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Repairing & recoloring Lambskin black?

chamburger1

New in Town
Messages
18
Location
New York NY
I have an old maybe +12 years lambskin I got as a teenager. The cuffs ends are discolored and it looks like the finish has worn away there. It looks dark grayish/almost black, but it feels like suede now compared to the rest of the jacket. I sent it maybe a year or 2 ago to a leather repair place who recolored it, but I feel like the cuffs are wearing away again and I'd like to take matters into my own hands.

I have a bottle of Feibings black dye, and kiwi black shoe wax. Could a combination of dye then wax give the fraying areas a more polished look? I've read about leather finish and a leather type of glue used for couch repairs, would I need to get these. Is there anyway to give the cuffs that shinier polished black look the rest of the jacket has? Unfortunately i don't have pics at the moment.

Appreciate any advice on my endeavor.
 

Lean'n'mean

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,087
Location
Cloud-cuckoo-land
I think you're on the right track, dye it & when dry apply the shoe polish & really brush it well,(you should get a shiny surface & the polish shouldn't rub off on your clothes).Since the grain surface of the leather has worn away, you'll probably have to re-polish regularly.
 

chamburger1

New in Town
Messages
18
Location
New York NY
I think you're on the right track, dye it & when dry apply the shoe polish & really brush it well,(you should get a shiny surface & the polish shouldn't rub off on your clothes).Since the grain surface of the leather has worn away, you'll probably have to re-polish regularly.

Thanks! Should I sand the fraying edge first just to get it as smooth as can be?
 

SJC

Suspended
Messages
230
Location
Pennsylvania
I have an old maybe +12 years lambskin I got as a teenager. The cuffs ends are discolored and it looks like the finish has worn away there. It looks dark grayish/almost black, but it feels like suede now compared to the rest of the jacket. I sent it maybe a year or 2 ago to a leather repair place who recolored it, but I feel like the cuffs are wearing away again and I'd like to take matters into my own hands.

I have a bottle of Feibings black dye, and kiwi black shoe wax. Could a combination of dye then wax give the fraying areas a more polished look? I've read about leather finish and a leather type of glue used for couch repairs, would I need to get these. Is there anyway to give the cuffs that shinier polished black look the rest of the jacket has? Unfortunately i don't have pics at the moment.

Appreciate any advice on my endeavor.
I would contact Kevin Gillan at Advanced Leather Solutions in CA. He has a ton of youtube videos that are super helpful and is the most knowledgeable person in the USA on dying leather!
 

BobJ

Practically Family
Messages
609
Location
Coos Bay, OR
I have an old maybe +12 years lambskin I got as a teenager. The cuffs ends are discolored and it looks like the finish has worn away there. It looks dark grayish/almost black, but it feels like suede now compared to the rest of the jacket. I sent it maybe a year or 2 ago to a leather repair place who recolored it, but I feel like the cuffs are wearing away again and I'd like to take matters into my own hands.

I have a bottle of Feibings black dye, and kiwi black shoe wax. Could a combination of dye then wax give the fraying areas a more polished look? I've read about leather finish and a leather type of glue used for couch repairs, would I need to get these. Is there anyway to give the cuffs that shinier polished black look the rest of the jacket has? Unfortunately i don't have pics at the moment.

Appreciate any advice on my endeavor.

Did you dye and polish it yet? How did it turn out? I did something similar to my girlfriend's black lambskin jacket a few weeks ago. It also had areas of wear that were showing the gray through. I just used black shoe cream polish - as opposed to the hard wax - thinking that it would penetrate and soak in better. Then buffed it well. It turned out perfect - you couldn't tell where the worn areas were. Now we just have to see how long it lasts.
 

navetsea

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,886
Location
East Java
kiwi shoe polish or any shoe-wax cracks when dry on moving parts, so it will leave black dust/ chipped particles on creases
 

Peacoat

*
Bartender
Messages
6,480
Location
South of Nashville
How well the re-dyeing process works depends on the type of tanning used on the leather. I have had success on with Feibings on the vegetable tanned hides. On the chrome tanned, it just won't work.
 

Sloan1874

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,427
Location
Glasgow
I've used tan Kiwi polish to re-colour spots on a jacket that I accidentally dabbed with de-greaser, and it did a great job. I applied it sparingly, rubbed it deep into the leather, gave it a good buff and then repeated a couple of times until I was happy with the finish.
 

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