97' Schott Perfecto.. How to remove smell?

[Nate Kanbe]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased this beautiful 1997 Schott Perfecto 118 from Japan and overall the condition is great. However, it does have that slight "sitting in a closet for 20 years" vintage smell that I'm sure you're all familiar with.

The hide is naked cowhide, which I'm sure contributes to the permeability of smells into the flesh.

Does anyone here have experience removing smells from naked cowhide?

I already wiped it down with a leather cleaner and that helped a bit.

Any tips are appreciated!

Thank you

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

1st hang in sun for few days. Turn inside out from time to time.

No good, next spray with mixture of water/vinegar. I use 75/25. Hang in sun few days turning inside out too.

Still no good. Bucket wash with sensitive laundry detergent. Let sit couple hours, swoosh around, rinse thoroughly. Let air dry away from sun few days.

 

[TREEMAN]

Fresh air on a nice windy day....

 

[ton312]

Hats and tree have it. 90% of the time sun and wind will will take care of it. Had an old smelly Cal (that basement funk) that I let bake for a week in the sun and wind and the smell all but vanished. Bath tub soak if needed after that, just don’t dry it with any heat. Especially naked cow as it will shrivel and deform.
Sounds like sun and wind are all you need though.

 

[Monitor]

If the smell isn't bad, just wait it out. As @TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead recommended, leave it in the sun for a few hrs or simply just throw it over a chair and the smell should go away in a day or two. Vintage smell fades away quickly.

Wouldn't do anything drastic until I was sure the smell is here to stay.

 

[Allydress]

Some do smell that way, but they just go away. Just wait it out.