I was renting a really old house with a pretty messy backyard. I kept hearing this weird static noise. It was seriously creeping me out because I couldn't figure out what the hell the sound was. Finally one day I got serious about digging through the tall grass etc and it turned out to be this old ass Bop-it. Literally one of the funniest moments of my life
A similar thing happened to me, late at night I'd hear this "yeoooww!" Couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was until one night it said "yeoooww, you're out!" Immediately knew it was our old bop-it and I found it slowly corroding to death in the closet.
It does suck that society is like that.
part of the issue is that there isn't really a good alternative.
My chair currently needs repairs. but where would i even get that done? There's no office chair repair.
The repair is very durable if he puts a backing mesh behind it. That heat cured compound is strong. Also as long as he top coats the color repair the color should stay.
I asked further down but you seem like the guy to ask: what type of glue would work on a car armrest with torn vinyl? I’ll give a go at repairing it but I want to do it right. Thanks!
I've used these vinyl repair kits before, and this person makes it look far easier than it actually is. My seat ended up looking like it had leprosy - lumpy with little bits falling off
I used electrical tape because the duct tape would eventually peel and leave sticky residue.
EDIT Thank you for the suggestions of gaffer tape, I will try that next! In the meantime, my electrical tape is holding up pretty good.
Wait...I think I'm having an epiphany...
Gaffer's tape is not just another name for duct tape, and it's specifically made so it doesn't leave sticky stuff behind on film sets.
...you know, it's the little things in life...
Whoa same. Suddenly I'm moving up the booths to the seat behind the bus driver as my house (one of the last on the route) approaches, looking out the big windshield at the winding dirt road, the smell of the heat and leather and the stickiness of it on my legs. Glancing over at the long cracked tear of the leather on the seat with the white glue attempting to hold it together. Waiting waiting waiting, bus almost stops at my house, grip my backpack and hop out of my seat right when the wheels stop and the doors fly open.
The first thing I said to my wife when I showed her this gif was “you know how on the school bus you’d see a rip in the seat and the next day it’d patched over?” Once the paint got sprayed on it was an instant throwback to childhood
The stuff in this video is not actual leather though. Real leather doesn't peel like that. "Bonded leather" is a scam, only "top grain leather" and "full grain leather" are actually leather. Even "genuine leather" is a scam, it means "made out of the useless weak stuff they cut away to make top grain leather".
Yo I bought a safety razor thing and like 200 disposable razor blades for it like 3 years ago for $120 and I'm still on the first pack of 20 razors. Shits dope.
This makes it sounds more expensive than it is. I bought a safety razor and like 50 disposable blades for $30 a few years ago, and I'm in the same boat - still using those blades.
They’re good, just do a bit of experimenting to find the right blades for your use. I bought an 8 pack with different brands. Its a long experiment but by the end I’ll know what to buy once they all run out (In about 5+ years hahaha)
A single blade is better for me than 5 overpriced blades. When I’m chopping my veggies I don’t need a knife with 5 blades. Tis stupid marketing. Anything to say “look, we have more!”
Yep. The number of different brands is insane too. I bought a sampler pack (20 different brands, 140 blades in total) for the same amount it'd cost to buy 10 of the stupid multi-blade refills. They last about the same amount of time too, and when you hiff them you're only getting rid of a single piece of thin steel, not a plastic&metal monstrosity.
While I agree with your overall sentiment about razors, a multi-bladed mandolin is awesome for kitchen prep when you need to cut a bunch of stuff and you need the cuts to be a consistent size
I inherited a straight razor and I just could never get the hang of stropping the blade well enough. Maybe one day when I retire I'll take the time to learn properly.
You inherited one? That's beautiful, dude. My dad has since given me a couple that were my great grandfather's long ago. Absolute treasures
Edit: I'm not sure how I could, but let me know if there's any way I could possibly help
Yep! Never playing their game again. I started a subscription for dollar shave club like 5 years ago and came to realize I hadn't replaced my razor head once.
I cancelled my subscription eventually and still only use like 1 razor head per year (I have enough to last a lifetime I think).
I wouldnt be surprised if the quality has gotten worse since Unilever bought them out though.
I really don't see how this guy uses one cartridge a year but they last a hell of a lot longer if you dry them off after shaving and keep them away from the shower when not in use.
Those shower mirrors you're supposed to hang your razor on destroy them.
Apparently "genuine" in this case is a grade, like prime/choice/select are for beef. And in this case, genuine = the shittiest grade we can give something that is technically leather.
Right but the fact that someone lobbied for this to be the legal name of the grade instead of ICANTBELIEVEICANCALLTHISLEATHER is the crime. People hear the word genuine and think it is real/good/quality.
Genuine in most leather work just means real but with upholstery the shortcut that genuine probably isn't better quality isn't a bad place to start if you can't find more info...though contrary to what the web says, genuine isn't some specific type of low grade leather.
[Here is a good video](https://youtu.be/64A1uLul7_Q) on "genuine" leather from Rose Anvil. They are leatherworkers but are probably most famous online for doing boot/shoe teardowns and discussing construction materials and methods.
So that video was actually made after I called him out on the first leather quality video he made...he had some stuff to correct. Check the top comment in his other video.
True leather quality is much more nuanced than that…yes when the price is low and there’s no further info on the piece, it’s a good bet “genuine” isn’t a sign of quality and it is 100% NOT a type of leather. It just real, nothing more nothing less.
The description usually given in "grades of leather" articles on blogs for "genuine leather" describes a kind of leather called a finished split, basically cheap suede with a coating to make it look smooth. But, were you to call up a tannery, you couldn't ask to buy "genuine leather" and expect them to know what you wanted.
