Leather Armor - Advice on Scratch Resistance?

[DavidK]

Hello!

I made this leather chest piece for myself and hoped for advice on making it more resistant to scratches and knicks. Maybe this is normal, maybe this could be avoided with a better leather or treatment process? Any thoughts or advice is appreciated. Process and pictures below:

1. Cut Shapes
   1. 5-6oz leather, shoulders
2. Case
   1. Done pretty quickly with just sponge, wetting areas to a mild dampness before working, ill case it better next time
3. Carve
   1. Just swivel knife on edges before beveling
4. Stamp
   1. Checkered Bevel and Pattern Stamping
5. NF Oil
   1. lightly applied, wasn't super uniform
6. Dye
   1. Fiebings Pro Dye 50/50 Isopropyl Dip Dye
   2. Followed with Buffing
7. Burnished Edges, Tokonole
8. Acrylic Resolene on grain side
   1. Two coats
   2. Buffed vigorously between coats
9. Tokonole on flesh side

 

I hoped the resolene would provide a bit more protection - I can scratch it with a fingernail pretty easily. Any advice to make future builds more resilient?

https://ibb.co/P4VqqkF
https://ibb.co/DpYjdpb
https://ibb.co/6gHD5cm

Thank you!

 

Edited January 25, 2024 by DavidK

[DieselTech]

What about checking out the fiebings saddle-lac. Maybe try it on a test piece of leather. 

[Dwight]

You quit too early on the Resolene . . . I have armor for my Centurion of Capernaum and the Ceaserean Centurion both of which I built . . . and multiple coats of Resolene have protected both.

I haven't had any real problems with either one.

May God bless,

Dwight

[DavidK]

9 hours ago, Dwight said:

You quit too early on the Resolene . . . I have armor for my Centurion of Capernaum and the Ceaserean Centurion both of which I built . . . and multiple coats of Resolene have protected both.

I haven't had any real problems with either one.

May God bless,

Dwight

More coats? More resolene?

When ive done 3+ coats in the past i can end up with this awful streaking that doesnt buff out. Not sure how to avoid that?

[Dwight]

3 hours ago, DavidK said:

More coats? More resolene?

When ive done 3+ coats in the past i can end up with this awful streaking that doesnt buff out. Not sure how to avoid that?

Never had that problem . . .  I use a cheap 1 inch bristle brush . . . slop it on . . . brush it up into a bit of a foam . . .  brush it left / right / up / down / crossways . . .  until I've brushed out the bubbles . . .  never have had any streaking on anything I've ever done.

AND . . . I always use it reduced 50/50 with water.

May God bless,

Dwight

[purplefox66]

I have to ask what is the purpose of reducing resolene with water.

 

[fredk]

It helps to allow it to spread more evenly and to get into the leather before it dries