Comments on: How to Repair Vintage Fur Yourself

By: Warna

Warna — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:52:05 +0000

I have fur jacket acquired from a reputable furrier about 1980. The large collar is curly lamb. Due to the way the jacket was stored, the collar has developed what can best be described as “bed hair.” The curls near the outer edge of the collar lie awkwardly because of pressure over time. I’ve tried combing lightly with a hair pick, which helps, but the problem lingers. Can this be fixed?

By: Carrie

Carrie — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:45:40 +0000

Thank you for your site!!! I have a couple old coats that I haven’t been able to part yet but they’re really aren’t wearable either with the rips and tears in the pelts.

I’m going to try the duct tape mentioned above in one of the comments on the sleeve of my Persian lamb. I’m guessing the pelts have dried out and at the point of the shoulder both sleeves have tears right where the pointy end of the hanger would be. (they must not of seen the movie ‘Mommy Dearest’ or else they’d of known better! “No wire hangers ever!!!” ha)

The tears are really jagged leaving very thin, frayed edges that would tear again if I tried sewing them directly. But I’m thinking that if I used small pieces of duct tape on the underside and stitched them together it might work plus it’d help prevent more tears.

By: Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto

Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:57:33 +0000

I have a home product I am going to test myself and I will post the results here.

By: Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto

Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:55:50 +0000

Hi Natassia,
From your description, and what I know is commonly available out there, I would bet this is muskrat. Dyed with stripes to make it look more like mink, muskrat is a very versatile and relatively inexpensive fur that was popular (dyed like thta) in the 1930′s and ’40′s. If there is a tear that large, it really depends on the condition of the skin itself, not the fur, as to whether it can be sewn back up. Open the lining and see how stiff the skin feels. Use my directions from the article to sew it and possibly reinforce it with a leather patch from behind, after you finish sewing it. And wear it with extreme care, meaning, take it off before getting into a car, and just be very aware of the way you’re stressing it. No shoulder bags, nothing that will grab the fur in any way.

Good luck!

By: Natassia

Natassia — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:59:19 +0000

Hello
I have this old fur coat and it has an approx 5 inch long rip on the arm sleeve.
i’m not sure what type of fur it is.. it’s a bit course, it’s dark brown with lines on it..
mink? but.. i dont know how to repair it.. should i add fur, or should i try and sew it back together. the rip is right on line.. i’m sorry i don’t really know fur lingo
i need help :( i really want to repair it and wear it this winter.

By: Michele Mahaffey Baldwin

Michele Mahaffey Baldwin — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:21:54 +0000

Y’all can send me your fur fiascoes!! Even if you think they are too small or awkwardly shaped.

depnomore@yahoo.com

If you can’t pay for shipping, I may be able to, it just depends.

Thanks,

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:19:23 +0000

I purchased a vintage fur that has no visable flaws except that it is kind of stiff. I was wondering if I could open the lining and use some kind of leather oil, mink oil, lexol, etc. on the hide side to soften it. Any other “do it yourself” suggestions so that I don’t have to pay a furrier?

By: Sioban

Sioban — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:25:09 +0000

Per a furrier if you are not going to wear the coat a lot or are making something like a blanket out of an old coat you can use duct tape on the tear. She said to pull the rip together, tape from the back and then hold the hair dryer on it. Please be aware that once you do this the duct tape will not come off without ripping the skin.

By: anj

anj — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:11:05 +0000

I tried to repair my just purchased vintage fur, apologies but unsure what the fur is possibly able, it is made from lets running down in lines and had a 3 inch split at the back close to the shoulder, I opened the lining and using an iron on invisible mending patch from behind tried to repair. What an idiot I was, I now have glue on the coat, a 2nd split and still the original split although it is larger, I will sew the splits now having read the advice given, but does anyone have any idea how I can remove a patch of glue about 2 ins square please as if I cant sort this out I might as well throw the coat, which was lovely. Anj

By: Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto

Sharon Maxwell-Yamamoto — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:04:36 +0000

I must agree…as I said in the article, the ONLY time I use glue is a TINY dot of it on a toothpick to fasten a Persian lamb curl back into place.

I appreciate your knowledge, but please don’t be nasty to people who post here. Thank you.

