Leather items: shoes, bags, purses, raincoats, gloves - are in the wardrobe of almost every person. This traditional material has been used by people for centuries. In the process of wearing any item, a scratch or abrasion may appear. How to restore the novelty, the former appearance of a thing, repair the damage so that it is not conspicuous? The agent tested is liquid skin. But first, about the qualities of the material itself.
Features of genuine leather
Mankind has been using this unique natural material for many centuries. Despite the reliability, products must be treated with extreme care. The following are actions that are undesirable during operation:
- subject to mechanical stress, as this entails the loss of the original shape and appearance;
- wetting through and twisting - this will lead to deformation and hardening;
- speed up drying near hot heaters, iron, blow dry;
- Storage long-term in the sun.
Frominteractions with aggressive chemicals, stains and whitish stains appear on leather things, color changes.
Several folk methods for restoring the surface layer
In some cases, it is required to eliminate the consequences of accidental damage (scuffs, small cuts) on the surface of the leather product. To independently solve such problems, there are several proven tools, including the so-called liquid skin. With your own hands, you can quite decently repair knocked-down socks on boots or a scratch on a jacket.
The method of repair largely depends on the hardness, quality, thickness of the base, as well as the nature of the damage. Ordinary abrasions are easily painted over with nitro paint from an aerosol can. The main thing here is to choose the right color and gently, in a thin layer, spray the composition over worn out places. Full painting of the product is recommended to be carried out in a specialized workshop.
Homemade liquid leather will help to close up a thin scratch. With your own hands, a little acetone is dripped onto the back of the product or a piece of the same skin with a pipette. Immediately scrape off the dissolved paint with a small spatula and gently cover the cut with it. This method has long been known to shoemakers and restorers of shagreen products. Its disadvantage is that it is suitable only for the restoration of minor, small damage. The only way to get rid of through cuts is with a more complex procedure using special adhesives and backings.
DIY liquid skin
What solvent should I use to get the right product myself? Commercially available professional formulations are made on the basis of alcohol, water and polymer dyes. The mixture is easily absorbed, filling the damaged areas of the product.
It is extremely difficult to get exactly the same composition without a chemical laboratory. However, acrylic art paints of the appropriate color can be used instead. It is important to remember that liquid skin is not an adhesive. The substance paints and decorates minor defects on the product, filling the damaged area. If necessary, after drying, you can apply a second layer of the mixture.
Liquid skin is used in different cases:
- do-it-yourself shoe repair (knocked-off toes, scratched heels) can be done by anyone;
- for furniture restoration (cat scratches);
- for the purpose of restoring bags and gloves (cuts or scuffs);
- when sealing needle holes;
- to mask other minor annoyances.
Obtaining a relief texture on thin lycra
Not only liquid leather is used to care for leather products. They apply special putties, sprayers and putties with their own hands. One of the features of all these products is that they can only be used on a smooth surface.
To restore textured facialsides pre-create a pattern pattern. An ordinary paper napkin with a small amount of a substance applied to it is applied to the undamaged area of the product. The resulting stencil with printed relief is removed for several hours to dry completely. When working on the restoration, the template is pressed against the damage for a few seconds immediately after applying the second coloring layer. This technique will make the repair site invisible.
No need to wait for miracles: liquid skin
You can make shoe creams, special water-repellent impregnations, softening mixtures with your own hands. The substance called liquid skin is just a thick polymeric cream. This putty will not glue a large "wound" on a bag or jacket. It will help close up small random defects on the front surface of the thing, being a restorer of the upper pigmented layer.
To fix more serious problems with a thing, Moment or polyurethane water-soluble glue is used. Through "wounds" are closed with a substrate, in several stages, of which the last is staining.
