Club Obi Wan

I was wondering what kind of techniques people have to to distress the bag. I have a WPG bag and is it is well broken if but still looks to new. I've heard of people who have washed the real MKVII and they left a streaked, sort of distressed look, but that's not what I'm looking for. I don't want to hurt the bag or damage it but I want it to look a bit more used and old. Any ideas...?



Henri

Hey send it to me and I'll let my 4yr old distress it for a week!

What I have been doing is taking it everywhere with me. I have a Hike planned this weekend and I plan on using it then. Heck I even had it on when doing some garage cleaning!

Hook it onto the back of your car, find a gravel road, and take off!

(I haven't tested this method, but maybe you can be the first.)

I have a MK VII in excellent condition and a MK VII in rather used condition. As I prefer the gear to be well-used-looking, I was going to wash it in the denim softener solution I found at the fabric/hobby store to soften blue jeans. Problem is, I do not want to ruin the vintage bag, since it IS in such good shape. Now I have to buy another one so I will be prepared when my current one gets a hole in it or something...

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:Hook it onto the back of your car, find a gravel road, and take off!

Ha! That's great. I can see somebody with a bag, hat, jacket, shoes, pants all hooked to the back of their car. It would look like they came from some type of Indy-Wedding.

I rolled mine up in a tight ball and let it set for a few days to loosen it up. Perhaps you can get ahold of some Fullers Earth to give the appearance of distressing. My non-issued MBA bag came without a smell (which is a common complaint) and in perfect shape. I don't wanna screw mine up either. Let us know what you do with it.

Well it just so happens that it was raining today I went outside to get the mail. (while wearing my bag, hat, jacket) I noticed my jacket was getting more wet than my bag. So I say to my mom "My bags not getting wet" So she says (jokingly) "So drag it down the drive way" So I'm like hey, that just my work. So I took off my bag and using my foot I dragged it down out gravel drive way. When I got done it was soaked and dirty. I took in and took off the strap and decided to wash off the gravel and grass clippings that had stuck to it. So using Joshes way, I hand washed it with warm water and a little soap. Then rinsed it and put in the dryer on gentle for just a little while and then took it out to dry naturaly. Occansionaly to speed up the process, I used a blow dryer. Well, I was looking at it and then I noticed something. One of the seems of one the side had ripped!! It's not real big and I should be able to fix it. But it kind of gives it some character. The bag isn't all that distressed looking, so I didn't work as I had hoped. But it loosened it up even more and is kind of more used looking. Plus it gave me a chance to loosen up the strap some more. All in all it didn't work really but it was a good experiment.

Henri

If you are really looking to distress it, get some 100 grit and 300 sandpaper. The 100 grit should work well for taking off big bits if color really fast and the 300 for lightly de-coloring the fabric. If you want stains, black and brown shoe polish works well, apply lightly :!: :!: Of corse washing and drying over and over will help to loosen and distress the edges.

Be REAL careful using that sandpaper around that bag. It's canvas, and it you pop one of the cotton threads, that thing can start unravelling like a cheap scarf. My eldest daughter carried a Mk VII all through high school, and it really took a licking and kept on ticking....until a pen eventually punched a small hole in the back of the bag. Within two weeks, that small hole turned into a 3 inch monster, with ragged edges and no stopping. It has since been retired and placed in the collection, but it was all due to the cotton strands being broken, causing the integrity of the fabric to fail. So washing is the best, but abrasives on this item is a no-no. You're REALLY playing with fire on this one. Regards. Michaelson

Oh yeah forgot to say something there be careful with the sandpaper, be gentle :!: But really washing is the best, if you are really desperate you can use the sandpaper, I have never done it personaly, but it would work no doubt, staining with the shoe polish and washing alot will give it a good appearence.

yeah, I've thought about the sand paper but decided right away that it was a bad idea. Maybe, if I get up the curage...I'll try the shoe polish and washing thing.




Henri

Michaelson,

that thing can start unravelling like a cheap scarf.

That just hit me the right way, LOL!

In Re: of distressing:

I've never tried to distress my bag on purpose, but the best advice I can give is to go the natural way: travel, go hiking, get it soaking wet in the rain.
Speaking of rain, I wonder if it's possible to spray a weatherproof, like you would leather on the bag to aid it's longevity. Michaelson, what's your take?

- Illinois

Yeah the sandpaper is really for those who just can't wait, I know there has to be someone like that out there, I would only use the sandpaper very very lightly, the shoe polish and washing is my method. And speaking of weddings my dream would be an all out Imperial wedding, escort by me fellow stormtroopers, best man would be vader (My friend Bob bean) married by the Emperor, me in my dress uniform and my lady, who ever she may be as leia, sounds weird but it would be fun.

www.501st.com

I always say go with the natural way. It's the best way to get some character into your gear. I was just wondering what some people do when they can't wait. Thanks for your advice guys. I'll just have to plan some hiking trips, there's also canoeing...



Henri

I thought I remember reading in one of the Indy novels that Indy did get married...just guessing "Indiana Jones & the Seven Veils".....?

As for as distressing the bag, what I did with my bag and Wells Lamont gloves was to simply just use dirt and rub it in with my fingers, that way it gave me the option to distress it "where" I wanted it to be distressed. To me sandpaper is a lil' ruff n' would wear out the canvas, dirt on the other hand, doesn't weaken it, but only "dirty" it up to help it look aged.

Hey ITG, I never knew a woman who liked anything to do with Indy before, since we are discussing marriage, will you marry me? lol!! Just playing take care All!
Best Wishes,
Captain D

....WAY up there....(grins)....I Pecard's the heck out of the strap anyway, to limber it up and make it much more flexible. With that application, the 'out in the rain' situation is a non-issue, as the leather is now weaterproofed against this type of condition. Regards. Michaelson

Captain D wrote: Hey ITG, I never knew a woman who liked anything to do with Indy before, since we are discussing marriage, will you marry me? lol!! Just playing take care All!
Best Wishes,
Captain D

LOL!!!!!!! That's the 2nd proposal I've had online due to my being an Indy/SW fan.

.....I had to do a little pruning here....these 'wedding' plans got so far afield, we need to get a LITTLE closer to the topics at hand. Regards. Michaelson

You could distress the bag simply by beating the heck out of it with a bat or some other heavy object. Or, simply run it through the washer and dryer several times. That would do the trick as well.

ITG, You go girl!!! In the post about Indy getting married he does, but like James Bond(George Lazenby, O.H.M.S.S) his wife gets killed. Indy's wifes name was Diedre. This all happens when he is younger and prior to his Raiders adventures. Sorry if I gave away the story, but it is his grief which motivates him to push himself at excelling in all the knowledge, know-how, and made him the adventurer he is, well in the fictional universe. Back to topic... Sun can weather your bag a bit, try that for a spell... It's more natural than sandpaper and lets tiresome too!!!

I would just throw it around outside and get it dusty and dirty. That will break it in.