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[Healeys] worn leather- shoepolish ?

Subject: [Healeys] worn leather- shoepolish ?
From: mgcharlie at comcast.net (Charlie Baldwin)
Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 16:42:02 -0400
References: <D4F323E5CC474211ADBCA79048DF8911@9535DEE118EC44B>
Peter,
You have worked as a trimmer, so it is difficult for me to contradict 
you, but there is a product on the market that is used to dye leather or 
vinyl.  I'm working with it on a car right now and it seems to be doing 
a very good job.
Check out the Color Plus system: http://colorplus.com/
Charlie

On 5/18/2011 4:17 PM, Peter Svilans wrote:
> Vinyl dye and leather dye are two completely different animals.  Vinyl dye is
> made with a high solvent content that etches or soaks into a PVC-coated
> surface.  It must be prepped with a strong solvent to help open up the pores
> of the vinyl.
>
> Leather dye is formulated to interact with the natural, organic, oily,
> skin-like  components of the leather.  It can't be etched with strong solvents
> like vinyl.  It can't be heat-welded like vinyl, and must be repaired with a
> filler paste. Its pigments are a little bit more grainy like paint.
>
>   Quite a number of well-known, proven successful leather dyeing kits are
> available.  You have to follow their specific cleaning and prepping sequences
> religiously.  The treatment should be followed by an aerosol sealer like
> Fiebing's Leather Sheen, or Tandy Super Shene, as dyes can end up dry and
> dusty if not done right.
>
> Healeys up to and including the BJ 7 all had a cheap grade of surface-dyed
> Connolly leather on seat faces in combination with vinyl on the rest of the
> interior.  So one type of dye will not work properly on a whole interior.  Yes
> it will stick to the incorrect type, like leather dye on vinyl, but this will
> eventually come off.
>
> Ambla was a quality PVC vinyl that was used only on the BJ 8.  Previous  6 cyl
> models used ICI Vynide in different grades, and the early cars used the now
> defunct Vynex vinyl by the Robert Pickles Co. with a similar leather-look
> grain to the Vynide.
>
> Leather is a wonderful material which ages gracefully, but the oils must be
> replaced, as with Rejuvenating Oil or applications of Hide Food among other
> such products.  Above all it must be kept clean, particularly in the seams.
> Dirt will abrade leather and cotton stitching over time.
>
> Vinyl only needs a wipe down with a damp cloth and a bit of mild soap, or
> vinyl cleaning product.
>
> Best regards
> Peter
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