Finishing Coat

[Cactusman]

So I have typically finished pieces with antiquing and Resoline. Now, I am doing some purses and bags where I think there will be too much wear on the Resoline finish to stand up well over time. Right or wrong?

I like dying, oiling, and almost always antiquing. Before antique I use Pro Resist. So, how to get to a wax finish instead… and is that the way to go?

Thought?

[Dwight]

I'm wearing a 20+ year old belt . . . 1/4 inch thick . . . 2 ply . . . 

It has been on my body for just about every one of those days . . . 

The resolene finish is still on there.

Not really sure that there is a more durable finish . . . but it does make the product stiffer . . . 

Oiled leather always looks good . . . but it can get buffed up and beat up pretty quick . . . and there is no wax that will do much more than a couple months as far as protection.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Northmount]

16 hours ago, Cactusman said:

I have typically finished pieces with antiquing and Resoline. Now, I am doing some purses and bags where I think there will be too much wear on the Resoline finish to stand up well over time. Right or wrong?

I moved your post to Dyes, Antiques, Stains, Glues, Waxes, Finishes and Conditioners.

[fredk]

I just retired* a 20 year old belt. Thinner than Dwight's, about 3.5mm. Not used every day but often. The resolene finish coat was still alright

* retired cos I wanted a change in pattern on the belt

imo, leather items should show some wear and change in colouring over time. Its what makes leather so unique

[wizard of tragacanth]

I have never made a purse but just thinking about it, I think I would use neutral shoe polish. I use neutral shoe polish on my holsters. It's something that the end user could easily replenish and without damaging anything. I wouldn't use Resolene on dress shoes.

[Dwight]

2 hours ago, wizard of tragacanth said:

I have never made a purse but just thinking about it, I think I would use neutral shoe polish. I use neutral shoe polish on my holsters. It's something that the end user could easily replenish and without damaging anything. I wouldn't use Resolene on dress shoes.

If you were in the military . . . Resolene and dress shoes would be a  gift from heaven.  Super polish them guys . . . about 6 or 8 coats or resolene . . . you have a pair of inspection shoes that need only to be put back in their protective white socks . . . to await the next inspection.

Didn't have it when I was in the Navy . . . had to do it the hard way.

And I would probably bring the holster back to you within about a week.  Neutral or any other shoe polish has no ability at all to protect the leather item.  Rubbing up against a wall . . . gate . . . laying on the ground . . . the leather will look like it was found on the beach at Normandy.

May God bless,

Dwight

[ThisIsMyFirstRodeo]

On 9/14/2025 at 4:07 PM, Dwight said:

I'm wearing a 20+ year old belt . . . 1/4 inch thick . . . 2 ply . . . 

It has been on my body for just about every one of those days . . . 

The resolene finish is still on there.

Not really sure that there is a more durable finish . . . but it does make the product stiffer . . . 

Oiled leather always looks good . . . but it can get buffed up and beat up pretty quick . . . and there is no wax that will do much more than a couple months as far as protection.

May God bless,

Dwight

Dwight, since you seem to know what you’re doing, I made the dummy move of using Fiebing’s regular dye instead of the pro dye for a purse, and I’m paranoid about rub off because of my mistake. Aside from a final coat of Pro Resist, is there something I can do to avoid the rub off?

Also, because I went to the extra step of dying the interior/flesh side, what can I do to seal it? (Primarily concerned if it got wet…)

— AZR

[Dwight]

59 minutes ago, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo said:

Dwight, since you seem to know what you’re doing, I made the dummy move of using Fiebing’s regular dye instead of the pro dye for a purse, and I’m paranoid about rub off because of my mistake. Aside from a final coat of Pro Resist, is there something I can do to avoid the rub off?

Also, because I went to the extra step of dying the interior/flesh side, what can I do to seal it? (Primarily concerned if it got wet…)

— AZR

I have never used Pro Resist . . . so I cannot tell you what will happen.

All the purses I have ever done either get ONLY an oiled finish . . . or I give them a coat of Resolene . . . 50 / 50 diluted with water.  I do that inside and out . . . unless there is some kind of liner inside.

My buddy at Tandy said the rub off is probably from the antiquing . . . so you would have to cover the antiquing with either another coat of Pro Resist . . . or Resolene.  I've never had any rub off after the Resolene treatment . . . and no dye separation when it gets wet.

Find a piece of scrap . . . re-do it to match what your project has done on it . . . then mess with the Resolene or Pro Resist.

That's what I would do.

May God bless,

Dwight