Repair Instructions

My repair kits and products are used by professionals and consumers alike, including Automotive Assembly plants such as General Motors. The correct application of the repair products is as important as the products themselves. Some products mentioned are primarily for professionals, but consumers can also use them with success.

Leather & Vinyl repair
The procedure for leather, vinyl, plastic, naugahyde, etc. is the same. On genuine leather, slightly overlap the repair compound onto the non-damaged leather.
Preparing the damaged spot ... If there is a depression under the damage fill it in using common cotton. Pro's often using "padding" cotton, etc. If there are any loose threads, or frays trim them off with a common razor knife so the damage spot is now even and trimmed. The area under the damage must be even. Often damages require no padding. A backing fabric can be inserted under the damaged spot if required. Minor damages require no backing however larger damages do. The purpose of the backing is two fold. First to have support under the damaged spot for the repair compound and second, to help bond the damaged spot together. Any type of thin cloth will work as a backing fabric..often the pros will use an iron-on denim patch because it has an adhesive on it that will bond under the damaged spot when the repair is made. The backing fabric should be cut about 1/4 inch larger than the damage and inserted into and under the damaged spot using the spatula. Note: The kit has a plastic spatula to keep the cost low-the best spatulas are those that an artist uses, available in art supply stores.

Mixing, applying and heating the repair compound ... The heat is the agent that cures the repair compound and turns it from a paste type viscosity into a piece of material that resembles a vinyl-leather type of material. You are actually making a piece of material in the damage spot during this repair process. Insufficient heat will make a weak repair, one that looks good but will break open easily. Excessive heat can ruin the grain of the material near the spot being repaired, often forming a heat ring around the repaired spot. The trick is getting just the right amount of heat application during the repair process. This is achieved by making many practice repairs on the enclosed piece of "extra" vinyl in your kit. You can get extra scrap vinyl or leather from any upholstery shop to make additional practice repairs. Do not do your actual repair job until you are satisfied with your practice repairs.

Mixing the color... the repair compound colors can be mixed to an endless number of shades. The application of heat causes them to cure to a slightly darker color. To check your color, apply a very small quantity of the repair compound onto a piece of the scrap vinyl...cover with a grain paper (says this side up) and heat for 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool (1 minute) and remove the grain paper. Examine the color; if its not right continue mixing the color and keep checking it to get the right shade. If you find it hard to get the right color, art supply stores sell an oil based universal tint color in many colors and shades. You can add a very small amount of this (oil based) universal color to the repair compound to assist you in color matching. Often the pros do this to obtain difficult color matches. Apply the repair compound in thin layers if the damage is large and all at once for small damages. Apply the repair compound as evenly as possible -this is very important. Use the spatula to spread the compound into and across the damaged spot. Select one of the grain papers and keep the right side up. Put it onto the wet repair compound; do not move it. Place the tip of the hot heat tool on the grain paper(which is over the repair compound) and keep the tip in one spot -but move it in a circular motion. It is the heat that cures the repair compound. Allow the grain paper to cool for 1-2 minutes and remove it-often you may have to apply additional repair compound and heat again. Applying less repair compound is always better, as this compound cures into a leather like film from heat. Applying too much in the damaged spot will cause a "bump" or raised area in that spot. Note: Before putting the grain paper down, make an X in the center of the grain paper. Apply that X right over the wet repair compound, this indicates exactly where to apply the heat rather than just applying the heat randomly over the grain paper. Heating is the key to a strong repair. You may have a heat transfer tool in your kit. This is a low cost device, which is held against a home iron for 3-4 minutes and immediately applied to the grain paper. For small damages, this application of heat will work. The key is to immediately move the round tip from home iron(in less than 2-3 seconds) onto the grain paper without losing much heat. You may also use the tip of the home iron on the grain paper, but this requires considerable care not to allow the tip to touch any other part of the material. This also makes it difficult to move the tip in a circular motion. There is an electric iron available for $15.00 that is especially made for leather and vinyl repair. It has a round disc and is excellent for leather vinyl repair work. It is part of the kit we offer for $29.50 on the internet..#30-033-Int. This tool plugs in, is easy to use and is used by pro's to do vinyl repair. A larger version of this iron is also available for long term use in repairing leather and vinyl for $30.00. Finally, there is a tool called the "butane" heat tool and it requires no electricity. It is used as a "heat gun" applying hot air and comes with a round disc so to iron with. Often pro's will apply the repair compound in thin layers, heat curing each thin layer with hot air. Then the final layer is ironed on with an iron to provide the best graining effect. The hot air from heat guns often spreads the hot air far beyond the damaged spot. The butane tool however provides better application of the heat to a specific area, not over heating the undamaged surrounding area like a heat gun would.
For the average consumer the heat iron and round tip in the Internet kit is more than ample to properly heat the repair compound. But the butane tool is available upon request if multiple repairs are made, or if one wants to get into the repair business.

Finishing the repair job...If the repair now looks satisfactory, one can apply a vinyl type finish over the repair to protect it. Common floor wax is suitable for consumer application but this will raise the gloss of the repaired spot. If you wish to lower the gloss, simply allow the area to dry for 30 minutes, and lightly buff the spot with a very fine steel wool. This will help lower the gloss or sheen.

How professionals finish their repair jobs...most professionals will spray a leather and vinyl color finish over the area which has been repaired. This serves to better blend in the repaired spot with the undamaged material. Vinyl dyes (leather dyes) are names for color finishes for leather and vinyl. The problem for the consumer is that they are not available in small quantities. However, Repair-it will make these colors available in 4-oz containers to the consumer. They can then be mixed and matched to a variety of colors. This product is called Liquid Leather... and it can be brushed or "sponged" over the repaired spot.
SUMMARY..
1)CLEAN THE DAMAGED SPOT AND INSERT A BACKING.
2)MIX THE REPAIR COMPOUND COLORS, APPLYING THE COMPOUND, COVER WITH A GRAIN PAPER AND BEAT
3)USE A CLEAR OR RECOLOR FINISH OVER THE REPAIR TO FINISH THE JOB.

Liquid leather:
A simple to apply, permanent polyurethane recolor finish for all leather and vinyl. Available in Wal-Mart stores in the color white only. Also available in all popular colors from Repair-it. It can be used to recolor: sneakers, shoes, boots, and leather auto interiors..any leather or vinyl item. It is a permanent recolor finish, available in quarts and gallons. Call repair-it for the price and any other information needed about repairing and coloring vinyl and leather. (330-665-7641) Ask for the inventor Scott Speer.

Vinyl and leather repair can be used to repair: auto seats, tops, dashes, trim, leather apparel, vinyl floors, chairs, booths, leather couches ... any leather or vinyl item.