Rub Off

“This is a pigmented leather with a rub off finish. There are two colours visible in rub off leathers, a base colour (bright colour) and a top colour (dark colour). The way in which these leathers are made, allows the base colour to show through the dark top colour creating an antique look”

Pros Durable Defects masked Antique look

Cons Reduced breath ability Grain hidden or corrected The rub off finish can be hard to maintain.

Identifying Rub Off

The Magnifying Glass Test

Under a magnifying glass rub off leather has the same ‘painted’ on look as a pigmented leather. However you will notice small amounts of the brighter colour showing through the leathers grain.

The Absorption Test

Rub off behaves just like pigmented leather with the drip test. Drip a small amount of leather cleaner or water on to the leather. It will sit on the surface so dab it with a piece of cloth to absorb the liquid. You will notice that no cleaner will be absorbed by the leather.

The Touch Test

Touching a rub off leather shows the exact same characteristics of a pigmented leather. A pigmented leather feels as though it is coated, if an artificial grain pattern has been embossed you will also be able to feel this on the surface. A rub off leather will not scratch easily.

The Visual Test

This is where rub off differs from a standard pigmented leather. The colour looks old and worn – antique. You will be able to see parts of the bright colour showing through the dark top coat, which creates the antique effect. Rub off leathers often have a high gloss finish.

If you do not maintain the leather using the leather protection cream, the top coat of colour can wear off in high use areas. To make the leather last longer, apply the protection cream once every three months to reduce friction and so, stop the colour wearing away as quickly.

If the colour does wear away, you will need an Antique Finish kit to fix it.