Restoration of a Vintage Leather Bag

[chrisash]

I was watching Suzi on the repair shop a few months ago making repairs to a leather item and she used a tape  that was made of parchment, very thin and near transparent, but according to her exceptionally strong and flexible, she used it where holes had pulled out stuck to the flesh side. No idea where she got it from

[Rahere]

1 hour ago, chrisash said:

I was watching Suzi on the repair shop a few months ago making repairs to a leather item and she used a tape  that was made of parchment, very thin and near transparent, but according to her exceptionally strong and flexible, she used it where holes had pulled out stuck to the flesh side. No idea where she got it from

Although it's started as 1-3mm skin, it's been stretched down, and so doesn't retain its original strength. It's most specifically not recommended to sew it, and it's highly hydroscopic. She may have used it to stabilise the original leather, so friction holds what are now tabs rather than a solid collagen matrix against the second piece, but it can't be load-bearing as this is. I've been taught how to handle old vellum (I'm researching a European view of the period 1400-1430 on the edge of the Warburg Institute) and wonder what she was about: perhaps it was purely cosmetic.

[Silverd]

My latest concern is the handle anchor straps.   IF they are not up to the task of holding the loaded trunk, then the project is limited to cosmetically restoring the trunk rather than cosmetic and functional restoration.   To accomplish handle anchor strap replacement will require removing the lining to gain access to the back side.  Of course, making new anchor straps will be required then hand sewing them back in.   Notice how the previous leather worker sewed them with a stitch line across the highest stress area just below the Dee Rings.   tsk tsk tsk...Not how I was taught to execute a load bearing connection.

 

Silverd

[Rahere]

So life's not perfect. Mind you, you could stick the entire thing in an ultrasonic bath to release all the glue and start from scratch. No, I didn't think that was a realistic starter...