Dying Or Staining

[yeringtonmike]

_{^{Maybe someone can help this beginner. I have been doing leather work for about three years and I just came across a problem that I can sure use some help.}}

_{^{I have an embossing plate (6"x6") with a club logo. I have the clicker so I can press the plate into the leather and have had great success, but now is my problem. I want the logo to stand out, but I have had no luck when staining or dying the leather to get a good contrast. I thought of blocking, but there are hundreds of very small parts of the logo that would be impossible to block. When I antique there is a contrast, but not enough. I am trying to get the part of the logo that is pressed into the leather to be a different shade from the rest of the leather.}}

_{^{Any help would be greatly appreciated, I have many items to make, so please if there is any help, chime in.}}

_{^{Thanks, Mike}}

[CitizenKate]

Hi Mike,

Any chance of posting an image for us to look at? But without seeing it, one thing that comes to mind is to try a darker antique color. Also, when you're applying the antique, be sure to wipe flatly over the surface of the leather to remove the excess, so as to leave more of the antique in the depressed areas.

Kate

[terrymac]

Mike,

Get yourself some Clearlac(Neatlac liquid, not spray) and rub over the entire piece as a block. After it has dried, use some Fieblings antique paste and rub it then over the whole piece, and then wipe off. Where ever there is an indention or mark on the leather, a bit of the antique paste will remail and give you the effect I think you are wanting. When you first apply the paste, you will think you have really screwed up, but just wiping the excess off.

Hope this helps,

Terry

[yeringtonmike]

Hi Mike,

Any chance of posting an image for us to look at? But without seeing it, one thing that comes to mind is to try a darker antique color. Also, when you're applying the antique, be sure to wipe flatly over the surface of the leather to remove the excess, so as to leave more of the antique in the depressed areas.

Kate

Thanks Kate,

I wish I could put it out there for you to see, but they don't want their logo exposed until they expose it themselves. I have applied antique many times, but this has such big areas and small areas, that it is hard to keep the stain in the big lower areas. Thanks for the info, I'll keep trying, something will click.

Mike

[yeringtonmike]

Mike,

Get yourself some Clearlac(Neatlac liquid, not spray) and rub over the entire piece as a block. After it has dried, use some Fieblings antique paste and rub it then over the whole piece, and then wipe off. Where ever there is an indention or mark on the leather, a bit of the antique paste will remail and give you the effect I think you are wanting. When you first apply the paste, you will think you have really screwed up, but just wiping the excess off.

Hope this helps,

Terry

Thanks Terry,

I have tried a total sheridan block, but used liquid antique, I have some paste, I will try that. Maybe if I use something like a bag kote, do you think it would let more of the color come through? Maybe this is one place that the paste will work. Thanks and I will try the paste. Thanks again and I will let you know what happens.

Mike

[terrymac]

Mike

Something I learned the hard way is that any of the Eco antiques and Neatlac do not mix. Ended up with all sorts of weird colors. Some people will actually apply a couple of coats of Neatlac and still get the contrast with the Fieblings Antique Paste. The more Neatlac just blocks out more of the color except in the areas that are tooled or embossed. Good luck

Terry

[yeringtonmike]

Mike

Something I learned the hard way is that any of the Eco antiques and Neatlac do not mix. Ended up with all sorts of weird colors. Some people will actually apply a couple of coats of Neatlac and still get the contrast with the Fieblings Antique Paste. The more Neatlac just blocks out more of the color except in the areas that are tooled or embossed. Good luck

Terry

Terry,

Thanks, I used some tan kote and paste, then reapplied some more tan coat keeping the towel flat and I came out with what I wanted (almost), Thanks for your input and I try not to use any of the Eco antiques. I don't care for them. Feibling is all I use. Thanks again/

Mike

[TwinOaks]

Since you have a press for the logo, repeatability isn't an issue......try this: Start with a clean piece and make the logo. Now, get straight edge, wrap it with cloth, coat with your resist, and pull across the surface of the leather. Just like block dyeing, this should only put the resist on the non-tooled area. Repeat for a few layers to make sure you have good coverage, then spray the tooled area w/ your dye of choice. Immediately wipe off any over spray from the resisted area. That should give you what you're looking for. There is a topic 'pinned' on here about block dyeing with a little more detail on the steps. Think of it as screen printing your resist on the area around the stamp.

[yeringtonmike]

Since you have a press for the logo, repeatability isn't an issue......try this: Start with a clean piece and make the logo. Now, get straight edge, wrap it with cloth, coat with your resist, and pull across the surface of the leather. Just like block dyeing, this should only put the resist on the non-tooled area. Repeat for a few layers to make sure you have good coverage, then spray the tooled area w/ your dye of choice. Immediately wipe off any over spray from the resisted area. That should give you what you're looking for. There is a topic 'pinned' on here about block dyeing with a little more detail on the steps. Think of it as screen printing your resist on the area around the stamp.

Mike, Thanks for the info, understand what you are saying. Can't wait to give it a try. Should do what I am looking for. I just couldn't see myself with a small brush covering all those tiny pieces. Thanks again.

Mike

[yeringtonmike]

Since you have a press for the logo, repeatability isn't an issue......try this: Start with a clean piece and make the logo. Now, get straight edge, wrap it with cloth, coat with your resist, and pull across the surface of the leather. Just like block dyeing, this should only put the resist on the non-tooled area. Repeat for a few layers to make sure you have good coverage, then spray the tooled area w/ your dye of choice. Immediately wipe off any over spray from the resisted area. That should give you what you're looking for. There is a topic 'pinned' on here about block dyeing with a little more detail on the steps. Think of it as screen printing your resist on the area around the stamp.

Just want to give you a big thanks, it took a few times, but finally got it. Thanks again, Mike

[TwinOaks]

Glad to know it worked well. There's all kinds of things that can be done to and with leather that are "non-traditional" at best. Some of them border on sacrilegious!!! But, they work, and give the user/maker exactly what they're after.