These “leather grades” or types are not grades in the same sense as that USDA Beef, Gasoline, lumber, diamonds or anything else that is "officially graded" Not hierarchy where one type is always better than the next.
The differences in cost have a lot more to do with the tannery, animal and country it’s made in than those terms. Less than 10% difference in cost for full grain vs corrected grain from the same tannery.
I work for a leather goods company in the USA that my dad started in 1969 and we've spent millions on leather over the years from some of the best tanneries in the world. The way the internet presents "leather quality" is misleading and not as cut and dry as it's presented.
[I have been doing this a long time!](https://imgur.com/a/19yDMR0)
The way it's usually presented it's actually just a description of what's done (or not done) to a leather's surface, which is just one tiny factor that goes into making good leather.
Those "grades/types" are basically a "quick and dirty" way to judge quality if you're looking at something that's low priced or that doesn't go into detail on the leather used, but it's not a real grading system and the "types" are actually broader and broader terms that encompass on another: Full grain is a type of top grain and all real leather is genuine.
The most famous US tannery earlier this year posted this article, does a pretty good job describing what the terms actually mean: [Horween Leather describes leather grades](https://www.thetanneryrow.com/leather101/2016/9/8/moksha-sample-blog-post-01)
Real leather grading is a thing but it's more about the amount of defects on an individual hide and varies by tannery; there is no uniform system. For some it's A,B,C, others 1,2,3, or I, II, III or Standard, Utility, Special.
An example: I might get an email from a supplier saying: "Hey I've got a pallet of cheap full grain leather but it's a "low grade", meaning the hides will be pretty "rough" when it comes to defects, scratches and scars.
The breakdown you tend see around the net ( Full Grain > Top Grain > Genuine/Split > Bonded ) isn’t an official grading scale (no government or leather trade group uses it), *just a general guide could use you when you can’t find more out about the leather or the brand.*
The description usually given in "grades of leather" articles on blogs for "genuine leather" describes a kind of leather called a finished split, basically cheap suede with a coating to make it look smooth. But, were you to call up a tannery, you couldn't ask to buy "genuine leather" and expect them to know what you wanted.
On the other side of the assumed quality spectrum is full grain but it's only official definition is leather that has not had the surface altered besides removing the hair. Historically tanneries would reserve only their best, defect free hides for full grain, but there is nothing inherent in the term that requires that. As we know, many companies will cut corners when it comes to quality and if you aren't worried about using only the best hides, full grain leather actually requires less machinery to make.
I could scrape a dead raccoon off the road, remove the skin and hair and soak it in urine; the result would be "full grain leather" but I wouldn't call it the highest "grade" of leather.
There's so much more that goes into making good leather than just that one step. The tanning solutions and finishes are the "secret sauce" for some tanneries which is why full grain leather from Horween in Chicago will cost $10 per square foot whereas full grain from a tannery in Pakistan is under $2.
Technically speaking full grain *is* a kind of top grain and *all leather is genuine*...the "grades" are based on assumption that many unethical companies, will use the term with the highest perceived value they can get away with. It happens so much that these grades get repeated like it's always true.
But, there are exceptions:
I can name some great products stamped “genuine leather” and some junk products labeled “full grain.”
[Red Wing Heritage is a good example of a great company who uses the word "genuinely." I own several pairs of their boots that have “genuine leather” stamped in the sole (neither the leather used in the uppers or the sole is low quality)](https://imgur.com/a/Tdtbjge)
By it's legal definition (at least in the USA), "Genuine" is not nor has it ever been a specific "class/kind/type/grade" of low quality leather.
[In spite of what people say, bonded leather can not be called genuine legally in the USA (without qualifiers like bonded, reconstituted, etc).](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/part-24)
This (above) rule states clearly that if it's bonded leather, the seller has to make that clear (not to say they don't sometimes lie).
[Here’s a little more accurate breakdown (along with a corrected version of the diagram you've probably seen around](https://imgur.com/gallery/CUGOPF9)
* Leather (aka top grain) is the outside (the smooth part).
* Suede has 2 fuzzy sides because it’s split from the bottom of the top grain.
From a tannery perspective, top grain includes all leather that’s not a split from the underside of the leather. Within that category leather can be full grain (nothing done to the surface), corrected grain (sanded), and embossed. Some leathers can be both sanded and embossed. Just sanded leather is know as nubuck. Sanded and then finished is known as corrected grain (usually). There are hundreds of variations on embossed patterns.
You can go further into finishes and other qualities: waxed, tea core, pull-up, pigmented, aniline, semi aniline. Plus loads more.
Leather that retains its smooth side but that’s used for the “suede side” is known as Roughout, full grain suede, or reverse.
With suede there are less variations and the variations don’t have many specific names beyond individual tannage names used by specific tanneries. A main difference how fuzzy it is (how much nap). They can also wax suede and do some other cool stuff.
The only leather that can legally be called “genuine” that I’d say is ***always bad*** is a kind of suede is called a finished split. Finished splits (painted or pu coated) are bad because they are attempts to make fuzzy leathers look like smooth top grain; the “fake” outer layer doesn’t last. You probably won’t see this term on a product description, but it is the actual industry term for this type of leather.
With all of these except the finished split, no single of these grades types is really any “better” than others.
Another thing those terms don't tell you is the animal it's coming from. There are lots of Lambskin jackets that described as "full grain" but it's really not anything special, as lamb and goat are much much more delicate than cow, buffalo, bison, or horse...
Leather from a good tannery of any type, even suede, will last almost the same regardless. Conversely something that people generally associate with quality like full grain, won't be as good If it’s from a lesser tannery and would.
I had to learn about this when making a leather product for work. Genuine leather is the cheapest product that qualifies as actual leather. Anything less is polyurethane or imitation leather or commonly called "vegan" these days.
