Holes in old vest etc

[the13bats]

Im going to use this post to both say hello, new here and ask for some opinions and suggestions on my vest.

Years back i did some leather crafting, cutting dying rivets, hand stitching, belts, wrist bands, boot straps nothing at all epic but not 100% green.

So i came and joined to get some feedback on a leather biker motorcycle type vintage vest i have, i was in the music entertainment biz and have a show the vest is for, think mad max, zombie apocalyptic type thing, not all nice and new looking.

Its well used weatherd which is what i wanted i hit it with lexol, and its nice but it has a couple holes about the size of your finger tip not a problem for the look i wanted but i dont want them to enlarge,

They appear like drops of something caustic ate the holes, the edges are tatted raggedy and for lack of a better term seem rotten if i pick at the rought tatters it disintegrates, but the leather around them seem sound, a bit weird to me what ciuld have caused this.

My first idea was take thin scrap leather and from the back of the hole one easy to get to the other not so much glue it on with something like shoe goo that wont get hard and will keep the hole from growing if stressed, but will still look like a hole.

So if the hole is say dime sized how big should my backing patch be?

im assuming you guys have better options and any opinions what caused weird holes like these,

 

Many thanks

cheers

b

 

 

 

[fredk]

Hi & welcome to the forum

I would get some sort-of flesh coloured - or near enough - linen/cotton mix material and glue patches over the holes on the inside. At least 1/4 inch beyond the edge of the hole should do. Use contact adhesive, just enough to stick the patch

Edited November 3, 2018 by fredk

[kgg]

You could maybe sew a patch over or behind the hole with similar leather and put a false pocket flap over it to match the other pocket flap.

kgg

[the13bats]

Thanks for the feedback, i dont want to hide the holes just stop and protect them so to speak,

The one the dogs pointing at the white is the pocket lining, the other hole is hard to see up on the left lapel where it folds over,

So sounds like a patch from behind will do it, one inside pocket has the lining ripped so i can get to the back from there

I was gonna use shoe goo but do you guys recomend a different product?

 

[fredk]

One other thing you might try - warning, this may work or it may not ~ soak the ragged edges of the holes with superglue. This will certainly stop them getting any bigger for a while but it may also stiffen the leather

[the13bats]

Its those rotted tattered edges that have my OCD in a tizzy lol, if i pick at them its like damp paper towel, but past them the leather is thankfully sound

I learned way back not to use super glue on leather you know it gets rock hard not something i want here,

However,

In that vein rather than patching from behind i might try only putting a coat of shoe goo on it from behind it would do as you suggest but not get rock hard then if i dont like that a patch is no big deal,

 

Thinking on it before i do anything

[robs456]

20 hours ago, fredk said:

soak the ragged edges of the holes with superglue

This. You don't want superglue so try some other flexible glue, but you need to soak the edges if you want to keep them.
If the hole was caused by any type of burning -chemicals, fire, laser- the fibers are ruined and brittle and will fall apart over time.
If you're really going for the wasteland look just remove all the brittle parts and check the vest afterwards, might look the part better. And if not, cover the now larger holes with uneven patches in various colors sewn on with Frankenstein type stitches. 
 

[the13bats]

Rob,

I sure would love to know what made the holes the way it looks makes me think something caustic hit it in globs, as only those are rotten the rest of the leather is in pretty good shape

I think we are on the same page and i just might do some Frankenstein stitching on it one day, one of the many jackets max wore had that type on the fly repairs,

What i did do was used shoe goo, you have to work quickly but i worked the ragged edges with it, but when ahead and patched it from the rear,

The patch is scrap leather with shoe goo, which does stay flexible,

I didnt color it yet, but pleased so far, i had to cut seam of pocket lining to get inside but just restitched it.

 

Many thanks all!

Cheers

b

 

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by the13bats
added pix

[robs456]

9 hours ago, the13bats said:

I didnt color it yet

Perhaps you shouldn't?

Ketchup, battery acid, vinegar, cleaning products...this thing looks sprayed with whatever it was. 
 

[ScoobyNewbie]

Actually, if you are going for mad max, post apocalyptic, then flesh tones peaking through isn’t a bad way to go. I thought it hit the nail on the head in the second picture. Kind of raw meatish. 

Also, I have been told if you grind up black leather into a dust, you can add Leather Weld to it and cover the pink stuff with it. Apparently, you can make it have a pebbled appearance like the old leather. It shouldn’t dry hard like superglue.

Edited November 5, 2018 by ScoobyNewbie