Natural Hermes leather? What does that mean? What is an unfinished vs finished leather?

 

 Dalmatian Buffalo

 Vache Natural

Good Morning,

               I wanted to do a little lesson about "Natural" when describing Hermes leathers ...funny thing natural can mean "a color" such as pale tan or buff for instance on a finished leather; or it can mean that the leather surface is unfinished or  naked/ lacking a clear or colored coating on top of the leather .

A naked leather is considered an unfinished leathers such as Barenia an oil tanned leather ( all of the Barenia colors are still unfinished leather olive, fauve, black or indigo) or Vache natural (which is usually semi finished similar if not the same as a vegetable tanned cow hide). What was once called "natural" Barenia is now called fauve.

The color "natural" can be found on many finished leathers such as Epsom, Charmonix, Courchevel, Ardennes, Clemence, Box Calf , Box Napal and I'm sure some others which I did not mention...


What is a finished leather?


 A finished leather generally means one or more clear or colored top coats has been applied on top of the surface of the leather.
Most modern leathers today are finished leathers, that's why they can often be restored or touched up by applying a matching colored finish to areas of wear or stains or color-loss how well that works out depends upon the restoration specialist technique and eye as well as the re-finishing products they use as well as the amount used and dilution of said re-finishing products.

Some examples of Hermes Finished leathers include  With lesser or greater degrees of finish
Fjord
Charmonix
Box Calf
Veau Courchevel
Togo
Clemence
Evergrain
Epsom
etc...





Additionally, if you have a black mark on a white bag for instance it maybe difficult if not impossible to completely remove and or hide the mark below additional layers of white finish... usually it will show up through the cover finish... in a relatively short time. Much like trying to cover a black mark on a wall with white paint... that mark may migrate up through the coverage white paint over time...

Why Authenticating an Hermes Bag yourself isn't easy . so dont flip out... Just saying ( Part one)

Hello everyone,
                      I was speaking with someone a month or so ago who stated they are working on learning to authenticate  Hermes bags one their own. She said she was busy counting the scales on the crocodile bags and each number of stitches.. hmm sounds pretty tough.. especially because those particulars aren't going to help you....  Not to be mean spirited at all .. its just well.. its easy to get freaked out when you notice something you never have noticed before or that you have never seen before, and lets face it when you buy an Hermes bag even a very used one it represents a substantial investment for most of us...

I've also had folks worrying their Hermes bag isn't real because of the lack of a date code  and or a craftsman's stamp, also not a red flag for being inauthentic , missing or invisible date codes and craftsman's stamps  are not a sign of inauthenticity, those Hermes date codes and craftsman's ID stamps were for Hermes' internal controls not for authenticity nor are they serial numbers.... and yes bags can have the same date code and the same makers ID stamp.

Now I've heard Hermes is hiding the date codes, moving them to unexpected locations and or leaving them absent completely. And I've seen plenty of authentic Hermes bags without date codes not fetch the same money in the secondary market than one with a date code, so maybe you'll find a bargain? The lack of a date code has nothing to do with a bag being denied servicing by Hermes.. so exhale....whew!

Also comparing authentic Hermes bags  which were made in different time periods  for instance decades for instance the 1980's, 1990's, 2000's and 2010 ... whoa, way too many changes.... 
You will see so many differences , differences in hardware, zipper pulls and zipper stops, date code stamping, gold plating color, lock identification, dust bags, fonts on hardware etc....

Additionally comparing lets say 5 Kelly 32cm retourne style bags or 5 Birkin 35cm bags and finding they all vary in size! Yes authentic Hermes bags of the same style and size can vary considerably in size, also the leather type soft or stiff can also effect the way a bag looks in size...

And colors can vary greatly from year to year and leather type to leather type and dye vat to dye vat ...
For instance the classic Hermes Rouge H color can look purple hued burgundy , to a red burgundy, to a brown under-toned wine color....

Classic Hermes orange can be found in a wide range of hues .....also... as can all of the colors...

So, my advice is that because there are super fakes which are made so well its every hard to tell what you have ; don't try to authenticate it your self use an trusted authenticity service or buy directly from Hermes boutique.

All the best, doc

 

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season and not getting too tired and or stressed out .... whew....

Heavy snow here on the ranch, it's blowy and peaceful now....

I've got to go out and feed the livestock before heading over to the work shop to work on some Hermes Bag restorations.

This year  I'm going to start adding in some video clips so you can learn to restore and care for your bags.

 I hope you'll all  check back and add in your leather care and restoration questions in the comments section and I'll do my best to answer them
. 
I'm adding in a short clip of some of the animals to test out how this works :)

I hope you all have a happy and healthy New Year!