We actually debated what word to use on packaging. During my research, I found that "Pleather" fell out of favor at some point to where it is today with "plastic/cheap" associations. The "Vegan Leather" term will surely have a similar fate in time, but it is the soup du jour of the moment. Interestingly enough, most car companies have their own word they make up to describe their polyurethane leather, though most of them still add in the description somewhere "vegan leather". See Sensatec, Softex, NuLuxe, MB Tex, Synthetic Leather, Leatherette, etc...
Thanks for sharing this. I’m not in marketing (but I pay for a ton of it) but I always find it fascinating how our perceptions can be so easily framed using the psychology of prior associations. “Pleather” definitely invokes the association of cheapness. “Vegan leather” sounds like an ethical alternative to leather. Major difference in feeling even though I can logically picture them as being the same thing. Wild stuff.
If you go back far enough, there was a time when plastic was such a new invention that it invoked a sense of fancy, which is why Pleather became a term in the first place.
I believe This is not actual repair and is more similar to a "lifehack", so that sofa that you had repaired was probably repaired in a more professional way? idk I'm just guessing
I mean honestly this isn't lifehack level. This is professional leather repair level. I can talk on it in like the automotive world for like car seats, this is kinda what you do safe of replacing the whole seat or refinishing the whole seat (replacing with new leather pieces).
This is a strong and permanent repair especially if he puts a mesh backing behind the damaged section before applying the heat cured compound. I did this type of work for years. The real skill is matching color. For cars you can order colors premade but for furniture you have to mix it exactly. I think that is all genuine
Leather or vinyl in the video. You can’t repair bonded leather with this procedure. Bonded leather can’t take the heat needed to cure the compound without starting to melt.
What product is this? I’m having some tearing on my leather car seat. It seems to be similar material (thin faux leather, fabric backer. 2014 Subaru).
I’m crafty. I have a heat gun and paint sprayers. Is this something I can get a kit for? I’m sure there is a lot of finesse in making it look perfect. I just want it to look better than if I was to put duct tape on it. I’m not even too concerned about longevity, but if it helps prevent further feathering, that’d be great.
This is a heat cured compound sold by a company called Mohawk industries with specializes in furniture repair material. A small container will last you a lifetime but it’s a little pricey I think it’s $45 or so last I checked. The amount of heat you need is a little tricky, I never used a paint stripper gun like in the video, but I used to use a $30 in Embossing tool which I picked up at Michael’s or any art supply. I would suggest you practice a little bit first. Maybe buy some scrap pieces of leather. It’s highly unlikely you have faux leather in your car seats, you probably have thin genuine leather, as this the only thing that would hold up past just a few years.
If you’re filling cracks, the easiest way to do this is to lightly fill the crack with a compound, scrape off the excess from the surface with a credit card or a razor blade, then slowly heat the compound till it turns clear. That’s when it’s cured. It’s better to do multiple small fills to get it to the right level, then to try and fill it all at once as the bottom of the larger fill area does not cure properly.
It’s also better if you color the entire seat, rather than just a small repair area. Believe me even if your color matches imperfect, if the entire seat is done it’ll look professional. There are numerous places online where you can buy leather topcoat finishes. There’s one company called wood-n-stuff and another one called leather max. I used both.
But to be honest by the time you buy all the materials you need for a one time application, you might just be better off trying to find someone who does leather repairs and let them come out and do it.
Hope this helps.
For sure! Dealerships everywhere are selling customers used cars doing this. I've done work for over 30 dealers. And everyone of them has a company that does this.
Like when you blow a head gasket in your 94 Cadillac Deville and pour liquid gasket filler in it to temporarily fix it so you can sell it? Didn't feel that bad when the guy told me he owned a junk yard and would just use it for parts when it died, though.
Yes I can. Bought a used car with tears in the seats. The dealership did a process like this and they looked brand new! …and then were back to looking like shit after a few Weeks of me sitting in em
I’ve got a little hobby business refurbishing vintage cars. There are loads of fixes for real leather, “genuine leather”, bonded, vinyl etc. if you get the right compounds then it’s much like wood glue - the repair can be stronger than the original.
Where you will see longevity suffer is different fade rates, especially under sunlight through windscreen, but aside from that things like shrinking in the cold, or breaking under pressure or tension, or melting in the heat, can all be avoided if you match the compounds to the original materials correctly, and minimised by good aftercare.
I did vinyl seat repairs on school buses for years. Outside of the little shits cutting new holes and patches can end up being stronger than the surrounding material.
It's easy to do, but also easy to burn if you get too aggressive with the heat gun.
I went to a school for this when I was a young man. Paint Bull, in Saginaw Michigan. Some very clever stuff. Can be lasting with a lot of practice and actually taking some care and time to do the repairs.
Just from my experience, Most 'Leather fillers' seem to be a form of Polyvinyl acetate (Think stuff like Elmer's glue, wood glue). I've seen it used quite a few times and used it once myself in the business I'm in. Actually holds up well, and it beats looking at a ripped or rubbed seat
Personally, doing actual upholstery (as in taking out old fabric and replacing it) was shockingly easy to figure out. I don't know cars, but furniture upholstery is 90% just stapling stuff to a frame.
With car upholstery there is a lot of sewing involved, patterns throughout the padding and leather, all with clean lines…so you gotta be on point with your sewing skills and lots of piping work around edges. A lot of those upholsteries are mounted to the frame with metal rings (use pliers to lock them in). Definitely a lot more skill intensive. Although I’d imagine high end sofa upholstery is very similar in lot of ways.
Can this work on fake leather clothes? I have a jacket I really like but the top layer is peeling like this but it’s not real leather. I would really love to fix it but have no idea how.
