I am having trouble with the new water based dyes and antique gels and edge coat coming off if they get the least bit damp. I was used to the old solvent dyes and finishing with Neat-Lac.
I am following the instructions from my Tandy store and also tried several other methods. I tried the gel antique first on the leather with a not so good result. Then tried Super Shene Finish, let dry and topped with the gel antique. I removed the excess and buffed. Then used Fieblings Edge Kote and let dry. Burnished the edges with a little beeswax and parifin mix till the edges looked nice. Coated the whole thing with 3 coats of Super Shene finish (Eco-Flo). The finish looked great. I had a moist (not wet) paper towel and noticed that the dye was coming off. It actually came off really bad. I cannot imagine using this on a nice wallet or saddle and getting wet (actually only damp) and ruining someone’s clothes or leather seats in a truck or car. Even if sealed more...what happens when you use something for a while and the finish comes off. I would think you could be sued over ruining something expensive. I also thought you also dyed something before you sewed it or your white stitches would have dye on them. I see previously that some edge dyed first and you are using a paste to antique so I am thinking that the products you are using are solvent based? Am I doing something out of order or just using the wrong products?
