Preserving The Natural Veg Tan Color

[kayrunp]

I feel like this questions has been answered, but couldn't find it. I am brand new to this and have been working on wallets, bracelets and belts. The finishing is where I am having a really hard time. I would like to keep the natural or a slightly warm tan to my pieces. I have been using neatsfoot oil and it has been a disaster, it brings out all the imperfections and I can't get it to go in evenly. I try and rub it on evenly and it just seems to take more in some spots then others. My pieces end up looking so mucky and spotty. The color is really muddy. What am I doing wrong?

[Andrew Chee]

I feel like this questions has been answered, but couldn't find it. I am brand new to this and have been working on wallets, bracelets and belts. The finishing is where I am having a really hard time. I would like to keep the natural or a slightly warm tan to my pieces. I have been using neatsfoot oil and it has been a disaster, it brings out all the imperfections and I can't get it to go in evenly. I try and rub it on evenly and it just seems to take more in some spots then others. My pieces end up looking so mucky and spotty. The color is really muddy. What am I doing wrong?

I'm assuming you're using veg-tan tooling type leather?

I had this problem when I first started out. If you want to use Neatsfoot oil and cover a large area without spotting, you're pretty much gonna have to spray it on. Look up something called Preval. It's an aerosol spraycan that you can use to spray the oil on evenly. I use it with Mink oil and it covers well without spotting.

If you don't want to go that route, try Lexol (the brown bottle). It goes on evenly and darkens the leather slightly. Then finish with a coat of Leather Balm with Atoms wax. The wax in the stuff gives it a pretty nice, soft, natural sheen. Buff when dry to get the sheen. The attached wallet was done basically in this manner (sorry, for some reason, attaching the file flips the image 180).

Give this a try and see if it works for you.

Andrew

[lazybum]

What leather are you using? The quality of the leather makes a huge difference. I used to have the same problem with those cheaper "imported" leather. Solved it by switching to W&C leather. I simply brush the oil on and the colour will even itself out after some minutes. In fact the final colour is pretty close to the original

[sandycreek]

Hi,

I also find that if I brush on neatsfoot oil at least somewhat evenly, and let it sit overnight, it will pretty well even itself out by the next day.

Another alternative to Andrew's Leather Balm with Atom Wax that I've been using a lot lately is Fiebing's Snow-Proof. Started using it on my workboots, and I liked it so much that I started using it on all my leathercraft stuff. Yet another alternative would be a product called Sno-Seal by Atsko. I used to use it exclusively on my workboots, but then the hardware store in town stopped carrying it. The Snow-Proof I can get at the semi-local Tandy.

Either way they're all three gonna give you that nice mellow almost satin finish (I really don't have a taste for shiny things.) Just from experience I can say that the Sno-Seal and Snow-Proof, given enough coats, will make almost anything waterproof.

-Aaron

[kayrunp]

I am using som low end leather for my learning projects, but the last hide I got was a better quality one from tandy and had less little in perfection but really took the neats foot oil unevenly. I will be more careful with my application. would anyone recommend a different oil?

[Phatdaddy]

I am using som low end leather for my learning projects, but the last hide I got was a better quality one from tandy and had less little in perfection but really took the neats foot oil unevenly. I will be more careful with my application. would anyone recommend a different oil?

I am limited to Tandy's leather if I want to avoid high shipping costs. I just go to the store often and really pick through what they have for hides. That being said, I use neatsfoot oil on every project before and after dyeing and have had the best results I could expect. The key is, try to put light consistant coats, but do not try to correct it if it doesn't look even. Then let it sit for a few hours, or over night, it always evens out on its own.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

[pete]

I am limited to Tandy's leather if I want to avoid high shipping costs. I just go to the store often and really pick through what they have for hides. That being said, I use neatsfoot oil on every project before and after dyeing and have had the best results I could expect. The key is, try to put light consistant coats, but do not try to correct it if it doesn't look even. Then let it sit for a few hours, or over night, it always evens out on its own.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

BEE NATURAL makes a great oil called Saddle Oil. It won't darken at all . Chan Geer turned me on to it. I don't use Neats anymore.

pete

[craig h]

I have learned from this site to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil...I dampen a spong...put a coat onto the leather..let it dry for about an hour and put on two or three more coats with drying between coats. Then when satisfied I give it three coats of leather balm...so for I have been pleased. If you want to make it darker let it sit in the hot sun between coats of olive oil...

[JLSleather]

I use neatsfoot oil on everything. If you're getting "splotchy" and it doesn't even out in a few hours, you probably have something ON the leather preventing even penetration. WATER goes on evenly on everything. Take a piece of the same hide (scrap) and a damp spunge. Run the sponge over the entire surface. If you have "spots", you have something ON the leather.