All the best.doc

 

Exotic Reptile Skin bags care and upkeep

 

Time to pull out your party bags in alligator and crocodile  The cool weather is upon us which means you might be having some parties coming up and the chance to wear your party sized bags

So with that in mind I think it would be a good time to get to taking care of your exotic reptile skin bags .I find that the most important things  to keep these skins in good shape is keep them away from extended periods of direct sunlight, high dry heat, or moisture  and most of all keep them well conditioned.

Just because a bag is shiny does not mean its in good condition.  Sometimes all you see is shine but you maybe looking at a shiny finish which is sitting on top of the skin while below the skin is in trouble.

 So first step is check the bag over while its still closed, look for any cracks starting ,especially in between the scales ,on the bends of the bag, look for lifting scales too... If you see any of these signs start conditioning with the bag still closed so as to prevent placing additional stress on the skin. If the skin doesn't show any signs of cracks or stress go ahead and open it up and get started.

 

 I like to use Luxury Again Lotion wipes for exotic skins, They are handy pre-measured and goof proof. :) Start with a Luxury Again cleansing wipe follow the directions, dry the bag and follow through with the Luxury Again lotion wipe for exotic skins, it will condition beautifully,  and when dry can be brought up to a nice shine with a shine cloth ( I use a professional shine cloth from Luxury Again (but you can se a nice lint free cloth,  like old flannel )... I'll do my best to get some instructions posted...

There are other very good products out there that work nicely on exotic reptile skins, make sure the product is specifically for reptile skins.

 I prefer not to use any products which are very greasy on reptile skins because those kinds of conditioners tend to darken the skins..  additionally if the product seems kind of sticky or waxy sticky, in my opinion so best to avoid them rather than get into trouble.

 

And always test a small hidden area with any intended product and wait 24hrs to make sure everything is going to work  before proceeding to whole panels...

 

 Its best to start with a small amount of product and work in a small area,work in sections. (you can always repeat applications). It's much better to under treat on the first go round than getting in a hurry slathering your bag with product and having a wreck trying to remove excess.

 

 I like to  make small circles with my  leather care product infused cloth, in my dominate hand and put my non dominant hand inside the bag to steady it . I use medium pressure,. when making my small 1.5inch circles , I over lap each circle by half as I move along

What is medium pressure?  well if the pressure would bruise an apple its too much pressure, if it wont bruise a ripe peach its too little pressure, find a happy medium in between .

 

 What order to do the panels?  I always say start with the base, then do each side, then the rear panel followed by the front panel  and last do the flaps, straps and handle .

 

Allow the surface of the bag to become dry ...then buff to a shine with long north south or east west strokes (just pick a direction and stick with it )  I like to fold my buffing cloth a couple of times by wrapping it around my dominant hand (make a hand burrito) keeping the fluffy side out and the canvas side in, keep your non dominant hand inside the bag to stabilize.  Again using medium pressure and with some speed, (here is your mini upper arm work out gals)....long full length across each panel in back and forth strokes until you have a nice shine  (or mellow glow if the skin was matte to begin with)

 

 Good luck

 

 

Black Tarnish on your bag from the hardware

What a gorgeous day it is here in beautiful Montana! The temperature is climbing above 64!
The other day I awoke to 3 inches of fresh snow... such is spring in the Rockies

Tip of the day!

So lets talk a bit about black tarnish marks on bags ... you can get a nasty black mark from the hardware of your bag rubbing against the leather . What to do ?  

Firstly its very important to remove them as soon as possible .   And I like to use a soft pink pencil eraser ... works like a charm!

Just gently, rub the soft pink eraser on the tarnish mark.. careful not to press to hard on textured leathers or you might smooth out the texture/grains.

A little quick post as its a busy day here, and now off to check on a horse...
I hope you all have a pleasant Friday!

 

 

Dry Rot Leather what does it mean and what to look out for when selecting a vintage Hermes bag project

Hello again,

Today we had some strange stuff falling from the skies on the ranch around lunch time. I thought it was hail but upon closer inspection it was in fact a strange popcorn like snow? The skies were blue with some fluffy dark grey clouds... wild western weather...

