"Hardware" is the metal on a bag: plates, clasps, padlocks, locks, studs and buckles.
What it is made of
Hermès says its hardware is usually made of brass, polished by hand and plated with fine gold, palladium or permabrass.
Cleaning
- Chanel says to polish metal parts with a soft cloth. It warns that any cleaning product may damage the hardware's finish, and that care products such as creams, waxes and waterproofing agents can change the finish permanently.
- Hermès lists changing hardware among the services its own artisans provide, and advises against working on a piece yourself with unsuitable products.
Chains and straps in storage
Chanel says to wrap chains and straps in tissue and store them inside the bag so they don't mark the leather. Suede and nubuck mark most easily.
Metal against leather: the conservator view
The Canadian Conservation Institute says metal parts on leather objects, such as clasps, buckles and rivets, often corrode:
- Copper and its alloys, brass and bronze, react with the oils in leather and form waxy green deposits where they touch.
- Iron corrodes in contact with leather and leaves the leather around it weak and brittle.
For stored objects, the CCI suggests a sheet of Mylar or polyethylene between metal and leather where possible. It says stabilising corrosion close to leather is a job for an experienced conservator. For a wearable bag, the houses' own repair services are the equivalent.