Did Something Wrong with Resolene (tm)

[Gosut]

I'm still around, just busy and having to spend money on other things. This goes back to a belt project several months ago. I did three coats of 50/50 Resolene (tm) and water with a sponge, drying between coats and getting some resistance to absorption on the third coat. However, after wearing it maybe twice, I got signs of dye bleeding in the buckle area. I removed the rivets and trimmed out the length of the slot to better accommodate the buckle, but then stopped, uncertain of how to proceed. I have plenty of Resolene (tm) for sponge application but not enough for dipping, which I wanted to try. Alternative was to try Mop & Glo (tm) cut 50/50, but it doesn't seem to be available locally.

Yesterday was buying mower blades in a big hardware store some distance away when I thought about Mop & Glo (tm). They had it, got a bottle, and this morning put just shy of 3 ounces (88 ml) Mop & Glo (tm) and water in a gallon zip-lock bag and dunked the belt. Did the keeper first, dunking and placing it on a wire hanger outside, then loosely rolled and dunked the belt. I planned to reuse the solution for subsequent dunks, but I immediately had bleeding into the solution. I hadn't sealed the belt properly with Resolene (tm). Didn't time it, but I closed the bag and sloshed the solution thoroughly on the belts to be sure all parts were exposed, then removed and placed on a wire hanger. Finished by wiping down both the keeper and the belt with a disposable shop towel. The solution I discarded lest I end up depositing dye on top of subsequent coats. Checked on the belt a few minutes ago and found no streaking.

I'm baffled as to what I did wrong with the Resolene (tm). Made sure all parts of the belt were covered and used a cotton swab to apply it in the holes and slot. Some was cut away when I lengthened the slot, but it also cut away the dyed exterior.

The plan is now is to see if I get bleed-off in subsequent dunks. If I still do after the third, not sure what to do.

[fredk]

I'm not sure I understand your problem

Its many years since I found that Resolene doesn't really seal dyed leather. Originally mine did but newer stock of it never really did much

I switched to a mix of Resolene and my local version of 'M&G' and water. Don't ask proportions, I just poured some of each into a bottle. But I still got some dye coming off in the first two dips

My latest version is to add some dye into the mix. Thus I have, green mix, blue, red, tan, walnut etc as well as the standard Black Resolene. Now if I get dye coming off I don't see it, , but the coloured sealer adds extra colour to the item plus seals it

[MtlBiker]

@fredk - Ya forgot to add the (tm) after ever mention of Resolene. 

 

 

[Gosut]

2 hours ago, fredk said:

I'm not sure I understand your problem

Its many years since I found that Resolene doesn't really seal dyed leather. Originally mine did but newer stock of it never really did much

I switched to a mix of Resolene and my local version of 'M&G' and water. Don't ask proportions, I just poured some of each into a bottle. But I still got some dye coming off in the first two dips

My latest version is to add some dye into the mix. Thus I have, green mix, blue, red, tan, walnut etc as well as the standard Black Resolene. Now if I get dye coming off I don't see it, , but the coloured sealer adds extra colour to the item plus seals it

I need to sweat-proof dyed leather. I had the dye bleeding from the buckle area before it weather turned really hot (at the moment 36° C / 95° F and that's cooler than some days we've had). 

[Gosut]

1 hour ago, MtlBiker said:

@fredk - Ya forgot to add the (tm) after ever mention of Resolene. 

 

 

Keeping on the side of caution. Some companies are sensitive to how you use their product names, lest it become used as a generic reference. Classic example is Aspirin, which was Bayer's trade name for the medicine. Another is Kimberly-Clark's facial tissue, Kleenex (tm). Kimberly -Clark used to run polite ads in at least one writing magazine reminding authors to use the term facial tissue for the generic product, and (hazy memory here), Kleenex (tm) facial tissue if they needed to mention the specific product.

[sheathmaker]

This is a perfect example of thread drift.  Trade mark discussion has absolutely nothing to do with

the original subject of sealing leather to prevent bleeding dye which was never answered conclusively

prior to the drift.

