[LTT Leathercare]

We use our own brand Aniline Dye system.

You do not spray aniline dye as it is a product that needs to be absorbed by the leather.  If you spray it on it will tend to sit on the surface (as the surface tension of the product is not broken) and wil then have a tendency to coat the surface rather than dye the leather.  The product is not designed for surface coating as it has little wear resistance and if left on the surface will tend to come off on clothing etc.

Hope this helps

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Mike were they suitably impressed or was there a grunt when 'he' gave you the money?

Shaun

[davep]

Do you need to be careful not too put too much dye on?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Mike was putting it on heavy than me but you just rub it in like you would rub suntan oil in, and it does go in aswell.

Shaun

[davep]

I see, so you can see the effect straight away or do you let it dry first?

[Mike Halliday]

Shaun, they were well chuffed and gladly paid up

its hard to put too much dye on because its a applied with a small cloth so you can only put so much dye on the cloth, its like Shaun said it like applying fake tan ( and looks the same )

each coat is allowed to dry, you see a result straight away but the colour does deepen as it dries and keeps deepening over time.

mike

[LTT Leathercare]

It is difficult to apply too much dye.  Once  the leather does not absorb any more dye it tends to swim about on the surface and then you would not apply any more. 

The colour will deepen with each coat you apply and does get richer as it dries.  If the leather has faded very dramatically (almost white) you may have problems getting enough colour in with just the dye and we would then add more by using a Tinted Finish (Satin Gloss with a colour in it) to try to build up more colour - we did not do this in this case but it is an additonal option.

[kinder clean]

Be interested to know how Mike plans to market this new service.

I know you mentioned before you don't have websites and get all your CC work from flyers, but this is a limited specialist market, just interested how you will get the work.

Thanks

Paul

[Joe H]

Mike & Shaun

That suite has really come up good.

Just before you (Mike) was organising that, Roger Peach (Doctor Carpet) passed a client onto me.
An L shaped settee but cushions a different colour to the main frame but still aniline.
After talking to Judy I quoted between £200 - £250 but the client pulled out - said he would get new settee for that. Would have been a bargain cause it was a big L shape.

Shame - I can see now how good it would have looked and I am sure he would have been happy - as your customer is, and of course I would have had the benefit of doing it.

[davep]

Joe call them and ask if they are throwing it out, me and you could have a go at it as a project 

[carlton care]

Kinder

This is not a new service, it's how you deal with a particular finish on leather. Aniline can't be cleaned in the same way thay pigmented would be cleaned and this is how you deal with Analine.

If you clean / repair / restore  / leather, this is an example of Analine restoration and you would have it on your site, or you would show photos to prospects, when calling to inspect.

robert m

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Joe it's down to the customer and what they see as value for money, if it's a cheap suite then of course they aren't going to go for it, this one wasn't.

As for restoration well it is but you are limited to what invisible repair work you can do to it compaired to pigmented.

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

Paul ( Kinder)

I won't actively market it, if they come along I will do them. I've been asked about  3 in the last year.

I took this suite to LTT for a number of reasons, 1) I wanted to help out the customer, they either had it 'cleaned' or they were getting rid of it and 2) sounds corny but I do like to increase my knowledge of our industry it makes me a better carpet & upholstery cleaner

 while restoring this suite I had the opportunity to talk with both Shaun & Andy and learn other things about leather repair & recolouring, (Andy gave us a quick lesson in colour repair)

doing it like this really is the best way to learn.........  just the 2 of us, with Andy Hitting us over the head with a piece of 2X4 screaming  MORE PRODUCT!!... MORE PRODUCT!!, 

you can't get that sort of personal attention sat in a class of 12