Redying a Problem Case

[Bree]

A local musician called me and posed a problem. He has a saxophone case made by a pretty famous leathercrafter/artist named Glenn Cronkhite. The case is pretty expensive. It is Chocolate Brown in color. Well it seems that he somehow got some acetone on the case and of course it did some damage to the color and texture of the leather.

My first thought was to send him back to Glenn. The maker knows what he used and how he finished the case. He is the person best able to repair problems. Of course I wasn't sure that even Glenn could rescue this case as the damage was going to be very tough to bring back to original condition.

I suggested that if Glenn could not fix the problem that the final resort was to redye the case black or dark brown. In effect... nuke the case color. I also told him that he could black only 1/2 of the case leaving a black/brown two-tone if he wished. Glenn likes to make two-tone cases so this would not be all that different from others in the line.

Well Glenn pretty much told him what I told him about the case and helped him with the texture but the color was not acceptable to to the musician. So he wants it redyed. I tried hard to steer this thing back to Glenn but it looks like I am going to be stuck fixing the case for the guy.

So I am wondering what you guys and gals might suggest for a high end musical instrument case made of quality leather with a color flaw? My thought was to mask off the metal and interior components and deglaze any top coat. Then take an alcohol based black dye and carefully sponge on 2 layers of new dye to get a smooth even coverage followed by some Tan Kote or similar and some nice hand rubbed buffing. I can't spend a ton of time on this job. It is not going to bring in any substantial $$$ but I would like to see his nice case be nice again.

Any other ideas or suggestions?? Do you think I am on the right track? Wrong track?

[Bree]

Zero recommendations???

Shoot, I am going to end up doing what I planned to do and have nobody to blame but myself if I mess up the guy's expensive case!!

[The Major]

Its really hard to make a recommendation without actually seeing the damage. Is it possible to post some pictures and we'll take it from there.

[Bree]

Its really hard to make a recommendation without actually seeing the damage. Is it possible to post some pictures and we'll take it from there.

Yes I have some but they are not very good. I also have a Photoshop image to show what it might look like after a monotone dye job. I did a virtual dye job! LOL!

The first 3 PIX show the damage near the edge of the case and the last two PIX are Photoshop renditions of what a dye fix might look like.

[The Major]

Awesome virtual dye job.

That body looks like chrome tanned leather so this is going to be fun. The good part is there isn't much texture to the leather

This is what I would suggest. Hit that area with deglazer. I wouldn't do the whole thing, but take that finish off for about 2 inches around the stain.

Once your deglazer has dried, Now clean it. I would recommend using some dawn and a tooth brush. Rinse using a spray bottle, you want to try not to re-deposit the stain. Repeat a couple times. let it dry. See if it lightened it up at all. It should have lightened it up some. Now comes the fun part. Use a piece of 1200 grit sand paper and hit the stain.

Now airbrush or shoot the color on. Obviously start light and work it up. I would recommend using diluted acrylics.

Now finish it.

Good luck

[Bree]

Awesome virtual dye job.

That body looks like chrome tanned leather so this is going to be fun. The good part is there isn't much texture to the leather

This is what I would suggest. Hit that area with deglazer. I wouldn't do the whole thing, but take that finish off for about 2 inches around the stain.

Once your deglazer has dried, Now clean it. I would recommend using some dawn and a tooth brush. Rinse using a spray bottle, you want to try not to re-deposit the stain. Repeat a couple times. let it dry. See if it lightened it up at all. It should have lightened it up some. Now comes the fun part. Use a piece of 1200 grit sand paper and hit the stain.

Now airbrush or shoot the color on. Obviously start light and work it up. I would recommend using diluted acrylics.

Now finish it.

Good luck

Sounds like you are wanting to try to match the color and feather it in or do you think I should nuke it black??

If I do the whole case shouldn't I deglaze all of it?? BTW The guy called about 30 minutes ago while I was on a conference call. He will be calling back in about a half hour! LOL! He is persistent.

Edited November 13, 2008 by Bree

[The Major]

Yeah if you want to match it, then yes I am trying to tell you that. If the customer doesn't care, nuke it, just make sure you have him sign something saying it is ok.

There really is no need to deglaze the whole thing. Every jacket, case, and car seat I have ever repaired, I only concerned myself with about 2 inches around the trouble area. With proper prep, and finishing, there is no need do remove the whole finish. It also helps reduce the amount of other things that can possibly go wrong.

If you are going to nuke the case, then you will have to deglaze all of it.

[hidepounder]

Bree....I've run into these chemical stains before and have had zero luck restoring the leather! I think it's time to go black! I hope there's not a texture change where the acetone is. Definitely deglaze everything first! The Major's idea may be worth a try...that's a really intersting approach! I would still be concerned that over time the original color and repaired color may not age the same. If there's no budget and no time.....I'd tell the customer how great it will look black!

A local musician called me and posed a problem. He has a saxophone case made by a pretty famous leathercrafter/artist named Glenn Cronkhite. The case is pretty expensive. It is Chocolate Brown in color. Well it seems that he somehow got some acetone on the case and of course it did some damage to the color and texture of the leather.

My first thought was to send him back to Glenn. The maker knows what he used and how he finished the case. He is the person best able to repair problems. Of course I wasn't sure that even Glenn could rescue this case as the damage was going to be very tough to bring back to original condition.

I suggested that if Glenn could not fix the problem that the final resort was to redye the case black or dark brown. In effect... nuke the case color. I also told him that he could black only 1/2 of the case leaving a black/brown two-tone if he wished. Glenn likes to make two-tone cases so this would not be all that different from others in the line.

Well Glenn pretty much told him what I told him about the case and helped him with the texture but the color was not acceptable to to the musician. So he wants it redyed. I tried hard to steer this thing back to Glenn but it looks like I am going to be stuck fixing the case for the guy.

So I am wondering what you guys and gals might suggest for a high end musical instrument case made of quality leather with a color flaw? My thought was to mask off the metal and interior components and deglaze any top coat. Then take an alcohol based black dye and carefully sponge on 2 layers of new dye to get a smooth even coverage followed by some Tan Kote or similar and some nice hand rubbed buffing. I can't spend a ton of time on this job. It is not going to bring in any substantial $$$ but I would like to see his nice case be nice again.

Any other ideas or suggestions?? Do you think I am on the right track? Wrong track?

[Bree]

HP...

Glenn got the texture corrected but he was unable to acceptably match the color. I didn't expect that he would as the stain was blotchy and irregular. I told that to the customer. Now The Major's method might well work if you can get a color match. Glenn is the guy who knows exactly what he used and maybe he even has some from the same batch and run. But it didn't work out.

So I have tried to have the maker do the fix and that didn't work so I see no real choice but to nuke the case. It's the only way to cover and blend that stain and do so affordably and with little risk. If I spend a lot of time the price is going to quickly jump to the cost of a new case. That won't work.

What do you think about the issue of using an alcohol or solvent based stain versus an acrylic dye? Plusses and minuses?

[Kevin]

I have mixed Edge-Kote and a cream leather conditioner together and gotten pretty good results on worn corners, its pretty forgiving and you can control the shade with the mixture. I would think acrylic dye would work even better. Good Luck, Kevin