Finishing Stamped Belt To Highlight Impressions

[maccarta]

I apologise if this question has already been answered a million times but I've had a search through some topics and while some cover the finishing process I'm still terribly confused with what I did wrong and would appreciate the knowledge of others on this site.

I've done pyrography on belts before which I coloured with eco flo cova paints then antiqued & sealed it - no probs there very happy with result. But recently I tried to finish a belt I had stamped and it was a bit of a disaster. So here's the process I used:

• Cased/stamped belt
• Dyed belt with diluted eco flo high-lite stain - saddle tan, using damp cloth
• Re-conditioned belt with Aussie conditioner (tried olive oil on scrap bit but darkened leather too much so used Aussie as didn't really change colour - not sure if this product is supposed to be used here??) - left it overnight
• Resisted belt once using satin shene, let dry 4 hours
• Applied eco flo gel antique medium brown with cloth

So there were two issues:

• Overall the belt came out streaky with some parts darker than others from the antique gel
• Where I had stamped the belt was inconsistent - some of the indentations from stamps were lighter than the rest of the belt and so stood out - looked quite good, but then some indentations were really dark (assuming from where the antique had taken) - again this looked quite good but only if the whole belt was like this.

So I guess I'm wondering if the order I did things was correct, how to ensure antique isn't streaky when applied, and how to get consistent colour where I've stamped? I'm happy to have the stamped areas lighter OR darker as long as they're all the same - not sure how to achieve each of these - maybe I needed to resist twice to enusre all the stamped areas were resisted to make them all lighter??

I need help!!!! Would appreciate advice :-)

[mlapaglia]

A picture of the belt you had problems with would help.

I did the belt below by stamping it, It's Herman Oak leather.

Then died it with the new tan stain from Tandy.

Then 2 coats of 50/50 resolene let dry over night.

Used the Tandy Eco-fo Antique dk brown. Rubbed it on and took a damp flat cloth and wiped it off. Changed the cloth often and only used it flat never bunched. This way it wiped the antique off the high points of the design and the plain border.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

stitched it.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

then rubbed in Kiwi neutral polish with my fingers and buffed it with sheep wool.

FYI you can remove the antique if it smears on the unstamped places with an alcohol wipe. takes it right off but you need to put more resolene on the area.

It worked well for what I wanted. Like I said we really need to see your belt to tell what happened. You can see more about this belt here

Edited July 7, 2012 by mlapaglia

[maccarta]

Thanks for reply, wow your belt is fantastic!!

I've attached pic so you can see the darker bits (I assume this is where the I missed the resist and the antique took) and the lighter stamped areas.

So you used resolene where I used Aussie conditioner & Satin Shene - is resolene just a sealer/gloss or does it recondition as well? Or is that what you used the Kiwi polish for at the end?

I used the process I did as I'd read you should recondition leather after dying and that you should resist before applying antique so the belt doesn't take on too much of the antique colour - but you didn't resist and yours looks fine. So am I correct in saying to get the dark impressions as you have that I should try the following: dye belt, 2 coats resolene, omit resist, antique using flat damp cloth to wipe off excess on high areas, resolene, then some sort of conditioner - like aussie or kiwi polish?

And if I wanted the impressions to be 'light' then I should apply 2 coats of resist after dying to stop the antique penetrating?

Cheers.

[mlapaglia]

Thanks for reply, wow your belt is fantastic!!

I've attached pic so you can see the darker bits (I assume this is where the I missed the resist and the antique took) and the lighter stamped areas.

So you used resolene where I used Aussie conditioner & Satin Shene - is resolene just a sealer/gloss or does it recondition as well? Or is that what you used the Kiwi polish for at the end?

I used the process I did as I'd read you should recondition leather after dying and that you should resist before applying antique so the belt doesn't take on too much of the antique colour - but you didn't resist and yours looks fine. So am I correct in saying to get the dark impressions as you have that I should try the following: dye belt, 2 coats resolene, omit resist, antique using flat damp cloth to wipe off excess on high areas, resolene, then some sort of conditioner - like aussie or kiwi polish?

And if I wanted the impressions to be 'light' then I should apply 2 coats of resist after dying to stop the antique penetrating?

