Finishing steps in your words............

[phillipsimsleatherwork]

I have heard many different peoples steps in finishing a project. Some swear by this or that and others wont do this before they do that. I think if everyone was to post their own process it would help not only me but MANY people in this forum. So lets start with antiquing. How do you get that "perfect" finish, what products, and what tools(wool,dauber,ect.)

Lets hear it. I know some of you old timers have to have some tried and true ways that you will do every time and I would love to hear them!!! I want detailed descriptions so that they will be easy to follow for me and others.

Thanks alot and I hope this will help everyone!!!!!

Phillip Sims

[ToddB 68]

Hi Phillip

Looks like you & I are running just about neck and neck with our posts, 50 + views and 0 replies ! LOL

I think your idea is really a good one and can't figure why none of the old timers have responded. Are they gittin stingy with tips & advice, or are they just too tired to crunch out a detailed post ?

Wish I could help you, but I'm still a newbie trying to learn.

If you want to take a look, my post is here: Leatherworker Board > How can I do that ? > Need advice on Making Utility tool sheath (Oct. 12, 2009).

Good Luck with yours.

Todd

Edited October 16, 2009 by ToddB68

[Peter Ellis]

It might just be that discussion about antique application, finishing, dyes and all of that is generally going on in the forum that is dedicated to those subjects.

You might find that what you're asking for is already there

[Tkleather1]

Well I am not an oldtimer but I will at least try to help instead of telling you to keep looking.

to antique this is my method Usually.

1. Light oil and let dry

2. Dye where needed and let dry at least overnight

3. buff dye

4. apply neat lac ( or substitute)with trimmed sheep skin usually two coats and let dry (usually an hour or so will do.)

5. apply Feibings andtique paste using trimmed sheepskin and rub in using circular motion and dont be stingy you want quite a bit.

6. Here you can immediatley wipe off excess for a lighter color or let it sit for a little while before you wipe it all off.

7. Wipe off all paste using a clean piece if sheepskin rub vigorously. Let dry for a half hour or so.

8. apply another two coats of Neat lac Same as before.

Optional

9. Apply Tan Kote Same way as neat lac

10. another cat of Neatlac.

I dont know if its right but it works for me.

Tim Worley

TK-Leather

[Double U Leather]

I agree with Tim. I just don't Neat Lace as much. My formula is "ONAT".

O- Oil with Neatsfoot

N- Neat Lac

A- Antique

T- Tan Kote.

After ONAT, I finish the edges. I'm not an old-timer either, but this was the formula some of the old masters on here suggested.

[phillipsimsleatherwork]

Hahahahha! Thanks for the help everyone! I just wanted to see what all the other ways of finishing are but if no one wants to help its no big deal. Thank you Tkleather1 and leatherrookie for your posts. No big deal! hahah! I know where else to look I was just hoping to have a big post for everyone to be able to put in their 2 cents!

Phillip Sims

[KenE]

Hello,

I don't mean to sound like a commercial for them, but I found other posts about Bee Natural products. I just bought their RTC sealer/finish and their saddle oil. It looks like the process if very similar and they have a video on their website:

(All steps have drying time after, usually at least 5 hours)

- Apply any die you want as a base

- Oil with saddle oil

- Apply RTC finish

- Antique

- Apply RTC finish

I'm hoping this works because I like the idea of using as little products as possible. I'll report my experience. (I'm waiting for some dye to dry right now).

~Ken

[Jazznow]

hmm maybe its a stupid question but: 

When i seal the surface with Neat lac, satin shene or RTC Finish or something like that, how can the Antique come into the Leather? 

Hope 4 Help

Jazznow

[Chris B]

Ok after you guys oil your project. What exactly are you resisting? Or are you just resisting what you have dyed, then antiquing? That part is confusing me.

