Antique and Leather Balm

[Myriam]

Ok, can't quite figure this one out. Is there any way this will work or will the antique always rub off?

I've applied an antique and rubbed it off good for about 5 minutes to make sure all the excess was taken off. I let the piece rest for at least 24 hours so it dries. Today, I put some leather balm with atom wax (neutral color) on it, being careful not to rub too hard. The applicator came out brownish from it Uh? I figured, ok, so it diluted the top surface of the antique. I let it dry and when I went to buff it up later, I got a little bit of brown (really not a lot, but still) on my rag :wtf: ... Applied another coat of leather balm, let dry, rubbed to a shine, same thing Is there any way the color from the antique will eventually stop rubbing off?

I love the finish of the leather balm and I'm totally no good with resolene, keep getting streaks no matter how hard I try to put a light even coat of it. Anyone who can help, please? I'm kinda desperate here

[Rawhide]

I hate to be the bad news bear, but Leather Balm will not prevent the dye from rubbing off. The only suggestion I have is to top coat it with satin sheen, and see if you still get rub off.

I know what you mean about the finishe leather balm gives. I love it myself, but it's not intended for rub-off prevention or repelling water.

Marlon

[Myriam]

Bummer

Never tried the satin shene. Does it give a finish like or close to the leather balm? I see on the Tandy website that it's the new one, water based Eco-Flo. Will it be somewhat water resistant or will it run off if the thing gets wet?

[tazzmann]

It will run. go with the Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene or Neatlac. Both work well.

[pete]

Ok, can't quite figure this one out. Is there any way this will work or will the antique always rub off?

I've applied an antique and rubbed it off good for about 5 minutes to make sure all the excess was taken off. I let the piece rest for at least 24 hours so it dries. Today, I put some leather balm with atom wax (neutral color) on it, being careful not to rub too hard. The applicator came out brownish from it Uh? I figured, ok, so it diluted the top surface of the antique. I let it dry and when I went to buff it up later, I got a little bit of brown (really not a lot, but still) on my rag :wtf: ... Applied another coat of leather balm, let dry, rubbed to a shine, same thing Is there any way the color from the antique will eventually stop rubbing off?

I love the finish of the leather balm and I'm totally no good with resolene, keep getting streaks no matter how hard I try to put a light even coat of it. Anyone who can help, please? I'm kinda desperate here

Myriam- when you antiqued and rubbed it- use a shirt or paper towel and rub it off the top in all directions. Then take a sheep scrap and go over it lightly in a circular motion to get the thick gunk out of the grooves. I said lightly but I rub hard enough to get the amount I want left in the cracks. You;ll be amazed on how good it looks to get almost all of it off leaving nice dark pockets(thumbprints) and decorative cuts filled and nothing else..

Then take a paper towel and rub the heck out of it for a beautiful shoe shine like finish. Then use KIWI neutral shoe polish and you're done.

ps- I wait for 5 minutes tops(because I'm impatient by then) after the initial rubbing, then the sheepskin and have never had antique rub off

pete

Edited April 3, 2008 by pete

[Myriam]

Tazzmann - Thanks for your reply. That's what I was afraid of (darn laws...). Unfortunately, I'm no good with Resolene and I've heard that the fumes from the Neat Lac are pretty bad. I live in an apartment so I'm pretty limited in terms of a well ventilated area, especially this time of the year.

Pete - Rubbed the antique out as much as I could. I, too, like to see the fine details it makes stand out. I guess it's just the nature of the antique and the leather balm mixing together somehow. Now, about that neutral shoe polish, why didn't I think of that? Thanks a million, Pete. Will go to the store tomorrow and get me some of that. Come to think of it, I might even have some here for my shoes *goes off rummaging in her closet*