|
|
|
|
| Author |
|
|
Network Native
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 10,349
|
Recycling back seat leather
I got a half a dozen average condition leather back seats today, with the condition that they can't be used except as material. So I have been plucking out staples, LOTS of staples. The good news being that I have a real appreciation for the work of trimmers (folks who put the material on the seats), but not a real good idea of what I can do with all the bits of generally good shape perforated Porsche leather. Its all or mostly all baby poop yellow, but a "tiny" chance I exists that might get a bit more since my original idea was cashmere which is darker, or I may give up pulling staples if no good suggestions come up.
Would it be practical to take this pile to a trimmer and have them patch together a whole seat? Is it practical to reuse the leather at all? |
||
11-03-2008, 09:51 PM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Noblesville, In
Posts: 85
|
leather
Wallets?
__________________
07 Yukon Denali Blue Green Metallic, rolling on 22's 05 Jeep Laredo careened around town by child #1 06 Mustang rolling around town by child #2, in all it's bass thumping glory 88 928 S4 Black 90 928 S4 Linen Grey Metallic Sold 88 924s Black Sold 85.5 944 NA Grey Sold |
||
|
11-04-2008, 06:05 AM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Buena Park, CA
Posts: 247
|
The back section should be fairly large, so a good upholsterer could probably do something with it but it would most likely cost you more in labor than buying new, higher quality leather and having them use that.
I haven't skinned my front seats for a recover yet, but after doing the rears I can appreciate how much they liked to use their staples. |
||
|
11-04-2008, 06:43 AM
|
|
|
Network Native
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 10,349
|
All rear seats, so no seat backs (so far). Porsche leather is $600 a skin/hide.
If next Sharktoberfest you see a big guy in baby poop yellow Lederhosen, say hello.  By being all perforated leather, or at least all the larger chunks, that kind of limits use as far as I can tell to the center section of seats, and bolsters are where replacement is most often needed. Maybe steering wheel covers? Worst case I learned a bit about how the seats go together. I don't think I am going to try doing the replacement work on my car, just make sure the shop knows the "Porsche" way and insist on it. I had a place recommended to me in Garden Grove, called either K&H or K2H European, but I haven't talked to them directly yet. |
||
|
11-04-2008, 09:21 AM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Buena Park, CA
Posts: 247
|
That's what I get for reading before my coffee and shower in the morning. Yes, lots of staples in the rear seats and I'm a bit amazed by how the fabric ones go together and I'm guessing the leather would be the same.
Any reason you have to use "Porsche" hides? There are lots of sources of high quality leather out there in a wide spectrum of colors. |
||
|
11-04-2008, 09:42 AM
|
|
|
Network Native
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 10,349
|
If you are matching some existing leather work I suspect only Porsche "style" hides will work.
Quality similar to Porsche leather costs the same as Porsche leather. I like the smell of leather processed the way Porsche does (a mix I think of vat and surface treatments). Paul Champagne explained it well recently, maybe I can find the thread. *** Note *** I say Porsche, but I mean a "type" of leather and leather finishing. Leather vendors also know what it means. Beware of cheap leather that is "like" Porsche leather, leather products have very specific grading standards almost like diamonds, so the experts know, and generally we consumers don't. I have a bit of replacement leather in the drivers seat bolster on my 85, and WOW its obviously different stuff from the rest. |
||
|
11-04-2008, 09:59 AM
|
|
|
|
euroautophile
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 115
|
I still maintain the best leather in any automobile I've ever encountered is that buffalo leather BMW used to use. I had it in a couple of mid 80's 7 series, just gorgeous and what an aroma. Not to mention it wears like iron.
__________________
SOLD! 1988 S4 Black/Tan SOLD! 1987 S4 Red/Black WANTED! Early, low miles '87 or GT White on Tan 5spd LSD... |
||
|
11-04-2008, 11:07 AM
|
|
|
Network Native
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 10,349
|
I wonder if this perforated leather would be good used on a steering wheel?
|
||
|
11-05-2008, 01:36 AM
|
|
|
euroautophile
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 115
|
Ya know, I bet it would, I bet it would also be good for center console, gear shift/boot, etc. It would also make a very amusing binder/folder material for your service records and I'd venture a guess that people would bid a bit on ebay if you did a run of them.
__________________
SOLD! 1988 S4 Black/Tan SOLD! 1987 S4 Red/Black WANTED! Early, low miles '87 or GT White on Tan 5spd LSD... |
||
|
11-05-2008, 11:58 AM
|
|
|
Network Native
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 10,349
|
I guess I will see how it goes, I now have my car filled, and I mean filled with rear seats this time in black (wow I hope its black, I have the hardest time sometimes with the dark navy) and I have a dozen steering wheels that need recovering (4 spoke only). A few thousand staples from now I should have a better guess of whether or not it was a good idea.
*** Actually I am not dumb enough not to know that it is NOT a "good" idea, what I am waiting to see is if its too harebrained to hatch or not. |
||
|
11-05-2008, 09:56 PM
|
|
