Antique leather chairs are often very brittle, dry and sensitive. The degree of damage dictates how well the leather can be restored. Only very well-preserved leather can handle the restoration procedures. In most cases, the leather can however, be made beautiful again. 

Preparation

1. In case of heavy soiling, first remove the coarse dust or dirt with Geist. Leather Cleaning Brush. Residual soiling should be removed with a slightly moist cloth with some Geist. Rapid leather & Vinyl Cleaner Careful: Do not wet the leather excessively! This can damage old leather!

2. After cleaning, the leather must be wiped slightly with a mixture of 50% vinegar essence (25% solution) and 50% water. This alters the pH value and makes old leather more resistant.

3. If upholstery work is required or if the leather needs to be stabilized by gluing from the underside, any ornamental nails must be lifted out to avoid damage. Please note the following: When the heads are lifted, the opposite side of the nail head presses into the leather and often damages it. This damage should be avoided as much as possible. In addition, ornamental nails can also break (head comes off). It is therefore prudent to check whether you need to source the same ornamental nails or have them replaced entirely (size, colour, shape).

4. Hardened and brittle leather must be treated with Geist. Licker Oil for leather repairs. Apply a mixture of 20% Licker Oil and 80% warm water. Allow to retract and repeat several times. Two to three treatments are sufficient.

5. After the Licker Oil treatment, degrease the repaired surface with the Geist. Degreaser D1.

Repairs

As such leather is often brittle or leather parts are missing, extensive repairs may be required.

CRACKS AND RIPS: To repair cracks, degrease using Geist. Degreaser D1 and prepare the repaired areas with Geist. Primer. Apply the primer with a sponge. The primer improves adhesion. After drying the primer (primed surfaces remain sticky after drying), fill the cracks with Geist. Easy Filler for leather & vinyl. Large cracks or tears must be glued on the underside with thin leather or a flexible but resistant fabric with Geist. Leather & Vinyl Glue This reinforces the damaged area and stabilises the leather.

HOLES: Holes must be filled by placing a matching piece of leather to cover up any missing leather (usually vegetable tanned leather). Cut a piece of vegetable tanned leather to fit into the hole. Use a thin resistant cloth and glue it to the back. Ensure you also glue the repair patch from above and fill the contours with Geist. Easy Filler for leather & vinyl. Vegetable tanned uncoloured leather is usually too light and it is effective to adjust the colour prior to repairing with Geist. Antique Finish

BRITTLE SURFACES: In case of larger brittle surfaces use Geist.Binder first. It stabilizes scaly, brittle leather and makes it more resistant. Apply the Binder after priming with a sponge and allow to dry on its own. Repeat this process several times. Once dry, the Binder can be sanded using the Geist. Sanding Pad to achieve a smooth surface.

For areas where filling is required use Geist. Easy Filler. The Binder is to be used for surface damages. 

Colour refreshment and care

1. After the repairs adjust the surface colour using Geist. Antique Finish. The Antique Finish is applied with a sponge after priming. For very rough surfaces, smooth the surface with the Geist. Sanding Pad before applying the Primer. The Antique Finish gives the colour the necessary shine, and provides the surface with an increased gloss effect.

2. Finally, apply Geist. Leather Preserver. This treatment should be repeated approximately every 6 months for preservation.

Required quantities for roughly 3 to 6 chairs

Geist. Leather Cleaning Brush - 1 unit
Geist. Rapid Leather & Vinyl Cleaner - 500 ml
Geist. Leather Softener - 500 ml
Geist. Degreaser - 250 ml
Geist. Primer - 250 ml *
Geist. Easy Filler (Transparent / Neutral) - 1 tube 20 ml 
Geist. Binder - 250 ml
Geist. Leather Glue - 1 tube 30 ml 
Geist. Backlining Cloth - 1 unit
Geist. Antique Finish dark brown - 250 ml *
Geist. Sanding Pads - 1 unit
Geist. Leather Preserver - 1 tin 150 ml

* If these products are not available to purchase directly on our website, please contact our team via email or phone to place your order for the above products.