Ecoflow Professional Waterstains

[electrathon]

I have to ask. Do you consider this to be an acceptable apearance? Looks a lot like the one I saw at Tandy that I commented looked like poop. If I did a project and it came out with this horible of color variations I would be reaching for the black.

[electrathon]

OK i just looked at your blog and I now understand. Your work looks stunning. The colors that you have painted some of the flowers is superb. The style of color that you use is something I have never done. I tend to lean far more old school and everything is brown. I used to leave the leather natural but now I tend to dye everything a shade of brown.

[Spinner]

The store manager had a piece he had done that he had not wiped clean, but had applied with a dauber. It looked like poop. The appearance I got by wiping it down was not a bad appearance, almost on par with the Fiebings. The waterstain had far more coverage than the Fiebings did. The Fiebings was more transparent.

I guess my test was trying for a usability test. If the product won't penetrate by design (a definitional difference between stain and dye) then it defiantly is not a product I would use on my work.

Aaron

I agree 100% about the dauber and not wiping down. The funny thing is, the manager didn't even take the time to learn about his own product. The label is very specific in stating, "Apply using a sponge in a circular motion. Allow to dry. Buff."

Maybe I'm just weird this way but I tend to follow the recommended instructions as it usually means someone tested it to find the best way to put it on but then again, I also buy specific brushes for acrylic painting versus watercolors & oils and have 5 different airbrushes, each for a particular type of color spraying. Could be that I'm just a bit OCD with tools and such.

[HellfireJack]

Stains and paints are the same thing. They're both a carrier loaded with pigment with an added binder. Paint merely dries opaque where stain allows the grain and other coloring to show through. There shouldn't be any real penetration with a stain. It should simply bind with the surface fibers. The only way to get penetration with a stain is to add dye to the stain. Then you'll see penetration wherever the leather is able to leech the dye out of the stain. The Tandy Ecoflow Pro Waterstain says it has a dye added so you'll probably get a small amount of penetration at best.

[Leerwerker]

Hi Aaron,

Thanks for the compliment. I will come up with a few pieces where the stain is very even. We are still messing about a bit to see how well we can get to all the quirks of the product.

The sponge works really well. You just keep on in circles until the colors are evenly spread and then you have to wait for it to dry to see how light the color turns out. I tried some 1/4" trimmed sheep wool and that also worked well as an applicator, especially in getting a two tone effect.

I have yet to try the new high density sponges that are out there now - judging by their price, they better be good!

Oh, one more plus point I discovered about the new stains - they wash out of daubers, sponges, brushes and containers real easy....

OK i just looked at your blog and I now understand. Your work looks stunning. The colors that you have painted some of the flowers is superb. The style of color that you use is something I have never done. I tend to lean far more old school and everything is brown. I used to leave the leather natural but now I tend to dye everything a shade of brown.

[JoelR]

Anyone playing with these have any comments on the finishes? For whatever reason, I'm having a heck of a time getting Resoleen to wear well and am looking for alternatives (using the mop-and-glow finish at the moment with initial nice results but am concerned with how well it will wear).

[JoyceLee]

I just bought a full set of the Eco Flo Professional Waterstains... I make jewelry so I really need a product that is not going to rub off. I want to mix some pretty colors... like lavender and burnt orange...

Any idea how I would get lavender?

thnx...

J.

[JoyceLee]

This is a great conversation. I just bought a complete set of the waterstains and am researching color mixing.

I happened across this blog about waterstain application testing. http://www.willghormley-maker.com/OldDogsAndNewTricks.html

I would like to make a lavender color and a burnt orange... so any color mixing suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

[cardinal leather]

I read Will Ghormley's article on this stain some time ago. Purchased dark brown, tan, black. I have used this product on molded epee pen cases, cell phone cases, holsters, belts and leather coverd buckles. so far it has held up well on all items and looks great. My grandson has a molded paddle style epee pen case that he wears daily, little boys are rough on things and I told him not to spare it as we can make another one if needed. the case is pretty beat up but the finish still looks good. his mother reports that it does not rub off on his pants. it also gives good results as an edge dye. To get the best results the best application seems to be anything used to apply it in circular motion until absorbed and blended together, then stop. It does not hurt if the leather is a little damp when applied either just be liberal with the dye. you can apply a second layer and it stilll blends in well with the first coat.

[cardinal leather]

One thing that I forgot to mention on this post last night was that if you try to bend a strap with this product at 180 deg for a buckle, d ring, pet snap or whatever. Be very carefull as the product will crack across the bend. You need to recondition the leather to do this. I also discovered this morning that you can soak the bend section in water and it will absorb thru the stain. I kept it in the water until the bubbles started to come out and a little longer. By bending it slowly and applying a clamp it worked out fine. I am going to try that again on heaver material to see how it works out.