Rip in Fur coat?

Laila Amer

Laila Amer

Registered Guest
Hello guys!

Before I start, I understand that fur is a really tricky and sensitive topic, but please no arguments on the topic! I know many have very strong opinions but lets try to not argue. Thanks!

So I found this fur coat, but noticed there was a rip where the sleeves are, but not in the lining, but rather on the outside of the coat :( I understand that rips in fur coats are very delicate and just start getting larger the more you handle it so I have it put away, but I attached a photo of the rip when i first spotted it!
rip.JPG


So my question would be if anybody knows how to mend it? I think the safer option would be to go to a specialist, but they wanted to charge $500 (i'm looking into other specialists now, to see if that's what it costs usually, or was that one store being a little overpriced... I honestly have no idea). The original makers left the lining and actual fur unsewn at the bottom, which makes it a lot easier to get to and fix, I believe.

Any advice is welcome and well be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance :)
 
Hi there,

We have an entire resource dedicated to fur descriptions, photos, and identification so you are completely okay posting about them. :)

Not having the fur in my possession it's difficult to assess the condition of the pelts. The right way to do the repair would be to lift the lining and secure the separation closed on the skin side with furrier tape. This is a thin fabric with adhesive on one side. Some also additionally stitch it from the inside for better support and some use a thicker backing at times if more support is needed.
 
Furwise said:
Hi there,

We have an entire resource dedicated to fur descriptions, photos, and identification so you are completely okay posting about them. :)

Not having the fur in my possession it's difficult to assess the condition of the pelts. The right way to do the repair would be to lift the lining and secure the separation closed on the skin side with furrier tape. This is a thin fabric with adhesive on one side. Some also additionally stitch it from the inside for better support and some use a thicker backing at times if more support is needed.
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Yeah, I just get worried sometimes haha!

Thanks so much! I had no idea there was furrier tape or that it was an option to begin with! The pelts are quite strong, in my opinion, I just think someone with wider shoulders may have tried them on and ripped them and I just didn't notice :) Is there a specific stitch that would be better to use? And I'm not sure what you mean by a thicker backing? Thanks so much!
 
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Laila Amer said:
Yeah, I just get worried sometimes haha!
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We understand. :)

If the skins are strong you can use satin or another flexible fabric and place adhesive on the back to create your own fabric tape. The adhesive must be safe and intended for use on clothing. At some point even if the skins are still good the tape may lose it's stick and the fur may need maintenance again but that is why some stitch through the tape as an extra measure. *Do not use regular adhesive because it will make the skins hard.*
 
You can test the pelts condition by doing the "scrunch" test in your hand.. if the fur scrunches and doesn't crunch and feel stiff the skins are probably in good condition, but if there is crunching and stiffness you probably won't want to try to mend this yourself, it can cause larger & worse tears to appear nearby where the original tear was.

And as Mod Bod Furs said, mend the pelts from the back.
 
Please, please, please to not ever try to scrunch a fur coat. Pelts are leather. Scrunching them, just like scrunching a leather handbag, could cause cracks and possibly more damage even when the leather is good.

Healthy skins should be pliable, flexible, and the hind side, if not dyed, should appear creamy in color. You can lay a fur coat down and see if it falls like a cardboard or if it falls like a garment does with flexibility. Even when you hold it you can tell if a fur coat bends easily.

There are furs with thicker skins like lamb, shearling, and mouton. Those do feel less flexible because they are so thick.

When you remove the lining you can look at the pelts to see if they have that creamy look. On dyed furs the skins may take on the color that was absorbed when they were dyed. You may still be able see if there are areas of where the coloration is different, where there may be hard spots, or previous repairs that may indicate water damage or dry rotting.
 
I had a beloved fur restored... I just loved it that much. lol

I took it to THE furrier in town and they used tape and a muslin like fabric to carefully patch, from behind the pelt. They did a beautiful job but didn't guarantee cracking wouldn't happen again as no one had an idea its storage history prior to my ownership.

It's one of those wild patchwork coats from the 70s, mostly rabbit and mink.
 
my dad was a furrier and he taught me how to sew the rips....it was kind of a blanket stitch, but the most important part was to use the needle to poke all the fur forward towards the front, and sew from the back.
 
I found it important to use a glover/leather hand needle. They have a kind of very sharp triangular end. Regular sewing needles tend to rip thinner furs. I once repaired a very large bearskin coat for a Western reenactor. It was a lot of physical work and I felt like I had a big dog (bear) on my lap the whole time.
Marian
 
Vinclothes said:
I found it important to use a glover/leather hand needle. They have a kind of very sharp triangular end. Regular sewing needles tend to rip thinner furs. I once repaired a very large bearskin coat for a Western reenactor. It was a lot of physical work and I felt like I had a big dog (bear) on my lap the whole time.
Marian
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Yes! Regular needles are not strong enough, will be a major pain to get through, break right in half, and due to the difficulty to get them through they can go back right into your finger if you're not using a thimble.

amandainvermont said:
Am I the only person who, every time I see this subject line, reads "RIP (Rest in Peace) Fur Coat"? And I thought the thread would be about banning the selling of furs in San Francisco.
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I did indeed think Rest in Peace at first too Amanda but I thought it was going to be about a coat that was beyond repair.
 
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