Mod Podge As A Finish? Maybe Or Maybe Not..

[LeatherHead99]

I have no idea if anyone has tried this before, but I thought it may be worth posting.

I saw my wife had bought a bottle of " Mod Podge" for a craft project of hers for the kids room. I've use this myself before for other paper craft projects. I thought to my self " I wonder how it works on leather". I tested it on a few scrap pieces of veg tanned leather and let it dry for a couple of hours. I was actually shocked at how well it worked.It left a nice glossy shine on the leather. It resisted water just as well as super shene, maybe better. I tried a tiny bit of Feibings Antique on it, and it resisted it quite nicely. Its a pretty thick substance and tacked up in about 10-15 seconds. Once it tacked up I slightly moistened the sponge with water and went back over it lightly and it thinned the Mod Podge into the same consistency and look as super shene. I even flexed the leather to see if I would get some cracking, but it didn't crack either. I didn't do a rub test or anything like that yet.

Disclaimer::

Please do not use Mod Podge as your final finish. I only posted because I though it may be worth looking into further.

There's a ton I still haven't learned about leather working and I only tested this on a few scrap pieces, and have no idea how it will hold up in the long run. It may have some kind of negative effect on the leather. Or it may be the next best thing, Who knows.. I will try to post some pics of the practice pieces tomorrow. I have no intentions of using this on any projects, until I test it out further.

[veedub3]

Using Mod Podge is an old trick in the sewing world to control fraying. I have also viewed a few leather working videos on youtube that shows how they use it which lead me to trying it. I use it myself on leather pieces that are just impossible to burnish, as well as on veg tan projects that I want a super shine on the edge and it works great. There is also a product on the market that is designed for the leather world (the name escapes me right now) but I haven't tried it because Mod Podge is pretty cheap and it does the same thing.

Karina

[LeatherHead99]

Interesting.....I did burnish an edge with it, and it seemed to do a good job. The gloss it leaves has much more luster than the super shene. I did a Google search (mod podge leather) and saw where someone used it to attach a fabric to a pair of leather boots.

[LeatherHead99]

Here a pic of the mod podge used prior to feibings saddle tan antique liquid.. (not the paste).

Edited June 1, 2013 by LeatherHead99

[Cyberthrasher]

$5 for a 4oz bottle of Resolene (8oz once you thin it) that's developed for leather and has proven results - why reinvent the wheel?

As far as burnishing - I've never had a piece that couldn't be burnished. Some of the fleshier stuff requires some more sanding first, but it will hold a lot longer that way than if you were to use a product to "glue" it down.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Cyberthrasher

[veedub3]

$5 for a 4oz bottle of Resolene (8oz once you thin it) that's developed for leather and has proven results - why reinvent the wheel?

As far as burnishing - I've never had a piece that couldn't be burnished. Some of the fleshier stuff requires some more sanding first, but it will hold a lot longer that way than if you were to use a product to "glue" it down.

I don't think it's reinventing the wheel when Mod Podge is already on the market and has many different uses. If one was thinking of ways to make the product from scratch, that would be reinventing the wheel because so many options already exists. What we all have to consider is that their is always more than one route to take to get from A to B. No right way or wrong way, just a persons particular preference. Ask several people here how to do something and I am sure you will get a myriad of answers.

I haven't been able to burnish a 2oz piece of bag leather but I am new so maybe you can share how you do it since you have never had a piece you couldn't burnish.

Karina

Edited June 1, 2013 by veedub3

[LeatherHead99]

$5 for a 4oz bottle of Resolene (8oz once you thin it) that's developed for leather and has proven results - why reinvent the wheel?

As far as burnishing - I've never had a piece that couldn't be burnished. Some of the fleshier stuff requires some more sanding first, but it will hold a lot longer that way than if you were to use a product to "glue" it down.

This may be the same wheel, it just needs to be watered down. No one is trying to re-invent it. It's always good to find a alternative product that can yield the same results. If Resolene is the wheel then what are the rest of the products out there that are used to finish leather for? There's about 50 different products marketed for leather that are supposed to be used as a finish coat.....Not everyone uses the same wheel apparently..

If this this can be used properly on leather then its simply just another tool that someone can use if they so choose. Mod Podge can be found in any store that sells craft supplies as opposed to the products made for leather. Locally I can get 16oz of mod podge for about $6. It could probably be thinned down 2 or three times giving you up to 48oz.. maybe more.. I have no leather suppliers in my County. It costs me the price of the item plus shipping for anything leather related.

