How can I shine my leather to make it look like this?

[NewYorkerInSydney]

HI friends,

Can any of you fine folks please tell me how I can go about making my watch straps look shiny like the ones I have pictured here? Non of the leather I have is shiny like that just dull. I really appreciate your suggestions very much. Thanks very much.

New Yorker in Sydney.

Edited January 3, 2010 by NewYorkerInSydney

[TexasJack]

What are you using to finish the surface? Some things are intended for a high sheen, others are intended to be more dull.

Did you ever shine shoes? You have to buff the surface in order to get a good shine.

[Deno]

Looks like a Lacquer finish. Like Neat-Lac or Clear-Lac type finish. They really give it a shiny finish. My best.

[leatherman1457]

I would use leather sheen to get that exact effect. It comes as a spray in a can or as a liquid that you can put in a spray bottle and spray on the leather after you are finished with it.

Another way I get a real nice finshed that I think is better is with boot polish. I would use a brown boot polish and put on the strap and heat it with a blow dryer or embossing heating gun and blow it over the leather till dry and buff it out real good. If you want put another coat while the leather is still warm and let dry and then buff to a high sheen. look real nice and professional finish. Make sure you burnish the edge of the strap or it will not look as good. Got to have that nice burnished edge. I just use the same polish and use a cocobolo burnisher and it looks great.

[abn]

Tandy sells Super Shene and Satin Shene acrylic finishes that will produce the shine you're after. Use Super Shene for a glossy finish, and Satin Shene for a satin finish. Always test on scrap before applying to your finished product!

[NewYorkerInSydney]

Thanks so much to all of you. This is a great start. I will try the sheen and some of the other suggestions. Thank you!!!