Re-stitching leather seat bottom?

[StreetCreeper]

Anyone know how to repair a tear in a leather seat? Also a spot where the stitching is coming apart. I'm wondering if I can just sew the two sides together like a surgeon would do on a person? Or is there some reason it won't be so easy?

I just picked this seat bottom up as a replacement for mine, so I'm thinking I might try to slow the progression of these things.

I don't really care about the looks of the repair as there is nothing I can do to this seat to make it look worse than the one I'm replacing. That being said, is there any reason I could not just cut off some leather from the old bottom and sew it in as a patch....from the top? I'm too lazy to totally deconstruct a seat bottom and sew it in from the bottom, so I'd prefer to repair it as it sits.

 

[MN4runnerman]

I used 4lb fishing line to fix a tear in the leather drivers seat of my dads suburban. It's held up fine for the past 8 months but he is gonna take it in and get the bottom reupholstered. It looks like stitches and I put super glue on the ends where I tied it off. For the seams coming apart I guess you could do the same. I haven't had to do it.

 

[StreetCreeper]

I used 4lb fishing line to fix a tear in the leather drivers seat of my dads suburban. It's held up fine for the past 8 months but he is gonna take it in and get the bottom reupholstered. It looks like stitches and I put super glue on the ends where I tied it off. For the seams coming apart I guess you could do the same. I haven't had to do it.

Interesting, I hadn't even considered using some type of glue.

 

[sawguy]

Google 'Magic Mender' and watch the video to repair your top photo. I had to remove my seat cover to re-stitch mine.

 

[Mandelbaum]

If you don't care about how it looks, you could always just leave it.

 

[GangsterOfLove]

No reason not to try stitching it up with a curved needle and some fishing line. If the leather is crispy it will all tear out in time but you won't have much invested. Glues might work if you haven't used anything like Lexol for a long time.

On my work truck I finally gave up and had an upholstery guy make a new seat bottom. $300 but it looks like factory and he rebuilt the foam.

My butt likes it.

 

[StreetCreeper]

Google 'Magic Mender' and watch the video to repair your top photo. I had to remove my seat cover to re-stitch mine.

Cool I'll check it out.

If you don't care about how it looks, you could always just leave it.

The looks are irrelevant to me, I simply want to stop the rip and loose seam from getting worse.

No reason not to try stitching it up with a curved needle and some fishing line. If the leather is crispy it will all tear out in time but you won't have much invested. Glues might work if you haven't used anything like Lexol for a long time.

On my work truck I finally gave up and had an upholstery guy make a new seat bottom. $300 but it looks like factory and he rebuilt the foam.

My butt likes it.

Damn, just steam cleaned it and Lexoled it today before putting it in. Well I plan to get some curved sewing needles and play surgeon.

While at the parts store today, I noticed some Gorilla glue for sale. On the back it says it works on leather. So I may go that route too.

I don't want to invest much money in these particular seats, but when I buy my next 3rd gen, I plan to have all the seats fully reupholstered in a brown/mocha leather with tan stiching. I'm sure it will cost a shitload but goddamn I love leather seats.

Just won't be happening any time soon.

 

[GangsterOfLove]

Cool I'll check it out.
While at the parts store today, I noticed some Gorilla glue for sale. On the back it says it works on leather. So I may go that route too.

Gorilla glue is weird sh!t. The surfaces have to be damp for it to work and even then it's dicey. Read up on it before you take the plunge. There are glues made for leather that would probably be a better choice, but all of the Lexol has to be gone before any of them will work.

It'd be like trying to glue bacon, and if Lexol works like I think it does good luck trying to find a solvent that will strip it all out of the leather. Meantime, sewing it up with something like black upholstery thread might result in a cool "Frankenseat" look.

I'd go for it.

 

[Wickedupholstery]

I've done a few repairs like this. I recommend using upholstery thread or hand sewing thread, any bonded nylon or polyester basically. I use two curved needles tied together, it'll save you time and produces a better repair. I just thread it back and forth so it produces an "X" looking stitch, you'll get the hang of it as you go, but I recommend using two needles. I also like to pre punch holes with a needle or pin evenly spaced before I do any hand stitching, leather can be a real pain to hand sew, hope this helps.