Thanks,

Chris

[JohnD]

I'm no expert with antiquing at all, but I know that, without a resist, the antique will color the leather. It comes out as dark splotches and is very hard to get any consistency or evenness in it. So, I would think, it is best to dye the leather with the color you want, then apply a resist to seal that and use the antique gel to fill in and darken only the recesses of the areas you tooled to act as a hi-liter for your tooling. In my opinion, using antique gel without a resist to dye leather looks like crap. I don't do much in the way of antiquing, but this has been my experience with it so far. If I'm wrong someone will, hopefully, set us straight. hope this helps.

John

[JRedding]

Seems to be a lot of guessing on this topic and thought maybe I could help, we've finished thousands of items with antique finish and developed a system that's pretty simple and gets good results. This could take a while.

Step 1

start with your item completed, by this I mean tooled, sewn, edged, rubbed, edge dyed, and background dyed if that applies.

Step 2

oil with the oil of your choice, we use olive oil on small items, oil to the desired color you want, don't rush it oil slowly in small amounts and give it plenty of time between coats to absorb, this way when you reach the color you're after it will stay that color.

Step 3

, apply a coat of something to seal the project, we use Neat-Lac but anything like Tan-Kote, or Bag-Kote will also work, we use Neat-Lac because of it's durability and predictability but have tried it all. Do not use Neat-Lac on any project that has acrylic paint used as a colorant it will strip it clean, use one of the others. Just put it on with a trimmed wool scrap, cover it thouroghly with a thin even coat, do not just stand it on there it doesn't absorb much and standing it will produce a thick, lumpy, overfinished looking finish.

Step 4

Using a clean peice of wool trimmed short apply your antique, we use the old fashioned paste. It's easy to apply, doesn't go anywhere you don't put it, gives you plenty of time to work with and you have complete control over how much you leave behind allowing you to create a lot of contrast or a little. Apply it rubbing in all directions, you want to fill all the background areas and all the cuts, work it in, pick up your peice, turn it around, hold it up to your nose if you have to but make sure you fill everything completely and the same. With another clean peice of wool start buffing it off, we trim it to about one quarter to three eighths long. The longer you leave the knap of the wool the more antique it seems to pick back up so play with that until you find a sweet spot that works for you. Just buff and clean it until it looks like you want it to, you can leave a lot or a little behind creating more or less contrast. Ideally we let it set like that for 24 hours, given a full day to cure it seems to stay in place better, you will strip less away when you apply the last coat of sealant.

Step 5

Apply the second and last coat of sealer, I like to use the same sealer all the time, not mix one with another, there's really no benefit to mixing it since the first coat is just to seal the project from the antique and is unable to have any effect on the final appearance. I've always felt there may be a downside to using two products on one item, I kind of think the first and second coat will blend and bond together better if you use the same product on both coats. Again with a clean, trimmed peice of wool apply the second coat like the first thouroghly with a thin even coat, again do not stand it on your project now it has no chance of absorbing it's sitting on top of the first layer so don't leave any sealer standing on there you don't want to look at forever because it's going to dry there. You will pull a little antique off when applying the second coat, don't scrub this coat in just apply it in a sweeping motion as best you can and avoid going in all directions, that's what you did to get the antique worked into all the cuts and it will also work to pull it back out when doing this step. Most of the antique you pull back up is coming from the smooth areas of the tooling not the depressions, don't panic. If it's a large project and you're having to do it in sections so you have time to work it, it will take several clean peices of wool to apply this last coat, you have to keep a clean one. Once they pick up too much color if you continue to use it you'll begin just smearing that second hand antique around and make a streaky mess. With Neat-Lac and a lot of practice we've been able to get a gloss or satin finish depending on how this last coat is applied.

Step 6

You're done just let it cure. In summary it's pretty simple one layer to seal the project and resist the antique from splotching up the raw leather, a layer of antique to get the contrast you want, and one layer to seal the whole project for good. I've tried to give a few pointers as to technique that are important. Ultimately it takes a lot of practice to really get a feel for using the products and the techniques that work for you. These are the basics of what we do and should get you off to a pretty close start. Perfecting a method and technique that works for you is up to you. Good Luck

[UKRay]

What a superb summary of a great methodology. Thanks, Jim.