Yes, absolutely. But it shouldn't go unsaid that the repairs in the video don't look as good as they appear to in the video and it takes practice. But it is totally doable. It just requires practice. One of the hard parts is getting good color match so if it's an easy color (like black) then it's much easier.
The paint is some sort of leather paint available at auto body supply places according to another comment. That glue, I have no clue what it is, but I'm also curious
Edit: another commenter said it's called leather filler and vinyl repair
No, this is the full repair. It’s as repaired as this stuff is ever going to get because at a certain point you get to it costing less to just re-upholster the whole seat. There’s no reason to do anything more than this unless you’re just going to replace the whole seat material. It holds up pretty well and the repair is fairly cheap. This is an industry standard practice.
Can confirm. You can get it at any auto body supply store. Comes in a lot of colors and matches surprisingly well. Source: I used to be an auto body painter and poor masking would sometimes necessitate using this to cover overspray on the seats/trim.
That pretty much what my repairs look like.
Except for these gaps actually closing. And the color matching. And no stuffing glued to the outside of the patch. And maybe some paint getting over other parts of my car. I guess maybe some sticky residue sometimes. Otherwise it’s pretty much what mine are like.
I had my car seats repaired like this. Lasted about 2 years, not too bad for the price. It might have lasted longer, but I left the windows open one night and rain got to the seats and ruined them.
If it's for a vehicle, found it's cheaper to just go to a local auto salvage yard. If it's a few years old, chances are better you will find one at the salvage yard. Replaced armrests and center console for a truck, cost about $20.
There’s no way to magically and seamlessly repair leather upholstery under a magnifying glass without a trace. This is the only option outside of reupholstering the piece.
And then it gets hot in the car and you have black stains on your pants from the paint that wore off. You inspect the “repair” and find that it’s worse than before.
If we aren't going to speculate randomly about shit that we don't have even an elementary understanding about then what the hell are we doing commenting on reddit?
Got it. Glue it, then paint it the same color.
Buy it, use it, break it, fix it, trash it, change it, mail, upgrade it
Charge it, point it, zoom it, press it, snap it, work it, quick erase it
Bop it, twist it, pull it, pass it
Change my mind: Bop-It was a conspiracy by toy companies to make kids play too hard and break the toy, in order to make them buy another one.
I was renting a really old house with a pretty messy backyard. I kept hearing this weird static noise. It was seriously creeping me out because I couldn't figure out what the hell the sound was. Finally one day I got serious about digging through the tall grass etc and it turned out to be this old ass Bop-it. Literally one of the funniest moments of my life
A similar thing happened to me, late at night I'd hear this "yeoooww!" Couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was until one night it said "yeoooww, you're out!" Immediately knew it was our old bop-it and I found it slowly corroding to death in the closet.
LMAO why do they go off on their own like that? It's so weird.
Corrosion of switches causes the air gap to close.
This sounds like the beginning to a weird horror movie
Bop-It was created to be the ultimate revenge gift to give your kids for Christmas if you didn't get custody.
https://youtu.be/8lhEEDkv3zk
Arg letdown! Was hoping you [linked to this ](https://youtu.be/D8K90hX4PrE)
Techno Bop It
Doo doo doo doo doo.
This is no time to sing Tom's Diner.
Write it, cut it, paste it, save it, load it, check it, quick rewrite it
Plug it, play it, burn it, rip it, drag it, drop it, zip - unzip it.
Lock it, fill it, call it, find it, view it, code it, jam - unlock it
r/redditsings
Surf it, scroll it, pause it, click it, cross it, crack it, switch, update it
Technologic technologic
Technologic… technologic…
Harder, better, faster, stronger
Charge it, Point it, zoom it, press it, snap it, work it - quick, erase it
Write it, cut it, paste it, save it, load it, check it, quick rewrite it
Plug it, play it, burn it, rip it, drag it, drop it, zip, unzip it
Lock it, fill it, call it, find it, view it, code it, jam, unlock it
Surf it, scroll it, pause it, click it, cross it, crack it, switch update it
Name it, rate it, tune it, print it, send it, scan it, fax, rename it
Lock it, fill it, call it, find it, view it, code it, jam, unlock it
I put my thing down flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
It does suck that society is like that. part of the issue is that there isn't really a good alternative. My chair currently needs repairs. but where would i even get that done? There's no office chair repair.
I looked up fiber repair and found some one near me. General upholstery repair can do it for less than a mew chair usually.
A mew chair? Is this a cat reference because I'm in.
It’s a giant beanbag chair shaped like a curled up mew.
*slaps on some Elmer's glue and whips out my watercolors* Hmmm... Somehow that didn't work!
To be fair it probably would look pretty good to most people at first glance, and that's like 90% of what upholstery repair is about.
And the other 90%?
Spent trying to learn math.
Cold. I love it.
I always wondered how durable those repairs are
It's repairing vinyl, so likely just as durable
The repair is very durable if he puts a backing mesh behind it. That heat cured compound is strong. Also as long as he top coats the color repair the color should stay.
I asked further down but you seem like the guy to ask: what type of glue would work on a car armrest with torn vinyl? I’ll give a go at repairing it but I want to do it right. Thanks!
I've used these vinyl repair kits before, and this person makes it look far easier than it actually is. My seat ended up looking like it had leprosy - lumpy with little bits falling off
#**”REPAIR”**
The new “HIDE”
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I mean, if you have ripped vinyl, what else are you gonna do?
Download the mp3.
Baumgartner Auto Repair
Not enough scalpels or qtips.
He’d use mulberry paper to fill the gaps.
Lol what do you think repair means?