Sharon

By: tatiana

tatiana — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 19:40:21 +0000

the WORST THING you can do yo a fur is use GLUE to repair itt… hoever says it is clueless about repairing furs. glue will dry out and crack and there goes your fur. people dont give advice if you dont have a clue..

By: Georgi

Georgi — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:17:18 +0000

The best way I have found to repair a vintage fur thats not worth spending money at the furrier is to cut a patch of fabric – best from a cotton shirt, place it under the rip in between the lining and the pelts – then with a hot glue gun glue one side of the rip to it, let it dry, then glue the other side to it, you would never know and its still flexible!

: )

By: Nancy Nelson Hanson

Nancy Nelson Hanson — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:47:54 +0000

I got a mink from a friend and well it is dried out and needs to be repaired! it’s split all over and I love the coat and it has value only because of family,
is there a stick or glue or something I can use to bring it togethera? the liner is fine just the fur!

By: Sadie Mae

Sadie Mae — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 03:53:52 +0000

Hi Kate. You posted in 2009 and this is 2011. I truly hope that you have an answer by now, but in case you don’t or maybe this may help someone else try this. Get a bag of plan old kitty litter or one with fragrance is ok to or a bag of plan old charcoal. Go to Home Depot and buy the paper bags used to put the leaves in after they fall to the ground. Then buy some of the small paper sandwich bags from you local grocery store. Put the Charcoal or Litter into the sandwich bags. Be careful not to fill the bag up to full because you have got to put holes in the sandwich bags and lay the bag flat. Now put as many bags as you can in each sleeve, one inside each pocket and as many as needed on the inside of the coat or what ever your fur item is, then close your fur item and ease your item into your paper leaf bag and close leaf bag tightly. I use about 10 clothes pins. Now put your fur item in a cool dry place away from the sun. Give your Item about 2 weeks to a month and you fur will no longer have that vintage odor. I promise. I use the leaf bags for my full length coats. For my smaller fur items you can use a regular size grocery paper bag. I hope this helps someone.

By: Rimma Yeliseykina

Rimma Yeliseykina — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 12:03:39 +0000

how you c an pressed fur….?

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:49:20 +0000

I have a Cigarette burn mark,what can I do to repair it
Thank you

By: Cowit Furs

Cowit Furs — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:40:53 +0000

These are some great tips!I loved the patch repair - very creative. I do have one concern though..It can be very difficult maintain fur coats so I would recommend not taking even a pet brush to them. It can easily create even more of a problem than what you already have and thus forcing you to either toss it or bring it to a furrier for repair or fur remodeling. In all though, great post. Impressive job outdoing your furrier! :)

By: fatma ismail

fatma ismail — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 09:00:15 +0000

I ironed my Estrakhan coat from the linning side, it shrunk in the ironed area
Is there any suggestions?Can the nature of the fur return back to its original state?

By: bernd

bernd — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:46:37 +0000

Hi Diane,

I thought to perhaps if the skin is very brittle and one cannot sew, to use a cotton band or similar and glue it on to the skin.

But I am at a loss of which glue one could take. Also glue tends to become harder with time.

I just send this idea to you re : a band or tape of cotton.

If you have received any worthwile answers ( not like mine….) could you please send them to me ?

I have a chinchilla bolero I have bought. It is vintage from the 60 ies.
Although in good condition, the woman who tried it on before I could have a look at it was hasty and ripped a 5 inch tear into the fur…

But I bought it anyway to eventually surprise my wife, as she has always liked to have tp have one.

So here I am with a wonderful chinchilla bolero, and a rip in it.

The fur stores I showed it to will not bother but want to sell me a new one …

I do have champagne taste but beer money I must admit.

Could you help me perhaps ?

I am in Brussels, Belgium

Thank you so very much in advance for anything you could come across

Bernd

By: Diane Lockhart

Diane Lockhart — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:17:53 +0000

Hello-
i found somw interesting ideas on your site- this weekend i found an adorable vintage short “swing” mink coat at a flea market.
The body of the coat is beautiful however the arms and collar are badly ripped.
It looks to me like the coat was not stored correctly and creased. I ave done alot of searching and cannot seem to find the best way to attemp to repair it.
The woman that i bough tit from told me to sew it however i think it will tear the hide more. My mother suggested i use some type of glue.i am thinking this would be a better solution.
Do you have any ideas?
Thank you!
Diane