Hello All,
While Im not a newby to leathercraft I am a newby to using dyes.
In addition, I have poured through this forum looking for answers to my soon to be presented problem. While I have discovered much info concerning what I SHOULD have done or SHOULD have used... Ive not found an answer to my problem.
By recommendation of the folks at Tandy I purchased the Eco-flo dye/sealer and Satin Sheen. I informed them that this knife sheath would see a great deal of weather and I didnt want the dye to bleed when Im in the field durring rain. They assured me that these were the products I wanted.
I did 2 applications of the dye with 1 day dry time and buffing between coats. I then let it dry for a good 24 hours. Im in New Mexico and things dry very fast here but I let it go longer than what was even recomended to me. I applied the Satin Sheen this morning. After about 3 hours (told that 2 would be fine) I checked it and felt and by all means felt dry. I began to lightly buff with a Tshirt. I soon found that the dye was coming off slightly and that the dye was also coming off on my sweaty fingers.
So the million dollor question is where do I go from here. I dont need to know what I should have done...I got that. But what can I do now that the piece is presentable but not yet functional? Do I need to wash it until it washes free of dye and start over with alternative dye, sealer and finish? Can I do somthing to this that will truley "seal" it from bleeding (such as snow seal or Bee natural wax etc...)?
Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully offer a solution.