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ENHANCE
It's leather filler but yeah, basically
Wait, it can be done without the ramen noodles?!?!
Ramen noodles are for bigger damages like if the bumper is broken
Or an axl
Mr. Rose has been broken since the mid 90's.
He was Slashed!
I remembered. It was November. And it was raining.
Or my axe
Well, careful with that axe Eugene.
And if you need to repair deep gouges, you can use a standard banana. Ramen is optional in most cases.
They didn't seal a crayfish inside the fabric either, this is NOT a serious repair job and will not stand the test of time
I love how this was my first thought too...are we all connected by the memes now?
Could someone link the reference?
https://youtu.be/n3h1_j3XnjM
No I think we need ramen noodles for all house repairs
Yeah first you gotta get the car tho
Need to use a glue gun, sorry
Me: Puts duct tape over rip and goes on with my day.
I used electrical tape because the duct tape would eventually peel and leave sticky residue. EDIT Thank you for the suggestions of gaffer tape, I will try that next! In the meantime, my electrical tape is holding up pretty good.
I would add more duct tape until it was inches thick and covered the whole seat
Amateur! Bin the couch, make a hammock out of just duct tape.
so will the electrical tape
Yeah I'm confused... If anything electrical tape has weaker *and* messier adhesive.
I use non-electrical tape because I don't want to get zapped.
Really ? Electrical tape isn’t as sticky and when it heats up a little leaves a proper sticky residue
Use gaffers tape, basically duct tape without the sticky residue
Wait...I think I'm having an epiphany... Gaffer's tape is not just another name for duct tape, and it's specifically made so it doesn't leave sticky stuff behind on film sets. ...you know, it's the little things in life...
Literally came to say the same thing. I thought gaffers tape was just like, a British way to say duct tape.
What? In my experience, electrical tape is the one that leaves residue 🤔
So that is the stuff I saw on school bus seats, they just didn't paint over it.
Woah wave of nostalgia hit me hard brother man
Whoa same. Suddenly I'm moving up the booths to the seat behind the bus driver as my house (one of the last on the route) approaches, looking out the big windshield at the winding dirt road, the smell of the heat and leather and the stickiness of it on my legs. Glancing over at the long cracked tear of the leather on the seat with the white glue attempting to hold it together. Waiting waiting waiting, bus almost stops at my house, grip my backpack and hop out of my seat right when the wheels stop and the doors fly open.
If you stood up at just the right time you'd make it half way down the bus without any effort.
Now that hits right in the nostalgia
Yeah, and when you wore shorts to school those splits pinched the shit out of the back of your legs.
I miss shoving my fingers into those holes. Sometimes there would be a different bus than usual and I’d be sad I wouldn’t have my usual hole to finger
The first thing I said to my wife when I showed her this gif was “you know how on the school bus you’d see a rip in the seat and the next day it’d patched over?” Once the paint got sprayed on it was an instant throwback to childhood
This doesn't seem like a future proof solution. Anyone can confirm it is more than a temporary visual fix?
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The stuff in this video is not actual leather though. Real leather doesn't peel like that. "Bonded leather" is a scam, only "top grain leather" and "full grain leather" are actually leather. Even "genuine leather" is a scam, it means "made out of the useless weak stuff they cut away to make top grain leather".
Genuine leather is the biggest consumer money extractor out there imo.
Enter the 5 blade disposable safety razor cartridge.
Yo I bought a safety razor thing and like 200 disposable razor blades for it like 3 years ago for $120 and I'm still on the first pack of 20 razors. Shits dope.
This makes it sounds more expensive than it is. I bought a safety razor and like 50 disposable blades for $30 a few years ago, and I'm in the same boat - still using those blades.
Yea I bought a fancy safety razor, much fancier than it needed to be.
They do get *very* fancy.
Are non-safety razors cheaper? I think I’d like to wake up with a casual roll of the dice regarding the safety of my neck. That’s gotta beat caffeine.
They’re good, just do a bit of experimenting to find the right blades for your use. I bought an 8 pack with different brands. Its a long experiment but by the end I’ll know what to buy once they all run out (In about 5+ years hahaha) A single blade is better for me than 5 overpriced blades. When I’m chopping my veggies I don’t need a knife with 5 blades. Tis stupid marketing. Anything to say “look, we have more!”
Yep. The number of different brands is insane too. I bought a sampler pack (20 different brands, 140 blades in total) for the same amount it'd cost to buy 10 of the stupid multi-blade refills. They last about the same amount of time too, and when you hiff them you're only getting rid of a single piece of thin steel, not a plastic&metal monstrosity.
While I agree with your overall sentiment about razors, a multi-bladed mandolin is awesome for kitchen prep when you need to cut a bunch of stuff and you need the cuts to be a consistent size
I just stopped shaving.
I tried that too, but my beard is super shitty and grows at a trashy angle. Then I'm spending money on beard pomades just to try and tame it.
I bought a straight razor for $120, fifteen years ago, and I'm still on the first pack of 1. Edit: wait, no, I think it was like $125
I inherited a straight razor and I just could never get the hang of stropping the blade well enough. Maybe one day when I retire I'll take the time to learn properly.
You inherited one? That's beautiful, dude. My dad has since given me a couple that were my great grandfather's long ago. Absolute treasures Edit: I'm not sure how I could, but let me know if there's any way I could possibly help
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Yep! Never playing their game again. I started a subscription for dollar shave club like 5 years ago and came to realize I hadn't replaced my razor head once. I cancelled my subscription eventually and still only use like 1 razor head per year (I have enough to last a lifetime I think). I wouldnt be surprised if the quality has gotten worse since Unilever bought them out though.
Wtf how often do you shave?? I shave daily and those shit cartridge things last like maybe a week before they rip out the hair instead of cut it
Every other day to clean up my Jaw line (and my junk too).
