Reconditioning? re-coloring a 20+ year old CooperDisney

[Kokopelli]

Lucasfilm Fan Club/Disney World/Cooper, et al. jacket...

I found another one of these that was in dire need of a proper home. It doesn't seem to have been worn much at all due to the lack of surface wear/marks on the elbows, pockets, back etc, but rather seems to have hung on a hanger for a long, long time. It also 'drapes' on the hanger like it's been there a long time.

A couple of issues:

*The color of it now is a light tan, vs when they were new they were a darker chocolate brown. It is a smooth leather, not a 'pre-distressed' leather.

*Also, the leather looks like maybe it has shrunken (?) over the years in spots; it 'pulls' up on the sides at the vents, and the bottom edge all around seems like it has 'retracted' if that makes sense at all, causing it to almost curl at the windflap.

*The collar just spreads out and falls flat. the collar stand has just given up I guess.


So- I want to restore it's brown color somehow. I already wiped it down completely with Pecard leather cream, which of course helped it some, and it needed moisture badly anyway, but I know that it will lighten back up when it dries.
I guess I'm looking for a re-coloring process if anyone has a suggestion.

As far as the shrinking goes, can it be restored? Loosened back up? More Pecards and stretch it?
Should I soak the collar and re-shape it?

I appreciate the help; I searched and was overwhelmed trying to find 'leather reconditioning' topics.


I want to try to restore this thing as best as I can- these have always been my favorite jackets. I had one of these I personally bought in Disney World in 1993 that I regrettably sold a few years ago (and have been trying to buy back ever since )

pictures:






In this one you can really see the bottom edge 'shrinkage'

[Michaelson]

Try some of the brown Pecards standard dressing. It will add even more product into the leather while adding more brown tint to the leather.

After you put this on, use a hair dryer on low and liquify the Pecards and hand rub it into the leather. I always wear plastic gloves when doing this so it doesn't stain my hands.

Do NOT use oil. Trust me. You do you can never turn back. Oil is for oil tanned/treated leather, so dont be tempted.

Try that and see if you're not happier with the results.

Regards! Michaelson

[Kokopelli]

I ordered some brown Pecards...

here are some good pics of the shrinking I'm talking about:

right side:



see the 'curl'?

middle:




left side:



My first concern is reversing this; stretching it back out, and then I'll worry about the color. After looking over the jacket and employing my investigative and deductive skills, I have surmised that the previous owner must have tried to shrink it on purpose; he did say it was too big for him though he really wanted to keep it, and alluded to 'trying to make it work...'

I'm thinking he washed it in hot water. Look inside the pocket- see how light the leather is in there? That, combined with the shrinking that is contained to the bottom edge of the jacket all around makes me think he washed it in hot water and hung it on a hanger and simply left it to dry. The water 'pooled' in the bottom and shrunk the leather...This would also give reason to the way the jacket drapes.

So- re-wash the whole thing, block it out to straighten it? -Then a couple/few Pecard treatments it once dry?

[Kokopelli]

I got the brown Pecard and slathered on a layer- it did absolute wonders for it! It's a nice dark chocolate brown now, as it should be. It looks like it helped the leather relax in the bottom areas, too.

i'll get pics up soon

[Michaelson]

[brentmorris]

I can't wait to see the progress. There is nothing quite like a good restoration. It's a thing of beauty.

[zhund]

Did the brown pecards work? I have the same jacket with the same fade and want to try the same thing. I'd love to see a picture of the final result.

[youngjedi71]

so you GOT the Pecards...but never replied back with pics..whatda!!

[Kokopelli]

sorry guys- got a lot going on...

I will try to get pics of it up tomorrow. The brown Pecards worked beautifully. The leather feels so much better now, and looks better, too.

[zhund]

sorry guys- got a lot going on...

I will try to get pics of it up tomorrow. The brown Pecards worked beautifully. The leather feels so much better now, and looks better, too.

I have used the regular pecards on my jacket 2 or 3 times. I love how it looks when just applied and hoped it would stay that color, so I am hoping the brown pecards gets that effect.

[Jay1138]

I've always liked this jacked. A best friend has one that he's owned since there was an SW/Indy Fan Club and his jacket looks amazing. It's weathered perfectly over the years. And while I own a great Indy jacket, I still want one of these.

[Kokopelli]

Sorry for the delay! I have a somewhat decent excuse; I had my spine screwed back together....anyway-

Here are some shots from today, indoor, compact flouros, with flash. The Brown Pecards worked wonders for it, and the results remained; I conditioned it 5 months ago!

Here you can see the difference- the label's edges on the inside without Pecards, then the rest of the jacket.








I am going to be putting this one in the market, it's arms are just too short for me, which was why I sold my original one years ago...

[drjameswing]

These Cooper indy jackets are awesome I had one years ago. Sadly the sleeves came up to short and I passed it on to a friend.

[zhund]

Happy New Year. I found one of these on Ebay for about $75 a few years ago and really like it. I hope I'm not hijacking your thread, but I reconditioned my jacket as well using Pecard's brown. I plan on using some fiebings dye to make it dark brown again. It looks very nice and aged now, but I'd be happier with it a tad darker.

Here's an up close before:


Below is half treated, half not to see the difference.


And after:


Regards,
KZ