Restoring, Repairing and Reviving Leather

One reason why leather is so popular is that it lasts so long and with age, becomes even more beautiful and natural looking.

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When considering restoring leather, you need to know if your leather article can indeed be restored.  There is a point beyond which leather cannot be restored. 

 

Three main indicators of leather being beyond repair are:

1. the leather tears easily and

2. when you rub your fingers on the surface you get a dusty residue on them (this is known as red rot).

3. major cracking or tears

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Once leather has dried and started red-rot, there is no going back or reversing the damage. In these cases, I recommend conservation and preservation treatments used by museums.

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Have a look at my article on how to treat various problems.  If you are still in doubt, contact me and I can assess your article.

While regularly cleaning and conditioning your leather will help keep it looking its best, you can also rescue and revive old leather that has been neglected - up to a point. 

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Cleaning must be done with the right products, otherwise the leather can dry, making it weak and prone to cracking, tearing and losing colour.

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Different leathers require different treatments so always ask first.  Restoring and reviving needs knowledge of the leather to be restored and knowledge of the right products to use for the respective type of leather.  Furniture, cases, shoes, handbags require different methods of treatment as all articles are made from different types of leather.  There is no "one product for all leathers".

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Repairs can be very challenging also, depending on the article to be repaired.  Tears in furniture and jackets require a dismantling of the item, repairing the tears from the inside, then re-assembling the item and covering up the tear on the outside.

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Please don't tackle any restoration projects without first getting good advice.

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Good advice would be to seek good advice!  If in doubt, contact a specialist.