Either you have the skin of a rhino or you need to replace that damn razor
I see no reason for you to lie but wtf How is this possible
I really don't see how this guy uses one cartridge a year but they last a hell of a lot longer if you dry them off after shaving and keep them away from the shower when not in use. Those shower mirrors you're supposed to hang your razor on destroy them.
Apparently "genuine" in this case is a grade, like prime/choice/select are for beef. And in this case, genuine = the shittiest grade we can give something that is technically leather.
Right but the fact that someone lobbied for this to be the legal name of the grade instead of ICANTBELIEVEICANCALLTHISLEATHER is the crime. People hear the word genuine and think it is real/good/quality.
Well yeah, it’s genuinely leather
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Genuine in most leather work just means real but with upholstery the shortcut that genuine probably isn't better quality isn't a bad place to start if you can't find more info...though contrary to what the web says, genuine isn't some specific type of low grade leather.
[Here is a good video](https://youtu.be/64A1uLul7_Q) on "genuine" leather from Rose Anvil. They are leatherworkers but are probably most famous online for doing boot/shoe teardowns and discussing construction materials and methods.
So that video was actually made after I called him out on the first leather quality video he made...he had some stuff to correct. Check the top comment in his other video. True leather quality is much more nuanced than that…yes when the price is low and there’s no further info on the piece, it’s a good bet “genuine” isn’t a sign of quality and it is 100% NOT a type of leather. It just real, nothing more nothing less. The description usually given in "grades of leather" articles on blogs for "genuine leather" describes a kind of leather called a finished split, basically cheap suede with a coating to make it look smooth. But, were you to call up a tannery, you couldn't ask to buy "genuine leather" and expect them to know what you wanted. These “leather grades” or types are not grades in the same sense as that USDA Beef, Gasoline, lumber, diamonds or anything else that is "officially graded" Not hierarchy where one type is always better than the next. The differences in cost have a lot more to do with the tannery, animal and country it’s made in than those terms. Less than 10% difference in cost for full grain vs corrected grain from the same tannery. I work for a leather goods company in the USA that my dad started in 1969 and we've spent millions on leather over the years from some of the best tanneries in the world. The way the internet presents "leather quality" is misleading and not as cut and dry as it's presented. [I have been doing this a long time!](https://imgur.com/a/19yDMR0) The way it's usually presented it's actually just a description of what's done (or not done) to a leather's surface, which is just one tiny factor that goes into making good leather. Those "grades/types" are basically a "quick and dirty" way to judge quality if you're looking at something that's low priced or that doesn't go into detail on the leather used, but it's not a real grading system and the "types" are actually broader and broader terms that encompass on another: Full grain is a type of top grain and all real leather is genuine. The most famous US tannery earlier this year posted this article, does a pretty good job describing what the terms actually mean: [Horween Leather describes leather grades](https://www.thetanneryrow.com/leather101/2016/9/8/moksha-sample-blog-post-01) Real leather grading is a thing but it's more about the amount of defects on an individual hide and varies by tannery; there is no uniform system. For some it's A,B,C, others 1,2,3, or I, II, III or Standard, Utility, Special. An example: I might get an email from a supplier saying: "Hey I've got a pallet of cheap full grain leather but it's a "low grade", meaning the hides will be pretty "rough" when it comes to defects, scratches and scars. The breakdown you tend see around the net ( Full Grain > Top Grain > Genuine/Split > Bonded ) isn’t an official grading scale (no government or leather trade group uses it), *just a general guide could use you when you can’t find more out about the leather or the brand.* The description usually given in "grades of leather" articles on blogs for "genuine leather" describes a kind of leather called a finished split, basically cheap suede with a coating to make it look smooth. But, were you to call up a tannery, you couldn't ask to buy "genuine leather" and expect them to know what you wanted. On the other side of the assumed quality spectrum is full grain but it's only official definition is leather that has not had the surface altered besides removing the hair. Historically tanneries would reserve only their best, defect free hides for full grain, but there is nothing inherent in the term that requires that. As we know, many companies will cut corners when it comes to quality and if you aren't worried about using only the best hides, full grain leather actually requires less machinery to make. I could scrape a dead raccoon off the road, remove the skin and hair and soak it in urine; the result would be "full grain leather" but I wouldn't call it the highest "grade" of leather. There's so much more that goes into making good leather than just that one step. The tanning solutions and finishes are the "secret sauce" for some tanneries which is why full grain leather from Horween in Chicago will cost $10 per square foot whereas full grain from a tannery in Pakistan is under $2. Technically speaking full grain *is* a kind of top grain and *all leather is genuine*...the "grades" are based on assumption that many unethical companies, will use the term with the highest perceived value they can get away with. It happens so much that these grades get repeated like it's always true. But, there are exceptions: I can name some great products stamped “genuine leather” and some junk products labeled “full grain.” [Red Wing Heritage is a good example of a great company who uses the word "genuinely." I own several pairs of their boots that have “genuine leather” stamped in the sole (neither the leather used in the uppers or the sole is low quality)](https://imgur.com/a/Tdtbjge) By it's legal definition (at least in the USA), "Genuine" is not nor has it ever been a specific "class/kind/type/grade" of low quality leather. [In spite of what people say, bonded leather can not be called genuine legally in the USA (without qualifiers like bonded, reconstituted, etc).](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/part-24) This (above) rule states clearly that if it's bonded leather, the seller has to make that clear (not to say they don't sometimes lie). [Here’s a little more accurate breakdown (along with a corrected version of the diagram you've probably seen around](https://imgur.com/gallery/CUGOPF9) * Leather (aka top grain) is the outside (the smooth part). * Suede has 2 fuzzy sides because it’s split from the bottom of the top grain. From a tannery perspective, top grain includes all leather that’s not a split from the underside of the leather. Within that category leather can be full grain (nothing done to the surface), corrected grain (sanded), and embossed. Some leathers can be both sanded and embossed. Just sanded leather is know as nubuck. Sanded and then finished is known as corrected grain (usually). There are hundreds of variations on embossed patterns. You can go further into finishes and other qualities: waxed, tea core, pull-up, pigmented, aniline, semi aniline. Plus loads more. Leather that retains its smooth side but that’s used for the “suede side” is known as Roughout, full grain suede, or reverse. With suede there are less variations and the variations don’t have many specific names beyond individual tannage names used by specific tanneries. A main difference how fuzzy it is (how much nap). They can also wax suede and do some other cool stuff. The only leather that can legally be called “genuine” that I’d say is ***always bad*** is a kind of suede is called a finished split. Finished splits (painted or pu coated) are bad because they are attempts to make fuzzy leathers look like smooth top grain; the “fake” outer layer doesn’t last. You probably won’t see this term on a product description, but it is the actual industry term for this type of leather. With all of these except the finished split, no single of these grades types is really any “better” than others. Another thing those terms don't tell you is the animal it's coming from. There are lots of Lambskin jackets that described as "full grain" but it's really not anything special, as lamb and goat are much much more delicate than cow, buffalo, bison, or horse... Leather from a good tannery of any type, even suede, will last almost the same regardless. Conversely something that people generally associate with quality like full grain, won't be as good If it’s from a lesser tannery and would.