 

[Mandelbaum]

While at the parts store today, I noticed some Gorilla glue for sale. On the back it says it works on leather. So I may go that route too.

To comment further on Gorilla glue, I believe it has to be clamped for best results. The glue expands which could cause some unevenness in the surface, granted you're not worried about the looks. But if there isn't some form of pressure applied (which would be hard to do on a leather seat bottom) I'm not sure the fix would be strong.

 

[StreetCreeper]

Gorilla glue is weird sh!t. The surfaces have to be damp for it to work and even then it's dicey. Read up on it before you take the plunge. There are glues made for leather that would probably be a better choice, but all of the Lexol has to be gone before any of them will work.

It'd be like trying to glue bacon, and if Lexol works like I think it does good luck trying to find a solvent that will strip it all out of the leather. Meantime, sewing it up with something like black upholstery thread might result in a cool "Frankenseat" look.

I'd go for it.

Yeah I think I will keep the glue as plan B. If I go that route, I'll check for actual leather glues first.

I've done a few repairs like this. I recommend using upholstery thread or hand sewing thread, any bonded nylon or polyester basically. I use two curved needles tied together, it'll save you time and produces a better repair. I just thread it back and forth so it produces an "X" looking stitch, you'll get the hang of it as you go, but I recommend using two needles. I also like to pre punch holes with a needle or pin evenly spaced before I do any hand stitching, leather can be a real pain to hand sew, hope this helps.

Hell yeah that helps! I like the idea of pre-punching the holes; never would have occurred to me to do that. As for the two needles tied together, how do you mean and how does it help? Trying to picture it in my head..

To comment further on Gorilla glue, I believe it has to be clamped for best results. The glue expands which could cause some unevenness in the surface, granted you're not worried about the looks. But if there isn't some form of pressure applied (which would be hard to do on a leather seat bottom) I'm not sure the fix would be strong.

Your right! It's been years since I used Gorrila glue last and I recall it expanding up and out and looking like a nasty snot bubble.

Clamping it would be a pain for sure.

 

[Wickedupholstery]

So take about 12" of thread, tie a curved needle to each end. When you tie them you eliminate the need to tie a knot in the beginning of the repair, thread each end up through the bottom of the first holes so the center of the thread is underneath the leather basically forming a "U" with 6" on each side. Thread across and diagonally, you'll have to experiment with this it's hard to explain in words.

 

[StreetCreeper]

So take about 12" of thread, tie a curved needle to each end. When you tie them you eliminate the need to tie a knot in the beginning of the repair, thread each end up through the bottom of the first holes so the center of the thread is underneath the leather basically forming a "U" with 6" on each side. Thread across and diagonally, you'll have to experiment with this it's hard to explain in words.

Ah now I can see it! Will definitely do it that way!

Is there any benefit to sewing a patch in? I have leather from the other seat that could be used. Just not sure if there is any advantage to that over just sewing the rip together. Again I don't care about the looks of the repair so whatever is structurally superior would be preferable.

 

[Wickedupholstery]

Ah now I can see it! Will definitely do it that way!

Is there any benefit to sewing a patch in? I have leather from the other seat that could be used. Just not sure if there is any advantage to that over just sewing the rip together. Again I don't care about the looks of the repair so whatever is structurally superior would be preferable.

I don't think so, if there was large areas of leather missing a patch would be your best option but since it's just begun and the gap is still small sewing the tear together is your best bet for now, and it's more low profile less chance to get snagged on things like the edges of a patch, you could always put a patch on if the sewing failed... You could also smear glue over your stitching to help it out, I've never tried it but it might be worth a try.. I'd use a glue on the flexible side, super glue tends to get rock hard and brittle.

 

[StreetCreeper]

I don't think so, if there was large areas of leather missing a patch would be your best option but since it's just begun and the gap is still small sewing the tear together is your best bet for now, and it's more low profile less chance to get snagged on things like the edges of a patch, you could always put a patch on if the sewing failed... You could also smear glue over your stitching to help it out, I've never tried it but it might be worth a try.. I'd use a glue on the flexible side, super glue tends to get rock hard and brittle.

Good points! I'll stick with a simple stitch for both.