Episode 17

Jay Blades and the team bring three treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.

Today's episode opens with a first for the Repair Shop and for leather expert Suzie Fletcher. Tommy Robertson has brought in a very special heirloom that saw his grandfather through the First World War - a sporran. It was part of his grandfather’s regimental uniform as a Seaforth Highlander when he was a farrier looking after the regiment’s horses. The sporran was lost for many years, until it was discovered in a cupboard and returned to pride of place on Tommy’s wall, which unfortunately was also very close to an open fire. Now Suzie must use all her skills to clean and preserve the tarnished leather and sooty horse hair.

There's a perfect project for metal expert Dominic Chinea when Gill and daughter Miranda arrive with a commercial artist’s tool from the mid-20th century. The artist in question was Gill’s father, and the tool is a rusty foot-powered aerograph compressor – a cherished possession used to power his trusty artist’s airbrush. Gill and Miranda would love to see it working again, with Gill keen to once again hear the sound of the foot pump that evokes such strong memories of her father at work.

The last arrival of the day is Hannah Wallace, with a slippery challenge for toy restorers Amanda Middleditch and Julie Tatchell. Snowy is a small once-furry baby seal and has been Hannah’s since she was three years old. Snowy has accompanied Hannah throughout her life, including helping her live with a rare genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which has had a huge impact on every aspect of Hannah’s daily life. Snowy’s sterling work has left him looking a little worse for wear, so Hannah hopes a spell under the care of the bear ladies will work wonders for her little friend.