Edited August 26, 2023 by sheathmaker

[fredk]

3 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

@fredk - Ya forgot to add the (tm) after ever mention of Resolene. 

[fredk]

We all need to find a really good  sealer for our dyed leather items

My Resolene, Astonish (my local version of Mop & Glo) and water does a very good job of sealing. But its not 100%. A few years ago I made some items for members of a club I'm in. I dyed and sealed. I tested how good the seal was. I put items in plain water, dish washing water, water with clothes cleaning powder in it, I tried strong alcohol, vinegar, Lemon juice,  wiped the items over with a rag soaked in acetone, and with cellulose thinners. I even tried hydrochloric acid. No dye came off.

A month after I'd given the items away one member happened to mention that his 2 year old grandson had chewed his item and his mouth had turned red from the dye. I never thought of trying a child's saliva in my tests!

back on target; to the OP. You may have done right. Mop & Glow is an acrylic varnish. Resolene is an acrylic sealer. Your dye was most likely a water based acrylic as well. M&G is more aggressive. It can dissolve itself and other weaker acrylics. When I use  those same products I dip dye, but I use a paint brush to put the sealer on.  I keep the item flat and I flood the sealer on. Although the sealer might be dissolving the dye a bit its not going any where and dries back into the leather. I put on several coats this way, but I/you need to be careful not to put on too many coats as the M&G varnish will start to give a hard finish that will show cracking on a belt

Another thing you can do is to change to oil based dyes. Neither the Resolene nor the M&G can or will dissolve that 

[Gosut]

The dye was Fiebing's Pro Dye Dark Brown. I've used it to good effect on a gift checkbook cover, sealed with Resoline, but it's not exposed to moisture.

I put the third coat on maybe 20 minutes ago. One advantage of sunny hot weather is that things dry quickly outside. Brought it in for the evening, and it was maybe 90% dry after just an hour. Let it dry overnight, then gave it another dunking. Once again, I had some dye bleed into the solution, about as much as with the first dunking. I don't think continued dunkings will do much good.

The mystery is that I'm getting none from the keeper, made from the same leather, with the same dye and sealant. The bleeding is coming from the belt.

Looked for Sno-Seal (tm) yesterday, but, not surprisingly, found none locally. Not much snow here, but plenty of hot and humid weather. May try neutral shoe polish. The acrylic will act as a barrier, but have to try something.

[Dwight]

Well . . . I'm going to be the outsider here . . . 

I use resolene on most everything I do . . . 50/50 with water . . . applied with a cheap 1 inch pig bristle brush.

I slop it on with the brush . . . then brush it left right up down and both ways of the X . . . and will make sure that there is enough on there that as I start the brushing sequence . . . I get a little foam bubble stuff going on.  If I don't . . . add more liquid until I do.

Take this to the bank . . . I have NEVER . . . EVER ONCE . . . AT ALL had any bleed off from any belt, sheath, holster, shield, armor, spur strap . . . or ANYTHING else I've made.  And the vast vast majority of my stuff is all dyed with Feibings Pro dye or in some rare cases USMC black.

A sponge will not put on a level coat . . . neither will a piece of wool . . . that's a pipe dream to think it will.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Gosut]

The third coat dried quickly in the heat, and found a can of Kiwi Wet Pruf paste in the shoeshine box. It's older than the now-grown children, and only a little around the edge of the can, but it was still pliable and looked and felt like it had beeswax. Buffed the belt, then applied the paste, rubbing it in and then buffing. Whether from age or ingredients, the paste felt tacky like beeswax. Had no dye rub-off. Given the amount of acrylic on it, thought the surface might crackle under bending, but it didn't. Due to the acrylic, applying the paste may have been wasted effort, but it's done.

Used cheap snaps that I had on hand instead of rivets. The snaps aren't holding as well as I like, but then again, they are cheap snaps. Wore it a few hours without rub off or bleed through, but that's not like wearing it all day.