YinTx

I have been on a bit of a quest to get a good antique resist, but with no luck. I had thought the peeling issue I had might have had something to do with putting acrylic on top of saddle lac, but it became even worse when I put Saddle Lac on top of Saddle Lac. Here is my order of operations as it were: Tool Dye - wait a day Neatsfoot - wait a day Aussie (on occasion) - sometimes add a bit of heat to ensure it goes in, wait a day Saddle Lac - wait a day 2nd coat Saddle Lac - wait a day Fiebings Antique Paste - Sheridan Brown - wipe off excess immediately, let dry 10 mins, buff some, dry some, buff some, until I'm happy with the highlights. wait a day (at this point, the paste seems to turn chalky white - I don't like it, it stays that way after the last coat of Saddle Lac. I have taken to coating it before it is completely dry to avoid this issue - this timing has not had any impact on the final results either way. Saddle Lac - wait a day Saddle Lac - wait a day This means I can't get any item done in less than 7 or 8 days due to all the waiting, and then - - - - it peels, and goes into the garbage bin. Someone please let me know which of these steps is wrong!? Here is a photo of some small basketweave I did on a keychain that really exaggerates the peeling. I've had it on large items that don't bend as well. I enjoy tooling, but I am not having any luck with resists and finishes. Acrylic resists simply don't work at all, and the only finish that actually resists the antique peels horribly. YinTx

I have this same effect with several Angelus dyes I have. I think it is a pigment in the dye, as I generally clean my leather prior to dye. When I put the neatsfoot oil on, it reduced the effect, and rubbing in Aussie completely eliminated the pearlescent look, and gave it a beautiful shine. Using Angelus acrylic finish also seemed to do the trick. You might try dyeing a sample piece and trying different finishes to see if it has the effect you want. Let us know! and photos can go a long way to clarifying your issue.... YinTx

Quite the interesting article. It would appear that most of the leather dressings might be detrimental long term, as I had mentioned I had read elsewhere. But the effect on the feel and smell of the leather is not mentioned, which I think is a pretty important topic for the buyer...I tend to think most of what I make is destined to be used and abused, not stored in a museum, and I have to attract a buyer first! Veg tan leather looks pretty dull with just a dye finish, the dressings bring out the beauty.. YinTx

Kinda like Segdwick's leather has a bit of that smell 'o fish... I had heard that beeswax keeps leather from "breathing" by creating a bit of a seal, and thus it can not absorb moisture, and thus dries out faster than if it did not have beeswax coating. Anyone know if this is so or not? YinTx

Also, just fyi, a lot of people are allergic to turpentine. Using petroleum products such as hexane might cause health hazards, especially if people are applying bare handed. A lot of the other ingredients might be found in hand lotion, so would translate well to those not using gloves - ie any one putting product on their own leather goods that they are using at home. Just my $0.02, free, so worth only the price of admission. YinTx

Thanks! YinTx

Worked the top edge some, I was not happy with it before or after. Finished stitching. Ready for delivery! YinTx

Awesome, let us know! YinTx

Wow, that is fast. I'd take more than that just stitching, but apparently I'm slow. I am even more in awe now. Just curious, where did you get the transparent thread that you used along the top of the zipper? YinTx

Thank you, 9tpi. Getting a little further along today.. liner is in, partially stitched.. just the 2 short sides to go and finishing touches... Fighting this leather some, as it will not sand.. so waxy it just ends up sort of burnishing instead. Which makes having flat edges without glue at the seam a bear. I put together a trial piece of leather so I can experiment some with irons, wax, burnishing sticks etc. to see if it is possible to make that last edge cleaner. YinTx

Would you mind taking some photos and sharing as you go along so we can interpret RockyAussie's instructions? Many thanks! YinTx

Yes, I had to learn to do that left handed as well for this type of design. There were more than a few injured finger tips as I learned to do that! YinTx

Absolutely stellar. Impeccable stitching, nice edges, well executed design! YinTx

Bikermutt and Aussie: Thanks for the compliments. RockyAussie, I am sure you are much more adept at installing liners than I may ever be. I wish I lived anywhere near you so I could come learn for a week or a year. Dun: I use a pricking iron to mark stitches, then an awl to complete the process. Pretty much really difficult to hammer a pricking chisel through all the layers the way the body of this bag is built, and I do prefer the construction quality of an awl to the chisels, although I have and do use both methods depending on what I am making. All stitches are saddle stitched. I don't use an awl to cut the cloth in the zipper or the liner, only to finish the hole in the leather. By necessity it will pierce the cloth, but I try to control the depth because I don't want to cut the cloth and affect the strength. Perhaps others with more experience can suggest a better way. It makes keeping the stitch pretty on the front very difficult, since the cloth affects the path of the thread. Hope this answers some of your questions... YinTx

Finally, after nearly a week of finessing the liner to fit and line up how I wanted, I have fitted it into the body of the bag. Open to hints on how to speed up the process of making a liner and installing it! YinTx

I must say... an engineering marvel to fit all that in such a compact space! YinTx

I purchased mine from the same place I believe. It is possibly the best $30 I have spent for leather tools, as *every* item I make touches this "tool" at least once as I cut, trim, etc. The 1/4" version has worked fine for about 2 years worth of use, on just one side. https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=36172&catid=705 YinTx

These edges are coated... YinTx

Is that not hand stitching thread? YinTx

That is an awesome coaster. Well done! YinTx

TexasCowboy62, Thank you. I saw something that looked like this, so I drew up a pattern on a napkin so to speak, and adapted it to fit the size of leather I had. I gave it a thin 2 oz veg tan leather backing to provide it some form. I suspect there are dozens of versions of this sort of thing floating about... YinTx

Troy, Thanks for that. And after 15 minutes of internet searching.... how to make your own Tallow! http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/12-02/make-your-own-tallow/ huh. so simple. why buy? YinTx

hah. Wiki to the rescue... I think Lard is from Pig, and Tallow from cow. Now, where to buy?

Wait, I just read that tallow is Lard! (see product description here: http://grasslandbeef.com/beef-tallow-5-gallon-bucket-ships-separately). Then I read you are mixing tallow with lard! So what the heck is it if it is not lard??? And where would you buy it in the states? Thanks for clearing up my confusion! YinTx

Yeah, it has a striking resemblance to the British Tan dye from Fiebengs, which you can see in my avatar. But, that's what the tanner called it.. so Bold it is! And thanks for the compliment! YinTx