Repairing Leather Goods: Cuts, Scratches, Cracks and Worn Corners

A flap nicked by a buckle, a cat scratch on a bag left on the floor, a frayed wallet corner, a crack at the fold of a handle or a belt: leather goods get damaged in the places we touch most.

As long as the leather is not torn right through, this surface damage can be repaired yourself, without a leather craftsman or an added patch. Treated early, it above all stops the snag from growing with use.

Two complementary products are enough in most cases: Cicacuir to bond, Repacuir to fill.

Our products for repairing your leather goods

Cicacuir or Repacuir: which repair product should you choose?

• Cicacuir, the leather healer: for clean cuts, open snags and small nicks. It seeps into the cut, densifies the damaged fibres and draws the edges together until they close. Colourless, it stays invisible once dry and does not harden the leather, which keeps its suppleness.
• Repacuir, the repair paste: for scratches, scuffs, cracks, worn corners and small areas of missing material. This liquid leather fills hollows while remaining supple once dry. It is a repair product, not a finish: it must always be recoloured to become invisible.

On the same repair, start with Cicacuir, which consolidates, then fill with Repacuir if necessary.

Closing a cut or a snag with Cicacuir

The area around the nick must be clean and dry. Spread the Cicacuir generously into the cut with the supplied brush, leave it to soak in, then smooth with a fingernail to draw the edges together. If the nick does not close enough, repeat the process. Allow about 4 hours for drying.

For a cut that goes right through the leather, the boxed version supplies a small piece of leather to slip underneath as reinforcement. The result is a discreet scar, which can be recoloured if needed.

Filling a scratch or a worn corner with Repacuir

Sand the area very lightly and degrease it: this is essential for the paste to adhere. Apply the Repacuir with a flexible spatula, in successive thin layers, letting each one dry: the paste shrinks a little as it dries, hence the value of several passes. Once dry, sand off the excess to obtain a perfectly smooth surface.

Repacuir is available in white and anthracite, simply to make the recolouring that follows easier. It also adheres to faux leather, after a prior test.

The limits of a repair at home

• Broken seam, torn-off handle, broken fastening: these are jobs for a leather craftsman.
• Open tear or hole right through: it requires a backing, a piece of leather or non-woven fabric placed under the nick and bonded with Repacuir.
• Very dry, brittle leather: nourish it first; the repair will hold better on a material that has become supple again.

After the repair

A repair with Repacuir always ends with recolouring, then protection. Once the shade has been restored, protect the leather and give it back its suppleness by following our page on caring for leather goods.

Before repairing, a good clean is essential: the method can be found on our page dedicated to cleaning leather goods. Find all our care products in the leather goods section.

Frequently asked questions

How do I repair a scratch on a leather bag?

For a superficial scratch, fill it with Repacuir in thin layers after light sanding and degreasing, sand off the excess once dry, then recolour the area. If the scratch has opened the leather, start with Cicacuir.

How do I repair a worn wallet corner?

Clean and degrease the corner, consolidate the frayed fibres with Cicacuir, then fill with Repacuir and sand to restore a crisp edge. Recolouring then makes the repair invisible.

Is Cicacuir visible once dry?

No: it is colourless and blends into the grain of the leather. It leaves only a slight, discreet scar, which can be recoloured if you wish.

Do you need to recolour after Repacuir?

Yes, always. Repacuir is a repair product, not a finish: recolouring is essential for the repair to become invisible.

Can a faux leather bag be repaired?

Repacuir also adheres to faux leather: do a prior test on a hidden area. Cicacuir, on the other hand, is designed for leather.