Repair advice

[Thranmir]

Hi all, I'm considering buying a 740N that's nearly new but has a flaw. Apparently this was done by a wardrobe hinge, he says it hasn't cut through the leather, just an extremely deep crease.

If true, is there anything I could do over time to fix this? Heat, massaging, condition, voodoo?

 

[Carlos840]

Nope, it's there to stay.

You either accept it and take it as the first scratch being pre made or look for another jacket.
There is something freeing about not having to worry about doing that first scratch on a pristine jacket yourself.

A bit like doing the first ding on a new guitar, it will happen at some point, it will hurt a little, that's life.
After a few years you won't even notice it.

 

[BloodEagle]

As above, you'll never get rid of it, and even if you did at some point, if you use it, youre going to get a new mark somewhere on your jacket/guitar/watch/shoes etc, so embrace it. In this case it does look like its on the arm , so its going to get all creased anyway, so no biggie

 

[Thranmir]

Nope, it's there to stay.

You either accept it and take it as the first scratch being pre made or look for another jacket.
There is something freeing about not having to worry about doing that first scratch on a pristine jacket yourself.

A bit like doing the first ding on a new guitar, it will happen at some point, it will hurt a little, that's life.
After a few years you won't even notice it.

Thank you, I can see the wisdom behind what you're saying. I'm not certain I'm ready for it, when I get a scratch on my car I feel sick and it doesn't go away until it's repaired haha. If something has real value to me, I never seem to stop stressing about damage.

Hopefully after repeated exposure to this sort of thing it will stop affecting me so much.

 

[Thranmir]

As above, you'll never get rid of it, and even if you did at some point, if you use it, youre going to get a new mark somewhere on your jacket/guitar/watch/shoes etc, so embrace it. In this case it does look like its on the arm , so its going to get all creased anyway, so no biggie

Thanks dude, this sort of thing would have me breaking down if it happened to my coat so I think I need a perspective change when it comes to possessions. Glad to have clarity it can't be fixed.

 

[Carlos840]

I'm someone who was raised a perfectionist by a perfectionist father, it took me 25 years to understand that perfectionism is just a way of keeping an impression of control over ones life.

Perfectionism takes a huge toll over time, it's an exhausting way to live.

I was taught things had to be perfect or they where meaningless, that things where perfect or worthless.
It took me a long time to discover you could love/enjoy imperfect things.

Now, i'm not saying one should be careless about everything, but it is important to acknowledge that you can't use something daily and not have it show signs of use.

Only unused/unloved things stay perfect forever.

 

[Monitor]

I've managed to repair a few of these.

If the leather truly isn't cut through, soak the imprinted part all the way through and massage it with your fingers as it dries. Hard. Squish, pull, bunch, rub... Once dry(er), apply some leather appropriate oil or grease and continue working the part. This should minimize or nullify the imprint.

They do some horrible sh*t to leather while it's being tanned so don't worry about making things worse.

 

[Thranmir]

I'm someone who was raised a perfectionist by a perfectionist father, it took me 25 years to understand that perfectionism is just a way of keeping an impression of control over ones life.

Perfectionism takes a huge toll over time, it's an exhausting way to live.

I was taught things had to be perfect or they where meaningless, that things where perfect or worthless.
It took me a long time to discover you could love/enjoy imperfect things.

Now, i'm not saying one should be careless about everything, but it is important to acknowledge that you can't use something daily and not have it show signs of use.

Only unused/unloved things stay perfect forever.

I do have some issues with control, but I think for me it comes from a value perspective. I grew up very poor so I have an obsession with deals.

I assign values to everything in my head. If I buy boots I'm buying a look, a comfort level and a certain timeframe of expected longevity. Over time I will be conscious of what they are presently worth.

Accidental damage is something I can't anticipate, that immediately causes significant value loss so I feel like my carelessness just set money on fire. Then I equate that money to hours of labour and see it as losing X amount of my life.

It's a very frustrating way to view things when I have a love of so many perishable things and I'm trying really hard to get over it. That's part of what first attracted me to vintage leather, developing an appreciation for things *because* they're not pristine.

 

[Thranmir]

I've managed to repair a few of these.

If the leather truly isn't cut through, soak the imprinted part all the way through and massage it with your fingers as it dries. Hard. Squish, pull, bunch, rub... Once dry(er), apply some leather appropriate oil or grease and continue working the part. This should minimize or nullify the imprint.

They do some horrible sh*t to leather while it's being tanned so don't worry about making things worse.

Ahh that's interesting, I'd definitely like to give repair a go if there's any hope to at least reduce it. Could you clarify "soak through" please? The damage is about half way up the sleeve, would I literally submerge the sleeve in water for a period of time or just keep dabbing a wet cloth on the affected area?

 

[Monitor]

Ahh that's interesting, I'd definitely like to give repair a go if there's any hope to at least reduce it. Could you clarify "soak through" please? The damage is about half way up the sleeve, would I literally submerge the sleeve in water for a period of time or just keep dabbing a wet cloth on the affected area?

No, don't submerge the sleeve! Just get the small area around the imprint soaked. Dabbing the area with a wet cloth is fine, yeah. Keep in mind that the soaked area will spread once you start massaging the imprint so try not to use too much water initially. DItto for the lotion.

Best way to do it is to fold the affected area over with the indentation in the middle, press the sides together and roll them with your fingers. This should set the fibers back into place. Water is the key.

 

[Thranmir]

No, don't submerge the sleeve! Just get the small area around the imprint soaked. Dabbing the area with a wet cloth is fine, yeah. Keep in mind that the soaked area will spread once you start massaging the imprint so try not to use too much water initially. DItto for the lotion.

Best way to do it is to fold the affected area over with the indentation in the middle, press the sides together and roll them with your fingers. This should set the fibers back into place. Water is the key.

Thanks so much for the advice dude, if the seller accepts my offer I'll post with updates once I've tried to diminish the damage

 

[Monitor]

Thanks so much for the advice dude, if the seller accepts my offer I'll post with updates once I've tried to diminish the damage

Sure, no problem. Just make sure the leather didn't get perforated because if it did, it's a whole other story.