Cheers.

Lets start with my error. I left out one step on the list.

I did the belt below by stamping it, It's Herman Oak leather.

Then died it with the new tan stain from Tandy.

1 Coat of Neetsfoot oil, let set over night.

Then 2 coats of 50/50 resolene let dry over night.

Used the Tandy Eco-fo Antique dk brown. Applied it on the thick side and took a damp flat cloth and wiped it off. Changed the cloth often and only used it flat never bunched. This way it wiped the antique off the high points of the design and the plain border.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

stitched it.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

then rubbed in Kiwi neutral polish with my fingers and buffed it with sheep wool.

The neetsfoot oil is to recondition the leather. Do it before you resist. Resolene is an acrylic finish. It works really well as a resist. I dilute it 50/50 with water then apply it with a 1" foam brush. Let dry an hour and do the second coat than let dry over night. Then do the antique. FYI, on the antique, I ammpy it a little on the thick side. I dont rub it in just aly it on thick so it getts down in to all the stamped and cut areas. Then when I remove it there is a lot in the deep places.

Your problems with the belt are a result of a few issues.

1: your leather looks like it was too wet when you stamped it. You have no real definition in the stamp marks. This causes the antique to get wiped out. You need deeper stamps. Leather that is too wet will not keep the stamp marks well. Re-wetting the leather will cause it to swell and make the stamp marks shallow. When you case the leather wet it and then let it dry until it is almost the color of when it is dry. the surface might be a little dry but the core of the leather has the right moisture content.

2: You are using some of the worse stamps Tandy makes. Both of the large flowers are nasty. I have both of them and its very hard to get a good clear impression. You will notice that the only place you for some of the resist to stick was the one small flower that had some deep impressions. The leaf stamp is also pretty light. Along with the cacsed leather make sure you give it a good smack with the mallet.

Try some other stamps. Something you have that makes a good impression. It does not need to look like a great design you are making a test piece.

Stamp a few designs on some well cased leather. If you want make 2-3 impressions off all the stamps you have. Then follow the steps I listed in this email. If you do not have any neetsfoot oil use olive oil. It works well.

Make sure you let the oil sit over night. Using resolene as a resist let that dry over night after the second coat. Then antique and let that dry. Then apply one coat of the resolene. I have also used leather balm & atom wax as the coat after the antique. Buff after its dry. The kiwi polish is to give the leather a final, additional finish. It takes the gloss from the resolene down a notch or two.

Once you case it correctly and get a good stamp to use you will see that the rest will all come together just fine. Let me know if you have and additional questions. I am happy to help.

If you really want the impressions to be light you are going to have to wipe the antique off very gently. Make sure to leave it in the impressions. I might try wrapping a cloth around a sanding block or something else flat to make sure the cloth doenst get in to the impressions.

It just takes practice. Keep working on practice pieces until you get it right. Learn it first on good deep impressions then work on getting it on light impressions.

Edited July 9, 2012 by mlapaglia

[maccarta]

You are a most helpful human being I really aprreciate it :-)

That makes much more sense to me now knowing you reconditioned with Neatsfoot and that resolene is used as a resist - I was terribly confused, ahh novices haha.

So had the order pretty much right but gotta work on the rest. Cool I'll get the casing right and practice the process with some of my good stamps - that made me laugh yes the large flower stamps are shockin I have 2 of the largest one and they're both the same - I was trying to find the exact stamps in the pic I've attached as i'm trying to do a similar pattern and they leave a clear impression but the craftool ones were the closest I could find. Maybe once I case the leather correctly they will be more defined.

Sorry, when I said 'if I wanted the impressions to be light' i meant light in colour not light in penetration - I've seen some belts where the impressions are much lighter than the rest of the belt instead of dark - sort of like some of mine turned out but much better. But I won't worry about that at this stage I'll just get the process right to get the impressions dark.

Thanks again, i'll let you know how I go!!

Lets start with my error. I left out one step on the list.

I did the belt below by stamping it, It's Herman Oak leather.

Then died it with the new tan stain from Tandy.

1 Coat of Neetsfoot oil, let set over night.

Then 2 coats of 50/50 resolene let dry over night.

