[Troy Halliday]

I am re-trimming the interior of a classic Lotus Esprit, I have had the leather for a few months now and on opening up the packaging there is quite a few creases where it has been stored. I have left it hanging over the banister rail on the stairs for a few days now the creases are beginning to drop out but I need to get started on the trimming. Is there any thing I can do to remove the storage creases so that I can begin.

Troy

[Mr Ed]

it is not easy but i have had limited success with the following that was advise from a leather shop;
iron the suede side of the leather with the iron on a low setting such as that for nylon then turn it over and apply leather conditioner then stretch it out flat and anchor the sides to keep it this way until it is cold again, then repeat if neccesary (it will be!).

I had to do it about 5 times over a period of days.
I also tried washing it in luke warm soapy water (hand soap) then placed it upon a towel and anchored it flat and allowed it to dry with a dehumidifier in the room, in the end the iron was the best and quickest result.
Depending on your type/thickness of leather i would do a few tests on a smaller patch first.
Good luck, at least it smells good................

['40Tudor]

I provide leather to upholstery shops & have been in the 'leather business' for many years.
I agree with most that Mr. Ed said except I do not reccommend 'leather conditioners', and be careful not to get the leather too wet.
Most upholstery shops 'drape' their hides over rounded surfaces for several days before using. As you have discovered, this will remove most creasing.
You might also try steaming the creases with a steaming machine or possibly a steam iron.

[creativeinteriors]

Point one for any leather is to NEVER store it folded. It should always be stored in the flat or over a HORSE as we call them in the biz.

Now that it is too late for that advise here is the next step.

look for a hot day and get the hides out flat in the sun the more tempature you get in the hide the better. Next get as many heavy things that you can use for weight. The creases have a elongation and compression side. The compression side is the inside of the fold. Get the compression side up to the sun, be sure to lay something down like a sheet if the elongation side is on the finished side. The starting at the corners,Legs. Weight it down so it wont slide when pulled on and stretch the hide all around the perimeter. Then wait as the sun heats it up the oils in the hide will soften and the pours will rebound. if you have real nasty creases get a hairdryer or an iron out and put local heat to the crease. But be very carefull you can burn the finished side in a heartbeat. depending on the hide it reacts between 180 and 200 degrees .

[Troy Halliday]

Thanks for the reply everyone. Because of limitations on space I did have them rolled but then someone moved them and they were then flatened. It is not normally very sunny in the UK nut I hear that this weekend is meant to be a scorcher (for a country that rains a lot anyway) I'll give your suggestion a go. Will I need to refeed the leather after leaving it to sit in the sun. Will Autogym leather care cream be ok or should I invest in something better. I intend to keep up regular maintanance on the interior when it's all completed any suggestions would be appreciated. Also the A-posts, roof lining, and rear bulkhead are all done in Alcantara what is the best way to clean it. At the moment it is pritine but it is Ivory so how long it will stay that way is hard to say.

[Troy Halliday]

Well the sun trick did the job and a I have completed all of the interior baring the seats.

I seem to have stumbled on to another problem now though this time to do with my sewing machine or more than likely me setting it up. When sewing through two pieces of 5mm polyfoamed leather the top thread keeps snaging on something and fraying. It does not always do it but seems to have a preference for doing it on a nearly completed panel

The seats do seam to be going well and my sewing technique is getting much better. My lines are very straight and evenly spaced on highlight stitching. If I could just sort out this problem I could have the whole interior sewn up by the weekend (excuse the pun).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The machine is an industrial Brother DB2 Mk3 if that helps any

[creativeinteriors]

Quote: When sewing through two pieces of 5mm polyfoamed leather the top thread keeps snaging on something and fraying.

It sounds like one or a combo of 5 things.

1. The needle has a burr in the eye. or bent (but would tend to make it happen anywhere) Try another needle.

2. Happens when sewing poly foamed leather. And the fact that it seems to have a preference for doing it on a nearly completed panel, tells me that the needle or thread weight is wrong. Too small a needle could be heating up the needle and then the thread or the needle is flexing. To me it sounds like the needle is too small in gauge (and the side goove is not protecting the thread as it passes through the material) and maybe even the wrong tip causing to flex when forced through the hide and foam. Get an larger needle (I dont know what size you are using but a 24 max) with a Diamond Shaped tip (solely used for leather as it will cuts strand fibers on cloth) opens the leather hole up more cleanly for thread and needle to pass through.


3. Wrong thread gauge. Use min 13 lb (Tex-90)

4. Bobbin overspinning. pull bobbin thread in short little "yanks" HA HA ya brit. no seriously look to see if the bobbin over spins if so put a small peice of paper folded in the bottom of the bobbin case under the bobbin.

5. You have a burr on the pick up hook in the bobbin case. (Not too likely with the cause described "seems to have a preference for doing it on a nearly completed panel") Least likely.

Try these and let us know