Finishing A Motorcycle Seat

[RandyJ]

Greetings to all! I have to admit, the more I read about how to dye / antique a bike seat and apply a water resistant/proof sealer the more confused I get. I would really appreciate some additional input!

What I have... I've finished tooling. Leather is not secured to the seat yet.

What I need... I would like to achieve a natural look. I'm open to using an antique to really bring out the tooling, but I don't wish to have the untooled leather darken much.

What I've done... On a tooled scrap piece I've applied two liberal coats of neats foot oil. I like the color simply with the oil after coat one. Coat 2 is still drying.

What I want... I'd like to know if I continue adding only neats foot oil until I get the color I want, wouldn't it be simple enough to then finish with resolene and call it good?

Or can I still add an antique over the neats foot, then apply a top coat of resolene?

Thanks in advance!

Randy

[Scary Leatherworks]

If you want to keep it "natural" then you'll have to let the neats foot dry/soak in and then apply your resist (resolene, atom wax etc...) prior to the antique or the antique will stain the leather and darken the impressions. practice on scrap first. 1 apply resist (few coats), let dry. 2 apply antique and work it in to the impressions. 3 wipe of the antique with several pieces of CLEAN paper towel. (I fold mine up to a small square so it remains stiff and doesn't go into the impressions and refold often for a clean side). this should leave the antique in the tooling but wipe off clean from your leather. A slightly damp piece can help clean off excess stain. 4 after antique has dried apply your sealer. I use leather balm with atom wax and then you will most likely need another water proofer, such as kiwi

and stain your seat after it's on the pan.

[RandyJ]

If you want to keep it "natural" then you'll have to let the neats foot dry/soak in and then apply your resist (resolene, atom wax etc...) prior to the antique or the antique will stain the leather and darken the impressions. practice on scrap first. 1 apply resist (few coats), let dry. 2 apply antique and work it in to the impressions. 3 wipe of the antique with several pieces of CLEAN paper towel. (I fold mine up to a small square so it remains stiff and doesn't go into the impressions and refold often for a clean side). this should leave the antique in the tooling but wipe off clean from your leather. A slightly damp piece can help clean off excess stain. 4 after antique has dried apply your sealer. I use leather balm with atom wax and then you will most likely need another water proofer, such as kiwi

and stain your seat after it's on the pan.

[RandyJ]

Thanks for the tips! Would there be any issues with not only using resolene for my resist, but also the final sealer? Are there properties in the other products that make them hold up better? This is a motorcycle seat and, using history as my guide, will be subject to every kind of weather condition~

Thanks again!

Randy

[Scary Leatherworks]

Sorry but I have no experience with resolene. I have never used it but I would imagine it is much the same as most of the other "finishes" water resistant not water proof. I personally use leather balm with atom wax but it's the same just resistant and Kiwi neutral shoe polish for more protection. unfortunately not much makes it water proof

Scott

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Try experimenting with Sno-Seal for waterproofing. I use it on my hiking boots, and they stay dry no matter what happens to them. It does darken the boots quite a bit though. It is a beeswax base, and I heat the boots up till it soaks into the leather, and usually do 3 coats.

[RandyJ]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the help.

Later,

Randy