No one is saying to stop using the leather products. I highly doubt anyone will start using this. I may try it for a key chain or something that small like that, but certain not for anything that needs to last. This was just a simple discovery of the fact that this product seems to have the same properties as super shene or other finishing products. I'm sure the ingredients are very similar too.

There's more than one way to skin a cat... as they say.

[ReneeCanady]

I have no idea about the MP being a final "finish" coat for a leather item because I have never used it on leather, but I do know about sewing fabric. Now this is just me, but to finish bag leather (and I assume this is garment leather or upholstery leather) I wouldn't bother trying to burnish the edges. It sounds to me like it wouldn't work, ever. I think the term for leather working would be to roll the edges. Sewing fabric would be called finishing the edge. To do that with fabric you fold it about a 1/4in over, and top stitch it. To get a nicer edge you would fold it twice. Now with leather I am sure that is much harder to do, but you could definitely get one fold (I have done it for pouches) and topstitch. You may even get the 2 folds if you skive the leather. *shrug* just a thought.

I would be afraid to use MP on the surface of leather because it is a glue. In my mind it would have to eventually do what all glue does, crack and/or even turn yellow. You will never know until you use it and wait a few months I suppose

[veedub3]

The bag leather I am referring to is sold at Springfied and is listed as Bag leather but it may very well be called something else at another supplier. I am only using Mod Podge on the edges, never as a top coat. I don't try to burnish bag leather but if I put a dab of Mod Podge on the edges it gives it a finished look. I was making a leather purse strap for a purse I made and simply added lining leather to the back of the bag leather and top stitched. The edges looks unfinished this way, so this is where the MP comes in. I can see now how folding it over then top stitching would have solved this, but I am still learning so that would be something I try the next time.

Karina

[ReneeCanady]

I did a cellphone case with veg tanned leather as the actual cover and lined it with garment leather. I used contact cement to hold it together and then stitched it together about 1/8 in from the edge. I thought they would stay together, but over time the contact cement gave away and now that little 1/8in does look very unfinished. From that point on I have rolled/finished the edges lol. I don't see how the contact cement didn't hold forever, but it didn't. I do know rolling the edges are a pain in the butt, but they have worked for me since. Infact I try not to line too much unless I can double loop lace it in place because it hides that edge. This is all just what "I" do

[Cyberthrasher]

Don't we owe it to our customers to use the best product possible, regardless of whether they're spending thousands on a saddle or $5 on a key chain? You're right, there are several leather finishing options out there. But, they are all formulated for leather. I merely mentioned resolene because it's inexpensive and offers a result similar to what you appear to be looking for here. Resolene also offers UV and water resistance as well as flexibility. As Renee said, MP is glue and not designed to offer any of these results.

As for edging "bag" leather - a rolled/piped joint is preferable. I've never attempted to burnish this type of leather because its so thin that its better todo a rolled edge. If its thin veg-tan or latigo or similar, it can be burnished by sanding and then burnishing with a lubricant. A glued edge will only wear down and eventually fray. A properly sanded and burnished edge will last forever.

I apologize if I sound hostile or confrontational. I only want everyone to put out the best quality possible. We're working with a dying art form here as people are buying low quality sweatshop goods. The only way we'll ever survive is if we strive for top quality craftsmanship in everything we do.

[LeatherHead99]

I understand completely. But from the small pieces I just tried it on, it was not only very water resistant, but flexible too... I think MP is marketed for a different use, but could be used for other applications.

You don't know if you don't try. If no one ever tried new things or experimented, where would this world be. MP and super shene both contain vinyl acetate. SS is 78% water an 10% acetate along with some other small ingredients. What if it were 10% water and 78% vinyl acetate? I bet it would be pretty thick and resemble a glue. People tend to be closed minded about certain things. All the companies do is slightly alter the ingredients and market it as a new item with a different name. Coke and diet coke. Same recipe just less sugar = new product.... No one can actually say this won't work, because they never tried it.

I'm happy using super shene as my finish. The only other thing I used was the Eco-flo Pro clear. I thought it would be a fine experiment to try the MP on some scrap... The result just kind of surprised me, that's all.

The thread was just to see if anyone actually tried it before and what their results were.