Antique help please

[MADMAX22]

OK so playing with the antique stuff I have tried on several items to get the antiqueing to go on lighter and not soak into the leather so much. I usually end up with a really dark brown leather and very little contrast between the smooth raised spots and the backgrounding and lower spots.

So any good tricks

Does the leather need to be totally dry or slightly wet? Should it be died or oiled first before hand?

I followed the directions on the fiebings antique and even after only about 5 min I cant get any of the stuff to come off of areas to lighten it up any.

Anyways thanks for any input.

[Roger]

antique should go on after dyeing.

the leather should be sealed before applying the antique for maximum contrast

[MADMAX22]

OK so I was doing it backwards pretty much.

Thanks

[JRedding]

I can only tell you how we do it, oil to the color you want and give it plenty of time to make sure it's going to remain the color you want, seal it with tan-kote, bag-kote, or neat-lac and let that dry thouroghly, then apply the antique, we use a small sponge work it into all the cuts and pick up all the excess you can after it's covered well then buff the remaining excess with a piece of wool scrap until you've got the contrast you want. Ideally you'll let the antique set at least twelve hours before you seal over it again, you will pick up a little antique when you seal the second time, don't scrub on the second coat or apply too much and "stand" it on, apply it sparingly and gently . Antique has little effect on dyed colors unless they're light tones.

Edited July 9, 2008 by JRedding