Coating, Treating Etc. After Stitched Up?

[Bronson]

I tried Resolene with a wet sponge last night on my latest holster. It took some of the dye off. I had to re-dye parts of it, but couldn't dye all of it. I didn't like the end result.

I have had similar results with brushing on Resolene. I haven't tried dipping the holster in it but I've been told this gives good results.

I've made up a batch of the 50/50 neatsfoot and beeswax but have only tried it on scraps of leather...looks nice on the scraps though.

Bronson

[BigRiverLeather]

My biggest challenge with the finish coat is getting something that will prevent ANY bleedoff of the dye onto clothes, especially on IWB holsters. I have found the resolene gives the best results for this but I'm still searching for something better. What I don't like is the Tacky finish it leaves as well as the plastic look. Sometimes the hard shell look is ok, but I'd be happier if I could find something with a more natural finsih.

My first finish was Stain Sheen from Feibings. I like the look and feel a lot, but when applying with a sponge, Ithe dye would lift and would still bleed off onto clothes, especially in hot weather (sweat). I've almost come full circle back to that. Right now I airbrush my Resolene on with a cheap harbor freight air brush. I like this because it is very low maintenance and forgiving. Sometimes I mix the resolene 50/50 with water, sometimes I use it straight. The airbrush doesn't seem to care. Now I've been trying to get the Satin Sheen to work. When I can, I REALLY like the finsh much better, not as shiny, little or no tacky feel. The problem is the airbrush does not like it. The Satin Sheen has small platelets in it that break up the shine. These particles clog my airbrush. I might have to find a way to drill out the tiny hole in my airbrush and see if that helps.

I don't like applying anything with a spnge or brush anymore. It is just to easy to get inconsistent. For me, airbrushing is the only way to go. This goes for dyes as well, unless I am diping them or dying black which I use a foam bruash.

I've tried the 1/2 neatsfoot oil / 1/2 beeswax. Not sure this would work for me on a full holster. I can still buff out a lot of color. I want to SEAL it in. I do use it on my edges when burnishing, very nice.

[Skald]

My biggest challenge with the finish coat is getting something that will prevent ANY bleedoff of the dye onto clothes, especially on IWB holsters. I have found the resolene gives the best results for this but I'm still searching for something better. What I don't like is the Tacky finish it leaves as well as the plastic look. Sometimes the hard shell look is ok, but I'd be happier if I could find something with a more natural finsih.

My first finish was Stain Sheen from Feibings. I like the look and feel a lot, but when applying with a sponge, Ithe dye would lift and would still bleed off onto clothes, especially in hot weather (sweat). I've almost come full circle back to that. Right now I airbrush my Resolene on with a cheap harbor freight air brush. I like this because it is very low maintenance and forgiving. Sometimes I mix the resolene 50/50 with water, sometimes I use it straight. The airbrush doesn't seem to care. Now I've been trying to get the Satin Sheen to work. When I can, I REALLY like the finsh much better, not as shiny, little or no tacky feel. The problem is the airbrush does not like it. The Satin Sheen has small platelets in it that break up the shine. These particles clog my airbrush. I might have to find a way to drill out the tiny hole in my airbrush and see if that helps.

I don't like applying anything with a spnge or brush anymore. It is just to easy to get inconsistent. For me, airbrushing is the only way to go. This goes for dyes as well, unless I am diping them or dying black which I use a foam bruash.

I've tried the 1/2 neatsfoot oil / 1/2 beeswax. Not sure this would work for me on a full holster. I can still buff out a lot of color. I want to SEAL it in. I do use it on my edges when burnishing, very nice.

Thank you for that really in-depth post of yours, feels like I know a lot more of what to do right off, after this and the other posts in this thread.

I too have been thinking of airbrushing on whatever I'll use, when I come to that point. I have no "real" airbrushing kit right now, but I have some simple "hand pumped" plastic spray bottles, that I'll try and just hope for the best.