Sreaks In Finish

[Larry]

I just finished a project and after I put on the Super Sheen, I noticed that the dye job was streaked. I put the dye on with my air brush and it looked good when I finished. I let it dry good (several hours) and then put on two coats of Super Sheen.

Is there a way to remove the Super Sheen and re-dye the project? Thanks everyone. Larry

[King's X]

Okay, I am a little confused. What streaked? The "dye" or the Super Sheen?

[CitizenKate]

I just finished a project and after I put on the Super Sheen, I noticed that the dye job was streaked. I put the dye on with my air brush and it looked good when I finished. I let it dry good (several hours) and then put on two coats of Super Sheen.

Is there a way to remove the Super Sheen and re-dye the project? Thanks everyone. Larry

Larry, I've been able to strip acrylic finishes (like *shene, resolene, etc.) with just water. A wet sponge works, and just keep rinsing off the sponge as you wipe off the finish. If you used antique, most or all of that will also come off with the finish.

Then you should be able to apply more dye.

If you just had dye under the finish, probably what streaked was some residue on the surface of the leather that did not get absorbed completely into the leather. To prevent that in the future, it helps to buff over the dye with a soft cloth before applying antique or finish over it.

If you used antique, the shene will smear the antique if you wipe it around too much. To avoid this, try to apply the shene in just one or two strokes over any given area.

Kate

[Larry]

King's X, it was the dye. It was on a small ammo wallet and it is most visible where the folds are. I did an oak leaf and my initials in a square and dyed the background and my initials dark brown. Then I air brushed a light tan on the ammo wallet so there would be a good contrast. I think I just got it too light and the dye penetrated some places and not others. I've used this dye and leather on a holster and sprayed the dye fairly heavy and the color is darker and no streaks. I just didn't want this ammo wallet to be very dark. I used this same dye on the clutch purse and checkbook cover and they came out great. Very even color and not very dark.

The wallet was dyed with Tandy's Range Tan (not the all-in-one) and the leather was Tandy's single shoulder 6-7 oz. The only difference was the clutch purse and checkbook cover were different leather. I got that leather from Springfield. And they told me it was their better quality leather. It was very thin, maybe 3-4 oz. You told me to contact them for the clutch purse insert, so I went ahead and got the better leather at the same time.

Kate, thanks for the info. The cartridge loops were wet formed as someone on the holster forum suggested would hold up better. I'm not sure I want to get the project too wet, but I may try just a corner and see what happens.

Thank you both. Larry

Edited February 16, 2010 by Larry

[King's X]

Wow...First I am sorry you had some problems at the end of this project. I know first hand how frustrating it can be. I haven't tried to airbrush any dye though I have one. I am still trying to learn how to hand dye my stuff. Better master one then be a loser at two. I know that one of the things that work for me, others may disagree, but for me. I will wringe out a wet sponge and wipe the leather that I am about to dye or finish coat. As the color disappears, I will begin to apply the dye with a piece of sheeps wools in a pattern and even. I will allow it to set in for up to 30 minutes before I judge my try at dyeing. Now, I have to admit that I have tried this the last 2-3 times and it has worked out so far. Better than what my results were before this process.

good luck.

[Larry]

Sam, I got the files and want to thank you. I couldn't open most of them for some reason. I know it was a lot of work to get them all together and attach them to send, but if you have a spare minute, would you re-send them? I live in the country and my internet provider is Hughes and I can't receive large files, so if you could break it up into several e-mails, that would be great. I know you are busy and I feel strange asking to be "spoon fed" all this great information, but only if you have time and you feel up to doing it. If not, I do understand and would not blame you a bit.

I feel confident with an air brush. I've been doing camo on rifle stocks for some time now and I don't think it was the air brush. I think it was the leather or something on the leather I could not see before I applied the dye. Or, it could have been I just didn't put enough dye on. I'm afraid to get the cartridge loops damp again so I'm going to leave it as is. I thought maybe denatured alcohol or something that would flash off quickly would work and I would try it. It's just going to have to be that way and just a part of the learning curve.

Anyway, here is a sample of some of my air brush work. Larry