Ray

[Chris B]

Yes thank you. I didnt realize you were supposed to resist the project before you antique it lol. I am going to have to give it a try.

Thanks Again!!!!!!

[docdomek]

This was quite helpful. Thanks for all the advice. Nothing worse than spending all the time on your project to have it look terrible due to poor finishing. I'll give these a try.

[harleysue]

OMG! Thank you so much for this post... I posted a request yesterday in the Motorcycle and Gear Forum and had not yet received a reply on the process for acrylic paint and on what to use... I think that JReddings reply just gave me my answer.... I am ready to apply a protective coat over the work and was testing all types of products... This post really helped a lot.... I think I now know the direction I am going with this project now....

I was advised at the dealer to use Fiebings Resolene... What are your takes on this product... If any one could advise me on there experiences with this product it would be greatly appreciated... I have attached a picture of the project incase any one might have another suggestion...

Thanks again to all of you so glad that I checked out this forum... much appreciated... I just love this site and all the information that the members provide...

Regards,

Harley Sue

[terrymac]

JR pretty well pegged the same finish procedure I use with the exception of using Bee's Natural Saddle Oil rather than olive oil. I just like the way it looks. Just one word of warning to everybody, don't use Neatlac (Clearlac) as a resist for any of theEco Flo antiques. The two don't work, and you will end up with the ugliest colors I have ever seen. Stick with the old true and tried Fieblings Antique Paste.

Terry

[CrazyRob]

Thanks for addressing this. I had just gotten together most of the goodies to play with these concepts when I read the posts. The rest is just getting a feel for it. Thanks again folks!

Crazy Rob

[Sylvia]

I'll revive this old thread with a couple of questions.

I notice that some of you oil before you color or stain. What exactly are the benefits of doing this?

Have any of you gone back and put acrylic paint over a piece that you've used a paste or some other sealer over?

[Bluesman]

This is absolutley a great thread. Could not remember how I usde to finish. Maybe because Tandy doesn't carry what I used to use. So after reading this thread I got on the WEB. Have this coming.

(4) Jars of Fieblings Antique Paste (different colors of course)

(2) 2 Quarts od Wyoshene (Neatlac)

(1) Quart of Neatsfoot Oil.

Bring on the Hide

[mikesmith648]

I just "finished" a project with the Bee's Natural Care RTC.............it is not a good thing! My project is now in startover phase as I need to get some clearlac or something else close to the old neatlac. Really bummed at this, but, considering it a practice piece now. I really hate "progress" and the way it messes things up that really worked in the past! Really disappointed and any suggestions would be welcome.

[JohnBloch]

Yo, I know this thread is pretty dead, but I just wanted to ask where edges fit in if I am not using an edge-coat product. Is constructing the piece first more ideal? Aka, dying everything, constructing, and then edging? I'm just worried about using a sealer or finish before I do the edges.

Thanks.

Oh also Sylvia, I know your post is a year old, but I've just tried both, and as far as a consistent color, I've found that piling after dying works best, and is darker.

[wlg190861]

Can you air brush Neat-Lac ?

[terrypen]

I just found this thread because... well I have not been doing my pieces anything like this...

I have been dying with Angelus Dk Brown leather dye and then buffing and then using Tan-Kote or Resolene.

Tan-Kote seems to be very streaky after one coat, will it get better with the second? Should I dilute it?

[go2rebecca]

I am returning to a childhood love, leathercraft. I started when I was 11 or 12 and made lots of beautiful items. I have forgotten many things and am so happy for this forum, I learn so much that I never learned before or just plain forgot. I just made a wallet for my husband. I am about to antique it after having dyed the areas I wanted to and then sealed it, but never knew to oil my leather previous to sealing. Sure wish I had read this first. I can't wait to try the oil and see the difference on my next project.

[club49]

I hung it on my wall, thank you very much.

Jim