Leather Repairs

Garibaldi

Of all things, one of the leg zips in my leathers broke, the other day, but I haven't been able to find anywhere with a replacement zip and an industrial strength needle. Anybody know where, in Dublin or Kildare, a leather repair guy might be found?

Horatio

Don't know anywhere in Dublin but JC Originals in Waterford specialise in this kind of work. There number is 051 841466

Hotblack Desiato

There's a shop at the Stephen's Green end of Harcourt St. which did some stuff for me before, slow and quite expensive though and I don't know if they still do bike leathers repairs.

There's supposed to be a guy operating out of a place near Nolan's bike shop in the Coombe, ask in there and they should be able to tell you more.

Garibaldi

Cheers! Will do.

How expensive were the other crowd?

Pigeon Reaper

Theres a place on south anne street just off grafton street. they do excellent work and are quick, friendly and relatively cheap. They also specialise in motorcycle leathers so everything is double stitched etc... I can't remember the name of them though.

Hotblack Desiato

Pigeon Reaper wrote:

Theres a place on south anne street just off grafton street. they do excellent work and are quick, friendly and relatively cheap. They also specialise in motorcycle leathers so everything is double stitched etc... I can't remember the name of them though.

I think there are 2 or 3 alterations shops in that area, so the OP should ask at them all.
A lot of places will work on ordinary leather clothing but not bike leathers, they can be very thick and difficult/slow to work on. Although most modern bike leathers rely on armour for protection rather than just very thick leather.

GarHef

I bust the zip on my Dainese 2 piece recently and got it repaired in the alteration shop on Anne street just off Grafton street. Had to get a zip up in the YKK suppliers of Dorset street. The repair looks the Dogs and you would never know... 40 euro for the repair. 3 days I left it in for.

Hope that helps

Gar

Garibaldi

And finally....ended up going to that place on South Anne Street (above the furriers, beside Abra Kebabra). New zip, double stitching, and all that jazz: 2 days, and €30. Not too shabby. It would've cost €10 extra if the leathers had had a Dainese label.

KTRIC

On the subject of leathers (didn't want to open a new thread).....

I was down in Waterford at the Ducati open day on Saturday and got F**king soaked. I was wearing a leather jacket and some textile trousers. The trousers were fine (just needed drying out) but the leather jacket has immeadiatly started to show this white powder like finish in different patches.

When I rubbed the powder off it comes back and when left it develops a strange sparkly finish

Can anyone tell me what the hell is happening to my jacket ??? At the moment its starting to look a bit worse for wear.:( and it was fine before the heavy rain.

Dr4gul4

i think it's the leather "sweatting" out the water, it happens on my boots every now and then

Hotblack Desiato

That just means the rain has washed out the natural oils from the leather and it needs re-oiling/waxing. I use a jar of Renapur I got at a bike show years ago and still have most of it basically it's beeswax with a few additives. A little goes a long way, too much will give your leathers a very shiny look for a long time :eek:

If I know the weather is going to be wet I'll wear my textile jacket, I'll risk the leather jacket on a short commute if the weather is changeable but on a long trip I'd always bring a cheap rain jacket (tenner from Dunnes or a camping shop) to wear over the leather jacket to stop it and me getting too soaked. Not fashionable but very cheap and very effective. I wear leather trousers year round and just stick on a cheap pair of waterproof overtrousers (also about a tenner) if needed.