Lately, I've had questions regarding restoring some bags which are in fact too far gone
What is too far gone?
Well for instance some bags have a condition called dry rot it means the leather has lost in elasticity  and oils and become so dry the fibers break down  easily with stress, this sort situation means the leather tears easily very much like cardboard or thick paper, it no longer can flex and spring back as healthy leather does. Sometimes you will notice cracking surface texture as well. These are extreme examples but as you can imagine not lotion or potion will bring leather I this condition together again.  So when you are looking for a vintage Hermes Kelly bag say in box calf for instance  you will want to check it very carefully look at its surface is it smooth or kind of crackled? Are there small tears along the bend points? Its very important to look at the handle bases, check them for small tears. Don't get to thinking that the leather is in good shape just because its shiny.  Anyhow more on this  subject in future.





Well its a busy day  so I'll sign off for now...Im  working on filling up the website www.docridesluxuryagain.com and the ebay store http://stores.ebay.com/Docrides-Luxury-Again?_trksid=p2047675.l2563  also sorting out how to add video feeds so I can teach and demonstrate how to restore and upkeep luxury hand bags.  Its all very exciting and Im sure glad you stopped by.

Heading to the Luxury Again workshop after lunch

 

Hello there ,

Just heading back to the workshop after a bit of lunch

 Im going share a bit of docride wisdom

 

"Your bag should be viewed from 3 feet away  not under loupe ! "

                                                             

 

 

 

Enjoy your bags ... let them be what they have been for thousands of years "women's tools".

Let them carry for you, what you need for your journey.

May they be an extension of your style rather than a mark of style upon you.

Let their use marks be credits to the brave and beautiful journey of the elegant woman you are.

Never let them be the sign of mal treatment in your eyes or a judgment upon you as unworthy of nice things...

Carry your bag like the cat who has swallowed the canary ... with an inner knowingness

...you will arrive exactly where you should be; ever prepared with exactly what you need.

 And no small scratch could ever blur that unique fabulous style that you are!

 Sincerely,

             Docride

 

Simplifying Bag care and Art bags when you remake what has been destroyed

I've been detailing, spa-ing, restoring and customizing authentic Hermes bags for over a decade and a half now. During that time I have also helped others in caring for their bags by teaching step by step care techniques. 

Because so many have harmed their beautiful bags accidentally with the best intentions by using the incorrect products and techniques on their bags, I have developed  the Luxury Again line of  handy handbag  care kits which can be used with confidence by even the most novice and or nervous luxury handbag owner.


 But lets face it sometimes a bag is beyond restoring back to original, lets say for instance hair dye gets dumped all over a light colored bag while at the hair dresser or a bag gets tossed in to a swimming pool , run over by a car , slashed repeatedly and by a knife or falls off the side of a boat in to an ocean .. yes these things actually happened!   you bring the bag for servicing and repair and  Hermes might refuse to  fix your bag... its simply too far gone so what can be done?  Well I say sometimes a remaking or transforming such a bag is the way to go.

 I have made "Art"  Bags for clients and myself over the years many of the bags were in fact bags which needed to be transformed due to stains and accidents,  I'd like to share some photos of some of these bags. I hope I don't shock you too much.
When a ruined bag gets transformed in to an  art bag it can add new life, joy, hope  and purpose to an otherwise destroyed bag.
Here are some photos of  "Docride" Art bags

 

Spring Meadow Camo.^^^

                                                

                                       

                                                                     Safari Kelly^^^

 

Lucky Girl ^^^^

 

 

 

                                                               Circa 1970's ^^^^

                                     

 

 

Moon Child ^^^

 

 

Wild Garden Beautiful Chaos ^^^

5:59 am MST Good Morning its a chilly morning here so, I'm going to put some wood on the fire and get some coffee so we can visit a bit before I head up to the workshop. I'm thinking about  a couple  bags of which are so far gone there is really not much I can do for them... such a shame.. they have been coated with heavy plastic / paint like over sprayed coatings (probably because someone thought this would protect them from every looking worn, so that the bag wouldn't gets stains or water spots but instead the poor bags got ruined. I'll show you some examples later.  For now I'll just say that this and other disasters is one of the reasons I felt compelled to help people learn proper care, up keep and rescue of their beautiful bags.

 

 

The workshop  a few more benches needed still

 

Welcome to my blog!
   I look forward to sharing with you my methods and answering your questions about the care, selection, upkeep, restoration and customization of authentic Hermes bags.( I will also include some other High End Designer Hand Bags)
I've been answering questions from my over  million wonderful readers for about 7 years now on The Purse Forum in a Thread I created there called
Hermes Vintage Bag Nightmares and Hermes Leather Care Info.
I'd like to carry on here and answer your questions and demonstrate restorations and care techniques and  sundry adjunct  commentary.   I do hope I'll be able to sort  out keeping this blog up. For now I'll say all the best ,and thank you for stopping by. Sincerely, Docride