Top finish that isn't shiney

[OrangeFoxEventing]

Hi all, 

I have recently tried dying a saddle seat (as I couldn't get one in black so went with brown and dyed it!). I was very pleased with the result and despite wearing white breeches I'm also very happy that no dye has run since I've been using it. 

I now have another seat to dye but my only gripe about the last one was that the Resolene finish was too shiney. it is advertised as a medium shine but its too much for me - what would you advise I use instead?  

 

My system was:

1. tape off the leather piping I didn't want to get dye on 

2. Deglaze the surface (fieblings deglazer)

3. Use Fieblings pro dye black to dye the leather, repeat twice

4. Seal with Fieblings Resolene (two coats). 

5. I used Fieblings Canauba cream on top just because I had heard it covers the resolene and provides protection for it.  I don't know if it made any difference or if it would work fine without the resolene to seal the dye in.  

 

Hope you can advise. i attach a photo of the before and after of my last attempt. 

 

[Beehive]

If you want a permanent shiny. Use saddle lac. Not resolene. 

Resolene is and always has been kinda in between satin and gloss. It's supposed to give the leather a, 'glow' without looking like it's plastic. 

Saddle Lac doesn't play. It's Army dress shoes gloss and it's permanent. 

 

Understand the difference in finishes. It all comes down to the level of sealing the leather. Some finishes will allow oil to enter the leather for routine maintenance. Others, do not. So if you use Saddle Lac, you better oil the leather first or it'll be 10years before saddle lac will wear down to the point to where oil can pass through it. That's also including horse sweat and butt sweat. 

Edited 8 hours ago by Beehive

[fredk]

7 hours ago, OrangeFoxEventing said:

I now have another seat to dye but my only gripe about the last one was that the Resolene finish was too shiney. it is advertised as a medium shine but its too much for me - what would you advise I use instead?  

For a matt/flat finish; Dilute your Resolene 1:1 with water and add in some talcum powder. No more that 10%. The talc acts like a matting agent. Be careful the talc doesn't clump up. If you can use one of those battery powered whisks.

You can buy jars of matting agent, eg by Tamiya, it costs about $3.50 for a jar which will last ages. But the talc will work just as well.

Then put on several coats of this mix. After each coat is dry buff it and see whats its like