Used the Tandy Eco-fo Antique dk brown. Applied it on the thick side and took a damp flat cloth and wiped it off. Changed the cloth often and only used it flat never bunched. This way it wiped the antique off the high points of the design and the plain border.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

stitched it.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

then rubbed in Kiwi neutral polish with my fingers and buffed it with sheep wool.

The neetsfoot oil is to recondition the leather. Do it before you resist. Resolene is an acrylic finish. It works really well as a resist. I dilute it 50/50 with water then apply it with a 1" foam brush. Let dry an hour and do the second coat than let dry over night. Then do the antique. FYI, on the antique, I ammpy it a little on the thick side. I dont rub it in just aly it on thick so it getts down in to all the stamped and cut areas. Then when I remove it there is a lot in the deep places.

Your problems with the belt are a result of a few issues.

1: your leather looks like it was too wet when you stamped it. You have no real definition in the stamp marks. This causes the antique to get wiped out. You need deeper stamps. Leather that is too wet will not keep the stamp marks well. Re-wetting the leather will cause it to swell and make the stamp marks shallow. When you case the leather wet it and then let it dry until it is almost the color of when it is dry. the surface might be a little dry but the core of the leather has the right moisture content.

2: You are using some of the worse stamps Tandy makes. Both of the large flowers are nasty. I have both of them and its very hard to get a good clear impression. You will notice that the only place you for some of the resist to stick was the one small flower that had some deep impressions. The leaf stamp is also pretty light. Along with the cacsed leather make sure you give it a good smack with the mallet.

Try some other stamps. Something you have that makes a good impression. It does not need to look like a great design you are making a test piece.

Stamp a few designs on some well cased leather. If you want make 2-3 impressions off all the stamps you have. Then follow the steps I listed in this email. If you do not have any neetsfoot oil use olive oil. It works well.

Make sure you let the oil sit over night. Using resolene as a resist let that dry over night after the second coat. Then antique and let that dry. Then apply one coat of the resolene. I have also used leather balm & atom wax as the coat after the antique. Buff after its dry. The kiwi polish is to give the leather a final, additional finish. It takes the gloss from the resolene down a notch or two.

Once you case it correctly and get a good stamp to use you will see that the rest will all come together just fine. Let me know if you have and additional questions. I am happy to help.

If you really want the impressions to be light you are going to have to wipe the antique off very gently. Make sure to leave it in the impressions. I might try wrapping a cloth around a sanding block or something else flat to make sure the cloth doenst get in to the impressions.

It just takes practice. Keep working on practice pieces until you get it right. Learn it first on good deep impressions then work on getting it on light impressions.

[mlapaglia]

I'm glad I was able to help. Light impressions is a process called block dying To make the impressions lighter than the rest of the belt you wrap the cloth around a flat block,

But dye on the cloth and blot off the excess. Then carefully wipe the dye on the leather making sure to not press hard enough to get dye in the impressions. A reverse antiquing. Again it takes practice.

I look forward to seeing your progress.

Edited July 9, 2012 by mlapaglia

[bmiller]

I am sneaking in on your conversation here I have resolene, however I am wondering if 50/50 resolene is different. thanks so much

A picture of the belt you had problems with would help.

I did the belt below by stamping it, It's Herman Oak leather.

Then died it with the new tan stain from Tandy.

Then 2 coats of 50/50 resolene let dry over night.

Used the Tandy Eco-fo Antique dk brown. Rubbed it on and took a damp flat cloth and wiped it off. Changed the cloth often and only used it flat never bunched. This way it wiped the antique off the high points of the design and the plain border.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

stitched it.

1 coat 50/50 resolene

then rubbed in Kiwi neutral polish with my fingers and buffed it with sheep wool.

FYI you can remove the antique if it smears on the unstamped places with an alcohol wipe. takes it right off but you need to put more resolene on the area.

It worked well for what I wanted. Like I said we really need to see your belt to tell what happened. You can see more about this belt here

[Phatdaddy]

I am sneaking in on your conversation here I have resolene, however I am wondering if 50/50 resolene is different. thanks so much

It's just resolene diluted with water. 50:50

Kevin