So, I’ve been meaning to share this for a bit. You know how sometimes you just get fixed on an idea? Well, mine was this thing about a vintage Coach bag, specifically in Manor Green. Don’t ask me why that color, it just sort of stuck in my head. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or maybe I’m just tired of all the new stuff falling apart after five minutes.
Anyway, I decided I was going to find one and bring it back to life if it needed it. The hunt itself, that was a whole saga. Scouring online listings, peering at grainy photos, trying to tell if that smudge was dirt or a real tear. Manor Green, turns out, isn’t exactly common as muck. Took me a good few weeks of casual searching, then a week of pretty dedicated looking, before one popped up that didn’t cost an arm and a leg and actually looked like it had potential.
When it finally arrived, I gotta say, it was a bit of a moment. Not all good, mind you. It definitely looked… well, loved. Very loved. Or maybe just left in a closet for twenty years. The leather was dull, a few scuffs here and there, and the brass bits were looking pretty sad. But the structure was solid, which is what you get with these old Coach bags. They built them to last, not like some of the flimsy things you see today.
My little restoration project
So, the actual process. First thing I did was just empty it out and give it a good brushing inside and out to get rid of any loose dust or old forgotten treasures. You’d be surprised what you find in old bags. This one was pretty tame, just some old receipts and a bit of fluff.
Then, I got to work on the leather. I grabbed some gentle leather cleaner – nothing too harsh, because this old leather can be sensitive. Put a bit on a soft cloth and started cleaning, section by section. I went slow, real slow. It wasn’t about rushing; it was about doing it right. Some spots needed a bit more attention, especially around the bottom corners where it would have seen the most wear. I noticed a few things right away that needed care:
- Dullness all over the surface.
- Some noticeable scuffs on the front flap.
- The brass turnlock was tarnished.
- The strap felt a bit stiff.
After the cleaning, I let it air dry properly. Can’t rush that bit. Once it was dry, I took a good look. Better, definitely better. But it still needed some love. So, out came the leather conditioner. Again, worked it in gently, in small circles. You could almost see the leather drinking it up. I paid extra attention to the strap to get some flexibility back into it. I let that sit for a good few hours, then came back and gave it a buff with a clean, dry cloth. That’s when you really start to see the difference. That Manor Green started to get its depth back, a nice subtle sheen instead of that dull, tired look.
For the brass, I used a bit of brass cleaner on a cotton swab, being super careful not to get it on the leather. Just worked on the turnlock and the buckle bits on the strap. Took a bit of polishing, but they shined up nicely. It’s amazing how much of a difference clean hardware makes.
The inside, I just gave it a wipe with a slightly damp cloth with a tiny bit of mild soap, then wiped it again with a plain damp cloth to make sure there was no residue. Let that air out too.
And that was pretty much it. Took an afternoon, mostly. Not a huge deal, but incredibly satisfying. It’s not like it’s brand new – that’s not the point with vintage. But it’s clean, it’s cared for, and that Manor Green color is just gorgeous now that it’s been revived. It’s got character. It’s funny, I was complaining to my wife the other day about how my fancy new work bag, which cost a pretty penny, started fraying at the strap after just six months. Six months! And here’s this Coach bag, decades old, and with a bit of TLC, it’s ready for many more years. They just don’t make ‘em like they used to, do they? That’s why I bother with this stuff. It’s worth it.
