Anacott Steel Report post Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) So maybe it's just my (lack of) technique, but when I dye using an air brush, the dye doesn't seem to penetrate as well as using a dauber. This leaves it more susceptible to showing scratches. I would prefer to use caranuba wax or 50/50 bees wax and neatsfooot, rather than a resolene sealer, but I'm not sure that it will protect the dye enough. What are you guys/gals using ? Also is there any point in using a wax after you have used a resolene ? Will it penetrate or is it about as useful as trying to pour caranuba on a glass top table !! Cheers. Don Edited July 20, 2012 by Anacott Steel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted July 20, 2012 I haven't used Resolene at all, but I have some on order to start experimenting with it. As far as the dye not penetrating, Spinner posted some good recommendations about this that seem to work really well for me. If you start with a light coat of neatsfoot oil followed by a 50/50 mix of your dye first (I use 50/50 Fiebings and rubbing alcohol), it will help pull the dye into the leather and kind of prime it before moving onto the full strength color next. I've had good luck doing that between each color, with buffing before changing colors as well. One of them I just did this on and decided to scrap, I had a REALLY hard time getting down to bare leather with no sealer on top. I was trying to give a really road worn look and actually had to pull out some 100 grit sandpaper to get some natural color to show through. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted July 21, 2012 100 grit?? wow! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted July 21, 2012 100 grit?? wow! Ah, sorry. Typo Alert!!! It was actually 200 grit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted July 21, 2012 Ah, sorry. Typo Alert!!! It was actually 200 grit. Whew... i was gonna say you might as well climb up on the roof and drag it along on the roofing tiles. LOL Anacott I use resolene about 60 reso and 40 water, sprayed with an airbrush. No need to wax after reso. (I don't think so anyway.) I have carnuba wax but I honestly never use it. It's a pain in the but to get out of knife cuts and such. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anacott Steel Report post Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) Oh sweet. Thanks guys. Cyberthrasher - how long do you wait before applying neatsfooot then the first primer coat ? Edited July 21, 2012 by Anacott Steel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spinner Report post Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) Oh sweet. Thanks guys. Cyberthrasher - how long do you wait before applying neatsfooot then the first primer coat ? Not sure how long CT waits but 10-15 minutes is usually pretty good. Lets the oil soak in as deep as it's going to get while letting the grain side air out. Makes sure to lightly buff off any residual left on the surface as it can cause the dye to bleed if left. Cheers, Chris Edited July 21, 2012 by Spinner Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anacott Steel Report post Posted July 21, 2012 1342848391[/url]' post='257280']Not sure how long CT waits but 10-15 minutes is usually pretty good. Lets the oil soak in as deep as it's going to get while letting the grain side air out. Makes sure to lightly buff off any residual left on the surface as it can cause the dye to bleed if left. Cheers, Chris Thanks Chris. I'm guessing you finish with resolene as you need to keep your work waterproof / resistant ? Don Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted July 21, 2012 I wear a Leatherman pouch I made several years ago on a daily basis. It's subjected to bangs and knocks on all kinds of things, as well as weather, and fairly frequent rubbing on the inside of the aerial bucket (fiberglass) on my work truck. The snap is scuffed, tarnished, and rescuffed to the point I probably should replace it. I've had to restitch the belt loop three times now. The resolene finish is still holding up, and except where the bucket has REALLY scuffed it, it looks almost as good as when I made it. It's not 100% waterPROOF, but any water that has been on it has not damaged it in any way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted July 23, 2012 Not sure how long CT waits but 10-15 minutes is usually pretty good. Lets the oil soak in as deep as it's going to get while letting the grain side air out. Makes sure to lightly buff off any residual left on the surface as it can cause the dye to bleed if left. Cheers, Chris Yeah, it's somewhere around there. That's one of those finishing steps that is summed up with "walk away". I usually just wander off and do something else for a bit then check up on it later. That's a great time to catch up on coffee Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
