Help! Removing shoe polish from aniline leather bag

[americandreaming]

I bought a small vintage Coach bag and unfortunately it is caked in shoe polish.  I've tried everything I can get my hands on - scrubbed and soaked overnight three times it in water and dish soap, a big bottle of acetone, non-acetone polish remover, Saphir Renomat, a wide range of leather cleaners and conditioners, different soaps, melting with a hairdryer etc.  The polish has been literally impossible to remove despite all that vigorous beating and money wasted spent.

The leather is full grain full aniline and I'm pretty sure it's soaked into the pores as well as caked on the surface.  I feel so hopeless but I don't want to give up on it.  Even its spaghetti straps are caked.

Does anyone have any advice please?  Photograph attached.

ETA: I have five more of this bag style in different colours that aren't shoe-polished as well as a bunch of other vintage Coach bags in the same type of leather so I'm familiar with dealing with the type of the leather but not the shoe polish removal.  Once that is dealt with and gone (hopefully!!!), I can pick things up from there.

I'm a new member and not sure where to post this so mods please move to the right or better place.  Thanks

Edited April 30, 2021 by americandreaming

[fredk]

The only thing left to try is cellulose thinners, aka lacquer thinners. I use it to remove just about all top finishes, including polishes and lacquer finishes

[sbrownn]

It sounds like from your post that this finish is "soaked in".  If it is truly "soaked in" then I don't see how any surface removal techniques will remove it.  Soaking leather in something like acetone may work but it seems like it would remove all the oils and fats used in the tanning process rendering it just a floppy piece of "cardboard" leather.

First question:  Why do you want to remove it?

Second question:  How about you accept the color that it is and instead try to figure out how to make it look and feel better?

[americandreaming]

1 hour ago, fredk said:

The only thing left to try is cellulose thinners, aka lacquer thinners. I use it to remove just about all top finishes, including polishes and lacquer finishes

Thank you for your advice, Fred.  I rang some local cobblers and one has offered to remove and recolour the bag.  I'm hoping the experts will be able to deal with it but if they cannot, I shall try the cellulose thinner.

49 minutes ago, sbrownn said:

It sounds like from your post that this finish is "soaked in".  If it is truly "soaked in" then I don't see how any surface removal techniques will remove it.  Soaking leather in something like acetone may work but it seems like it would remove all the oils and fats used in the tanning process rendering it just a floppy piece of "cardboard" leather.

First question:  Why do you want to remove it?

The polish rubs off onto my clothes, meaning I cannot even use it in its current state, and prevents me from performing my usual bag rehab process.

Second question:  How about you accept the color that it is and instead try to figure out how to make it look and feel better?

Why should I 'accept' it?  It's not about the 'colour' - I have wanted this exact black bag for a long time - it's that the leather shouldn't be coated and blocked with shoe polish.  

The bags in my vintage collection (like many other collectors') are carefully dunked, conditioned with the appropriate products and buffed to a shine and I want to keep this consistent across the board.  As aforementioned, it rubs off so it's not even like I can even use it! 

Finally, if I don't like the look and feel, it's my choice to either try to find a solution, which is why I created the thread, or dispose and replace.  It's 27 years old; although I wanted to give it a new lease of life and plenty of love, it's proving to be too much to handle.

 

[fredk]

Just another thought; if the cobblers can't do the job, try turpentine. Real turps, not the turps substitute you can buy cheaply. As a beekeeper I used to make beeswax polishes and I used real turps in the mix. Real turps would strip my polishes off things.

edit to ask; is this bag worth the effort? or is it one of those projects we just don't want to be beaten by?

Edited May 1, 2021 by fredk

[sbrownn]

That's interesting that the shoe polish rubs off on your clothes.  I have no idea what is going on but I've never had shoe polish that was on shoes rub off on anything.  I suppose it might if you didn't finish your shoes off with a brush or rag though.

[fredk]

5 minutes ago, sbrownn said:

That's interesting that the shoe polish rubs off on your clothes.  

That and the dull finish makes me think its a dubbin type polish which might be removed with turpentine

[sbrownn]

I'm not familiar with a "dubbin" type polish but if it rubs off on clothes it seems like you could rub it until it doesn't rub off anymore.  Isn't that basically what you do with most shoe polishes?

I am really hesitant to use petroleum based thinners and removers on leather; for the most part because I have had poor luck with them.

 

[fredk]

a. dubbin is a heavy waxed based polish used for waterproofing leather items, especially hiking boots and bags. Its not meant to be polished, just applied and allowed to semi-harden

b. pure turpentine is made from the resin of pine trees

[sbrownn]

"b. pure turpentine is made from the resin of pine trees"

Oh yeah, that's right.  

[chrisash]

Might well be a stupid answer, but how about pressure washing it with water, with the lance held at a angle so the pressure is not directly into the leather but at  say 45-60 degrees. Might do less damage than other means

[americandreaming]

On 5/1/2021 at 1:46 AM, fredk said:

Just another thought; if the cobblers can't do the job, try turpentine. Real turps, not the turps substitute you can buy cheaply. As a beekeeper I used to make beeswax polishes and I used real turps in the mix. Real turps would strip my polishes off things.

edit to ask; is this bag worth the effort? or is it one of those projects we just don't want to be beaten by?

 

On 5/1/2021 at 7:50 PM, fredk said:

That and the dull finish makes me think its a dubbin type polish which might be removed with turpentine

Thanks Fred - that makes sense.  I'll keep that in mind should the cobbler not be able to save it, although if he can't save it it's probably closer to a total loss and I'll probably sand the top layer off and recolour it.  The pores would still be clogged but at least the bulk would be gone.

That's a very good question - I guess a bit of both!  It's a a 27 year old amazing quality bag (full grain full aniline leather, unlined, solid brass/nickel hardware) in the colour I've wanted for a long time and to dodge multiple shoe-polished one to finally still end up with one frustrates me to no end as well as the fact that someone out there bought it and decided to ruin it with whatever they put on it.  

I currently have a few others in my possession (see attached) and eight on the way or waiting to be rehabbed, so it's a style dear to my heart.  None of my 'modern' bags beat vintage Coach!

[Wizcrafts]

The following suggestion was sent in by a guest who cannot post here.

It looks like they painted the purse not shoe polish. Shoe polish would have come off with the saphir stuff you used.