Snoseal Application / Dye Ruboff Question

[Mark Peters]

Tried using snoseal for the first time today on a small cellphone case. The case was died with fiebling's oil dye, black and saddle tan. After letting the dye dry for 24 hours, I applied a light coat of neatsfoot oil. Buffed with a white paper towel when the dye was applied, again before the oil was applied and yet again when I got ready to apply the snoseal (48 hours after the oil was applied). I was not picking up any dye ruboff at all prior to applying the snow seal.

I used a small heat gun to heat up the leather (got it warm but was still able to handle the piece) and brushed on the snoseal, where it melted in. I then briefly passed the heat gun over it again until I saw the "puddles" fully absorb. I repeated this twice more, so a total of three applications.

I then used an old t-shirt scrap to buff the snoseal in and followed that up with a boot brush.

So far so good, until i made another pass at buffing with a paper towel and was picking up considerable amount of dye ruboff - moreso with the black, but the saddle tan rubbed off as well. I buffed the piece for almost an hour while watching tv tonight, as I'm still getting ruboff.

With that long intro, I'm trying to figure out where I went astray. Is this normal with snoseal application? or do I need to let it sit for a day before buffing?

[DavidL]

Fiebings dye for whatever reason doesnt like to dry. If I reach into the container with the dyes inside my hand will get dye on it from small amounts of dye left on uses rubber gloves, even when I haven't used the dye for weeks. Knowing this you may want to be extremely thorough in removing the excess.

One member, whose name I can't remember recommended applying resolene before dyeing, preventing leather from acting like a sponge soaking up too much dye. Saddle soap before final finishing can rub off excess too.

constant heat from heat gun or burnishing using boxwood may help too.