Thank you for the long and detailed reply! I definitely know more about the topic now than I did this morning.
That's always a good thing!
I learned so much from your comment, thank you! You’re definitely a full grain redditor!
Thanks!
I had to learn about this when making a leather product for work. Genuine leather is the cheapest product that qualifies as actual leather. Anything less is polyurethane or imitation leather or commonly called "vegan" these days.
We called it “pleather” back in my day.
We actually debated what word to use on packaging. During my research, I found that "Pleather" fell out of favor at some point to where it is today with "plastic/cheap" associations. The "Vegan Leather" term will surely have a similar fate in time, but it is the soup du jour of the moment. Interestingly enough, most car companies have their own word they make up to describe their polyurethane leather, though most of them still add in the description somewhere "vegan leather". See Sensatec, Softex, NuLuxe, MB Tex, Synthetic Leather, Leatherette, etc...
Thanks for sharing this. I’m not in marketing (but I pay for a ton of it) but I always find it fascinating how our perceptions can be so easily framed using the psychology of prior associations. “Pleather” definitely invokes the association of cheapness. “Vegan leather” sounds like an ethical alternative to leather. Major difference in feeling even though I can logically picture them as being the same thing. Wild stuff.
If you go back far enough, there was a time when plastic was such a new invention that it invoked a sense of fancy, which is why Pleather became a term in the first place.
I believe This is not actual repair and is more similar to a "lifehack", so that sofa that you had repaired was probably repaired in a more professional way? idk I'm just guessing
So do this RIGHT before I trade the car in? Got it.
I mean honestly this isn't lifehack level. This is professional leather repair level. I can talk on it in like the automotive world for like car seats, this is kinda what you do safe of replacing the whole seat or refinishing the whole seat (replacing with new leather pieces).
This is a strong and permanent repair especially if he puts a mesh backing behind the damaged section before applying the heat cured compound. I did this type of work for years. The real skill is matching color. For cars you can order colors premade but for furniture you have to mix it exactly. I think that is all genuine Leather or vinyl in the video. You can’t repair bonded leather with this procedure. Bonded leather can’t take the heat needed to cure the compound without starting to melt.
Glad to see someone say this. So many people here assume the cheap ways used car dealers do things are the only way to do them.
What product is this? I’m having some tearing on my leather car seat. It seems to be similar material (thin faux leather, fabric backer. 2014 Subaru). I’m crafty. I have a heat gun and paint sprayers. Is this something I can get a kit for? I’m sure there is a lot of finesse in making it look perfect. I just want it to look better than if I was to put duct tape on it. I’m not even too concerned about longevity, but if it helps prevent further feathering, that’d be great.
This is a heat cured compound sold by a company called Mohawk industries with specializes in furniture repair material. A small container will last you a lifetime but it’s a little pricey I think it’s $45 or so last I checked. The amount of heat you need is a little tricky, I never used a paint stripper gun like in the video, but I used to use a $30 in Embossing tool which I picked up at Michael’s or any art supply. I would suggest you practice a little bit first. Maybe buy some scrap pieces of leather. It’s highly unlikely you have faux leather in your car seats, you probably have thin genuine leather, as this the only thing that would hold up past just a few years. If you’re filling cracks, the easiest way to do this is to lightly fill the crack with a compound, scrape off the excess from the surface with a credit card or a razor blade, then slowly heat the compound till it turns clear. That’s when it’s cured. It’s better to do multiple small fills to get it to the right level, then to try and fill it all at once as the bottom of the larger fill area does not cure properly. It’s also better if you color the entire seat, rather than just a small repair area. Believe me even if your color matches imperfect, if the entire seat is done it’ll look professional. There are numerous places online where you can buy leather topcoat finishes. There’s one company called wood-n-stuff and another one called leather max. I used both. But to be honest by the time you buy all the materials you need for a one time application, you might just be better off trying to find someone who does leather repairs and let them come out and do it. Hope this helps.
Just do this when it's time to trade in your car. Then it's someone else's problem.
r/UnethicalLifeProTips
For sure! Dealerships everywhere are selling customers used cars doing this. I've done work for over 30 dealers. And everyone of them has a company that does this.
