Numbered And Leather

[laticsrblu]

Hi

I have a 20 button Lachenal anglo with numbered buttons which are in random positions. I'm taking them all off anyway to clean and bush, so sadly being a perfectionist, I'd like to put them back on the correct place if possible.

Any ideas?

 

Also on the leather (green) that is on the wooden bellow end frame it has a small area of leather scuffed off and several areas of rubbed/roughed up leather which have lost there colour.

What would be the best way to improve its appearance?

 

Any respopnses would be much appreciated.

 

Ian

[Jeff Stallard]

The BEST way would be to replace the bellows, but I'm guessing that's not practical. If it's still functional (doesn't leak), I'd take it to a leather shop and have them advise me. If you use leather dye on the scuffed parts, make sure it's not going to rub off. I used red dye on a leather case I was making, and the stuff rubbed off on my pants (not a lot, but enough...).

Edited August 1, 2005 by Jeff Stallard

[Stephen Chambers]

I have a 20 button Lachenal anglo with numbered buttons which are in random positions.  I'm taking them all off anyway to clean and bush, so sadly being a perfectionist, I'd like to put them back on the correct place if possible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ian,

 

The numbers should run from 1-5 on the C row each side (lowest-highest note) and 6-10 on the G row.

[accordionmagic]

Also on the leather (green) that is on the wooden bellow end frame it has a small area of leather scuffed off and several areas of rubbed/roughed up leather which have lost there colour. 

What would be the best way to improve its appearance?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I use acrylic paint, it can be mixed to the colour required, dries quickly, will not come off and is tough and flexible.

 

Use a fine sandpaper to gently remove any high spots from the damaged area.

Mix 'tube' colours and then mix with liguid acrylic gloss to give it the required smooth finish.

 

The gloss can be watered down (50/50) and used all over the bellows to renew the appearance.

 

Use artists craft acrylic, NOT car paint

 

 

Cheers

Roy Whiteley

Accordion Magic Ltd

[malcolm clapp]

Ian,

 

Easy fixed, as they say on eBay!

 

Worn leather on bellows frames can be pretty hard to disguise, but is easily covered. with new leather.

 

David Leese, a Concertina.net sponser, will be happy I'm sure to supply you with a yard of one and a half inch binding leather with one edge skived, which is ideal for this purpose. Enough to do both bellows frames and available in green. Might not be quite the same green as your bellows top runs, but pretty close usually.

 

He will also no doubt be able to give you adhesive brand names for the job, which I am loathe to do as our names may be different down under, but traditionally animal glues would have been used.

 

Good luck,

Malcolm

[accordionmagic]

David Leese, a Concertina.net sponser, will be happy I'm sure to supply you with a yard of one and a half inch binding leather with one edge skived, which is ideal for this purpose. Enough to do both bellows frames and available in green. Might not be quite the same green as your bellows top runs, but pretty close usually.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I deal with David on a regular basis and he would help you out I am sure but using this method will add a layer of leather and could make the frames bigger than the ends, sometimes a bit odd looking! take care.

 

Cheers

 

Roy

[d.elliott]

Picking up on Roy's comments. If the concertina has a hexagonal or shaped box, it might not fit after re-binding the ends.

 

Dave

[Theo]

Another solution, if the scuffing is just cosmetic, and not causing leaks, or likely to in the near future, is to use a leather stain to put the colour back in. I've used spirit based leather stain successfully, which souak into the leather and leave no surface coating. There are also acrylic dyes which leave a thin film on the serface wnich can help to cover rough areas.

 

I get mine from Le Prevo leathers, which is close to me, but you can order from their website here they are always very helpful in person and I'm sure you would get good advice by email too.

 

Theo

[malcolm clapp]

Picking up on Roy's comments. If the concertina has a hexagonal or shaped box, it might not fit after re-binding the ends.

 

Dave

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

True, but it is also conceivable that the damage to the leather may have been caused by using such a case.

Perhaps a decent rectangular case should be on the shopping list too....

Edited August 4, 2005 by malcolm clapp

[JimLucas]

...being a perfectionist,...

...on the wooden bellow end frame it has a small area of leather scuffed off and several areas of rubbed/roughed up leather which have lost there colour. 

What would be the best way to improve its appearance?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Depends on exactly what you mean by "improve its appearance".

Most of the suggestions so far strike me as ways to convert a different-appearing spot into a spot that still appears different, maybe less so, but possibly even more glaringly so.

 

If your objective is simply to protect the scuffed areas, then these suggestions may be fine, but if you're trying to match the appearance -- the color and finish -- of the unscuffed areas, then you should consider having the job done by someone with professional experience. And I mean professional experience in matching color and finish. Many leatherworkers have never attempted such a task.

 

E.g., if you try dyeing the leather, and the result is too dark, looking like a stain, would it be possible to lighten it, again? Or if the green is too yellow, or too blue? Or maybe you get the color right, but the finish reflects differently, making it look like you've spilled something on that spot?

 

As I said, it depends on what you want. If you're not too picky, then no problem. But if you are finicky, you need to be sure that whatever you do doesn't make things incurably worse, in your opinion. And you did use the word "perfectionist".

 

Unfortunately, I'm not someone with the expertise to help you get it right, only the experience to know how easy it is to get things wrong. I wish you the best.

[laticsrblu]

Thank you all for your great advice

I think that I might take up Malcolm's idea and recover the leather ends. I also have some re-patching to do on a couple of the top folds. If the colour of the new leather is very noticably different I might put an extra layer on all of the top folds all the way around

 

PS what the heck is "skivved" leather, web searches have been fruitless.

 

IAn

[malcolm clapp]

quote=laticsrblu,Aug 5 2005, 09:18 AM]

 

PS what the heck is "skivved" leather, web searches have been fruitless.

 

IAn

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

To skive (only one "v") means to shave to a suitable thinness. Commonly used in the leather and book-binding trades. Old Norse in derivation according to my dictionary.

 

Don't know the connection with the other meaning of "to avoid work". commonly heard in the UK in my youth. However, great song for any one interested at http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/p...D;ttBOOZNG.html

Edited August 6, 2005 by malcolm clapp

[JimLucas]

To skive (only one "v") means to shave to a suitable thinness. Commonly used in the leather and book-binding trades. Old Norse in derivation according to my dictionary.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In modern Danish "skive" is a noun with various meanings, most of them referring to something thin and flat. "Slice", as in "slice of bread", is the main one. But as a verb the only contemporary meaning seems to be "feather", as in "to feather an oar". Would that be considered "slicing" the water?