Finishing Leather - Options

[6StringGeek]

I am finishing my first real attempt at a holster and have a few questions:

Is it ok to stain, let dry and then just wax the leather with neutral shoe polish or similar...or do I also need to seal it with something like super shene?

Just curious if the shoe polish accomplishes the same thing, or if I have to do both.

Thanks. Have a safe 4th!

[TwinOaks]

It really depends on what you are using to stain the leather. If you use spirit dyes (alchohol based) or oil dyes, then you'll need to buff it really well before doing anything else to it. That removes the unabsorbed color particles. With Eco-flo dyes, or acrylic paints, I think something like super/satin sheen or resolene is a good choice for the first step. After that, shoe polish can be applied. If you use vinegaroon, no additional finish is needed. If you only condition with oil and let it "sun-tan", then a coat of shoe polish could be the top coat.

[6StringGeek]

It really depends on what you are using to stain the leather. If you use spirit dyes (alchohol based) or oil dyes, then you'll need to buff it really well before doing anything else to it. That removes the unabsorbed color particles. With Eco-flo dyes, or acrylic paints, I think something like super/satin sheen or resolene is a good choice for the first step. After that, shoe polish can be applied. If you use vinegaroon, no additional finish is needed. If you only condition with oil and let it "sun-tan", then a coat of shoe polish could be the top coat.

I am using eco-flo dyes. Thanks for the response.//dan

[Rumblestiltskin]

first, apologies to 6stringgeek for hijacking , second, I also am a newb so I am looking for some further clarity here.

TwinOaks, when you said supersheen is good for a first step (when using eco flo dyes), i need to understand what steps would follow? Am i correct in my understanding that supersheen is an actual sealant, which would therefore mean anything put on after will never penetrate to the leather and would therefore not have any real benefit?

That said, i really dont like using supersheen, as to me it is not any better than varnish, and i do not have a great deal of confidence in the products ability to withstand outdoor elements for any real length of time. I also think the super sheen tends to hide or gloss over the natural texture and tones in the leather. But if i understand correctly it is a necessary evil if I use water based dyes?

I would much rather have the leather oiled/waxed/alternative finish, but here in lies my confusion, I have never seen a product labeled "finishing oil" or some such, and i have a real hard time identifying products that are for actual finishing, ie the very last thing done to protect the work, dye, leather etc, so i have no real idea what people are saying when they say I "oiled and buffed" to finish. What product is being used for this oiling? Wax to me has always been a maintenance product for keeping the leather in good condition, but can i use it to "finish" a dyed project as well? (in lieu of the magical oil, perhaps?)

I am really struggling to understand the "finishing" process as there are multiple methods, using multiple terminology, and multiple products with multiple descriptions......

Is there an idiots guide somewhere, or perhaps a thread that deals with this topic in some detail?

thx

i just needed to add that any discussions on Fiebing products are lost on me as the Eco Nazis here have managed to have their products listed as non importable without all sorts of idiotic expense and retarded bureaucracy, so i cant buy the products here... which is really annoying.....

Edited July 7, 2011 by Rumblestiltskin

[Art]

Hi,

There are many threads in this section on finishing. Basically the finish depends on the intended use. There are finishes that seal up the leather and there are finishes that allow the leather to breathe. Probably the simplest finish is Neatsfoot Oil, which will let the leather breathe, but doesn't do a lot to waterproof it, it is basic leather care. Other breathable finishes are Bag-Kote, Tan-Kote and a host of others like them, and Pecard's, Montana Pitchblend, and maybe Fiebing's Aussie that provide fairly good outdoors protection; some of them come in oils and pastes, the pastes are usually better as a final coat. Then there are top coats that seal up the leather, LCI's Clear Lac, Bee Natural RTC, Fiebing's Saddle Lac, Springfield Leather's Pro Clear, that is a lot like Tandy's Super Shene. Last but not least are the wax types like Leather Balm with Atom wax and Carnauba type waxes and creams.

That's not all of them by any means, just what I've used over time. I probably use more Bag-Kote, Tan-Kote, Pecard's and Montana Pitchblend, with Leather Balm with Atom Wax on top of those then all of the others.

Art

first, apologies to 6stringgeek for hijacking , second, I also am a newb so I am looking for some further clarity here.

TwinOaks, when you said supersheen is good for a first step (when using eco flo dyes), i need to understand what steps would follow? Am i correct in my understanding that supersheen is an actual sealant, which would therefore mean anything put on after will never penetrate to the leather and would therefore not have any real benefit?

That said, i really dont like using supersheen, as to me it is not any better than varnish, and i do not have a great deal of confidence in the products ability to withstand outdoor elements for any real length of time. I also think the super sheen tends to hide or gloss over the natural texture and tones in the leather.

I would much rather have the leather oiled/waxed/alternative finish, but here in lies my confusion, I have never seen a product labeled "finishing oil" or some such, and i have a real hard time identifying products that are for actual finishing, so i have no real idea what people are saying when they say I "oiled and buffed" to finish. What product is being used for this oiling? Wax to me has always been a maintenance product, for keeping the leather in good condition, but can i use it to "finish" a dyed project as well? (in lieu of the magical oil, perhaps)

I am really struggling to understand the "finishing" process as there are multiple methods, using multiple terminology, and multiple products with multiple descriptions......

Is there an idiots guide somewhere, or perhaps a thread that deals with this topic in some detail?

thx

[katsass]

FWIW time: On all of my stuff I just use a 50/50 mix of "Mop and Glo" and water ( yeppers, the floor stuff, It's an acrylic just like the 'special' leather acrylics and is a bunch cheaper and ...maybe a bit tougher) I spray (mist) on a light coat with a cheap airbrush....allow to dry, one more shot 'misted' on, and then rub in by hand (no applicator) a bit of Kiwi neutral wax.... Polish to the desired sheen. All of these are done that way. Mike P.S. I refuse to use the ECO-FLO stuff. You are just asking for problems to arise with it. JMHO.

Edited July 8, 2011 by katsass