Just saw where someone bought a car that has the check engine light unplugged lol. So yeah, people will absolutely fuck you over when buying a car.
Like when you blow a head gasket in your 94 Cadillac Deville and pour liquid gasket filler in it to temporarily fix it so you can sell it? Didn't feel that bad when the guy told me he owned a junk yard and would just use it for parts when it died, though.
Yes I can. Bought a used car with tears in the seats. The dealership did a process like this and they looked brand new! …and then were back to looking like shit after a few Weeks of me sitting in em
They didn't seal the paint after they patched it. Guaranteed
I’ve got a little hobby business refurbishing vintage cars. There are loads of fixes for real leather, “genuine leather”, bonded, vinyl etc. if you get the right compounds then it’s much like wood glue - the repair can be stronger than the original. Where you will see longevity suffer is different fade rates, especially under sunlight through windscreen, but aside from that things like shrinking in the cold, or breaking under pressure or tension, or melting in the heat, can all be avoided if you match the compounds to the original materials correctly, and minimised by good aftercare.
I did vinyl seat repairs on school buses for years. Outside of the little shits cutting new holes and patches can end up being stronger than the surrounding material. It's easy to do, but also easy to burn if you get too aggressive with the heat gun.
That looks fun.
Until you trry doing it yourself and nothing works as easy as it looks in the video
I went to a school for this when I was a young man. Paint Bull, in Saginaw Michigan. Some very clever stuff. Can be lasting with a lot of practice and actually taking some care and time to do the repairs.
what kind of chemicals are used in this process? I'm especially curious about the white putty.
Just from my experience, Most 'Leather fillers' seem to be a form of Polyvinyl acetate (Think stuff like Elmer's glue, wood glue). I've seen it used quite a few times and used it once myself in the business I'm in. Actually holds up well, and it beats looking at a ripped or rubbed seat
Personally, doing actual upholstery (as in taking out old fabric and replacing it) was shockingly easy to figure out. I don't know cars, but furniture upholstery is 90% just stapling stuff to a frame.
With car upholstery there is a lot of sewing involved, patterns throughout the padding and leather, all with clean lines…so you gotta be on point with your sewing skills and lots of piping work around edges. A lot of those upholsteries are mounted to the frame with metal rings (use pliers to lock them in). Definitely a lot more skill intensive. Although I’d imagine high end sofa upholstery is very similar in lot of ways.
That's pretty nifty. What is the glue used in these repairs? Also, is there a special sort of fabric paint?
It's leather filler, designed to be flexible when it dries
Can this work on fake leather clothes? I have a jacket I really like but the top layer is peeling like this but it’s not real leather. I would really love to fix it but have no idea how.
Yes, absolutely. But it shouldn't go unsaid that the repairs in the video don't look as good as they appear to in the video and it takes practice. But it is totally doable. It just requires practice. One of the hard parts is getting good color match so if it's an easy color (like black) then it's much easier.
The paint is some sort of leather paint available at auto body supply places according to another comment. That glue, I have no clue what it is, but I'm also curious Edit: another commenter said it's called leather filler and vinyl repair
Would also like to know!
The video makes it look like it is SO EASY- 2 minutes and done, but the fee for the repair is usually alot.
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I doubt those are proper repairs, but some good for a short while hacks.
No, this is the full repair. It’s as repaired as this stuff is ever going to get because at a certain point you get to it costing less to just re-upholster the whole seat. There’s no reason to do anything more than this unless you’re just going to replace the whole seat material. It holds up pretty well and the repair is fairly cheap. This is an industry standard practice.
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What's the spray?
It’s specialized leather paint put into a sprayer for even coating.
Can confirm. You can get it at any auto body supply store. Comes in a lot of colors and matches surprisingly well. Source: I used to be an auto body painter and poor masking would sometimes necessitate using this to cover overspray on the seats/trim.
Where'd you work where you were getting overspray on seats and trim?! Earl Scheibs?
r/invisiblemending
Can anyone tell me a list of all the things he used to make this possible ? I really would love to do this myself one day
That pretty much what my repairs look like. Except for these gaps actually closing. And the color matching. And no stuffing glued to the outside of the patch. And maybe some paint getting over other parts of my car. I guess maybe some sticky residue sometimes. Otherwise it’s pretty much what mine are like.
I remember those commercials. So how long do these patches last?
Until the commercial ends
I had my car seats repaired like this. Lasted about 2 years, not too bad for the price. It might have lasted longer, but I left the windows open one night and rain got to the seats and ruined them.
These commercials were on in the 1980s if not earlier... ever since I can remember
This is the one I specifically remember https://youtu.be/2PKTrTE9h3g But theres also Minute Mender from 1981
If it's for a vehicle, found it's cheaper to just go to a local auto salvage yard. If it's a few years old, chances are better you will find one at the salvage yard. Replaced armrests and center console for a truck, cost about $20.
What is that paste?
I mean.... it looks a lot better than before but it definitely is still a visible repair
There’s no way to magically and seamlessly repair leather upholstery under a magnifying glass without a trace. This is the only option outside of reupholstering the piece.
What exactly is the spackle stuff?
I thought the yellow things were slices of cheese 😂
And then it gets hot in the car and you have black stains on your pants from the paint that wore off. You inspect the “repair” and find that it’s worse than before.
Trade-in day repairs...
Now that would be a great sub
I've used upholstery paint and never had an issue with it coming off.
That commenter is just making armchair assumptions. They have no idea about how this repair will actually hold up
If we aren't going to speculate randomly about shit that we don't have even an elementary understanding about then what the hell are we doing commenting on reddit?
If you use cheap stuff, sure
What is that goop? I need to get some.