants. There are also treatment sprays, such as Meltonian Waterproofer which can be lightly misted over the leather article to seal it. There are also some spray shine products such as Master Shine spray wax for leather, which is a light clear wax in a aerosol can to spray on your leather products after you polish them.
I have used Meltonian polish on furniture, motorcycle seats and even some wood applications. Some of the lighter colors may not cover as well as you would like, but the color does fill in the scuffs. On most light colored leathers, you may have to clean the leather with a good cleaner before you polish it. There are some aerosol sprays and some liquids to use with a rag or t-shirt to rub the dirt off. I am sure you have noticed that the scuff marks may have ground in dirt discoloring the leather. You can pick up a product called Spot Remover from a shoe repair and it really cleans it off great along with cleaning off many other types of things off of your leather articles.
Remember, just because you get a stain on your leather article, do not think it is ruined. Leather is one type of material that has many options to clean or change.
Meltonian polish has very rich color as well as conditioning and some waterproofing properties. When using this brand of polish on your shoes and boots to recolor scuff marks and to just shine them, you can use a small horse hair dauber brush or just a plain old t-shirt to apply the polish in small circles to the leather area and rub it in. Using a horse hair polishing brush or the same t-shirt, use rapid buffing motions over the polished areas until the dull look of the polish has turned to a clear shine. In the case of leather articles such as a purse, briefcase or item that may ever rub against your clothing rebuff the entire article with another clean area of the t-shirt lightly to ensure that you do not have much excess transfer of the color. The last thing you want to have happen is to have color transfer from your blue or black purse or from your burgundy briefcase onto your beige skirt or khaki pants. There are also treatment sprays, such as Meltonian Waterproofer which can be lightly misted over the leather article to seal it. There are also some spray shine products such as Master Shine spray wax for leather, which is a light clear wax in a aerosol can to spray on your leather products after you polish them.
I have used Meltonian polish on furniture, motorcycle seats and even some wood applications. Some of the lighter colors may not cover as well as you would like, but the color does fill in the scuffs. On most light colored leathers, you may have to clean the leather with a good cleaner before you polish it. There are some aerosol sprays and some liquids to use with a rag or t-shirt to rub the dirt off. I am sure you have noticed that the scuff marks may have ground in dirt discoloring the leather. You can pick up a product called Spot Remover from a shoe repair and it really cleans it off great along with cleaning off many other types of things off of your leather articles.
Remember, just because you get a stain on your leather article, do not think it is ruined. Leather is one type of material that has many options to clean or change.
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