Mollard Report post Posted April 1, 2010 OK, I have been researching leather for awhile now. I have been building things, studying how things are fabricated, all kinds of stuff. I am stuck on leather finishing. Also with maintenance. I have been reading all kinds of different stuff on the subject, but can not seem to find a surefire way to make my leather tough and durable. I need my projects to withstand the elements for years. What maintenance steps are taken after finishing? After all the reading I have done, I still have no idea where to start. When during the fabrication process do I apply a finish? Where do dyes fit into all of this? What are your steps for finishing leather projects? What measures do you take to ensure it stays nice for years to come? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JK1990 Report post Posted October 21, 2010 Mollard, I also have an interest in the same area and have likewise had a lot of trouble finding any information on durable, low maintenance finishes/treatments (preferably waterproof). My best lead is to use oil tanned leather (also called aldehyde tanned leather) in the first place (I have had so much trouble finding anything about this either). Oil tanned leather sounds to be quite durable, inherently waterproof and can be dyed, though with a oil based dye. Its tanned with animal brains and from what i have observed, they use it a lot to make carpenter's nail pouches. Anyone else have any ideas for leather treatments aiding durability? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spinner Report post Posted October 21, 2010 (edited) I would suggest you guys check out the Pecard line of conditioners & dressings. I have started using them lately for my motorcycle leathers (chaps, tank bibs, bags, etc) and so far the results have been great. They have lines of finishes for different purposes as well, motorcycle, equine, etc. For my finishing process here's what has worked well for me: after cutting & tooling - wipe surface down with alcohol to remove excess dirt & hand/tool oils > dye (Fiebing spirit based) > a coat of neatsfoot oil, let it soak in > a coat of Fiebing Tan-Kote, let dry > rub in a coat of Pecard's smooth leather conditioner > finish off with Pecard's weatherproof leather dressing (comes in natural and black). The leather ends up with a nice soft sheen and a good supple feel. I've been getting great feedback from recent customers about water beading up and running off and no water stains yet so it's working for me. The nice part is Pecard's sells the dressing in 2oz. sample jars that I recently started including with big orders for folks to keep their leather looking good. Finish will also vary by project... In reading some of the other articles on LW regarding hard leather items like holsters, many folks appear to simply dye, a coat of neatsfoot, then apply a coat of Resolene (let fully dry) and then put a top coat like Aussie wax or Atom Wax with Balm to finish it off. Edited October 21, 2010 by Spinner Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
