Couple Questions...

[WinterBear]

From my monkeying around with both Sheen and Resolene I can offer my observations.

Super Sheen/Satin Sheen are water-based acrylic-type finishes--they can dissolve or erode when subjected to antiquing and wiping and rubbing, allowing the antique to be absorbed into the underlying leather and making a mucky mess. The advantage to Sheen is that it is flexible and is less likely to craze. It is easily applied, and good as a top coat on things you don't expect to be subjected to a lot of weather. It is more of a water repellant finish than a water resistant finish.

Resolene is harder to apply evenly, but less prone to erosion during antiquing. It can crack or craze where the leather flexes if applied too thickly, so 2-3 very thin coats is better than 1 thin coat and much better than 1 thick coat. It is not waterproof by any means, but it does make a finish that repels moisture better than Sheen.

A lot of people here will supply yet another top coat over the finish with the atom wax as it adds another layer or water protection and mellows the gloss. Others will add an additional top coat with sno-seal instead of atom wax. I have not tried either of these as most of what I've done so far isn't going to be subject to much abuse.

[TomG]

I appreciate your help, unfortunatly I'm no where near the same level as you so I'm only catching and understanding bits and pieces... You use resolene almost like sheen? to keep dyes from coloring a certain spot on your leather? do you use it as a overall protective base when your done as well? Or is that the balm and atom wax your talking about? Sorry for the silly questions... I've been watching a lot of videos, especially from satansbarber , he is helping a lot and I think I am going to try some Fiebings oil dys next time... Next I guess I just need to find a qood quality sheen. But whats confusing me is... I thought sheen was for a overall buff/waxing.... idk, like a ptrotective finish or coat (hope that makes sense?) AND you use it on parts of the laeather you cases and dont want the dyes to stain... Kind of like a negative effect. but more and more I research, the people who do VERY well at this, use two completly diff. products... any help is appreciated. I'm making a nook case for my g/f next and really want it perfect, but she knows and I know I'm still learning to the point where mistakes are unfortuantly a must... lol, But I'd still like to try my best.

Also side note... I saw in one of his videos using like a plastic blade, almost in the shape of a knife when wet forming a case, It worked awesome for really making everying fit nice... What are they called if this tool has a name and where can I purchase one...

winterbear hit it pretty well.

I use Supersheen if it's gotta flex a lot. Resolene if it's flat... OR, I dilute the Res a little more and apply VERY thin coats and then constantly flex the item as it dries, then let it dry for 30 minutes before adding the second coat. remember.. you are not trying to put a plexiglas type surface on it..... just protecting the finish.

I use 50/50 or full strength Resolene for blocking, which is what you are describing as a negative effect.

I use the leather balm right on top of the dye after it's dried. Then I apply the antiquing after the balm dries. Then after the antiquing dries, I apply the sheen or res...

The Sheens tend to smear with the antiquing paste and allow the paste to affect the dye... at least with the Fiebings that I use... the leather balm doesn't...

The plastic blade is probably a plastic bone folder. See picture I'm attaching. they are pretty cheap.

I've seen some of those satanbarber vids. Not bad, but he's kind of "chatty". Tandy has over 80 free videos on their site that will give you some step-by-step directions on stuff. Check them out. the only issue I have is some of them are choppy on my PC... but that's probably on my end.

I get chatty to, though....

In a nutshell:

1) Block

2) Dye

3) Balm

4) Antique

5) Finish

Later

[edgeleatherworks]

winterbear hit it pretty well.

I use Supersheen if it's gotta flex a lot. Resolene if it's flat... OR, I dilute the Res a little more and apply VERY thin coats and then constantly flex the item as it dries, then let it dry for 30 minutes before adding the second coat. remember.. you are not trying to put a plexiglas type surface on it..... just protecting the finish.

I use 50/50 or full strength Resolene for blocking, which is what you are describing as a negative effect.

I use the leather balm right on top of the dye after it's dried. Then I apply the antiquing after the balm dries. Then after the antiquing dries, I apply the sheen or res...

The Sheens tend to smear with the antiquing paste and allow the paste to affect the dye... at least with the Fiebings that I use... the leather balm doesn't...

The plastic blade is probably a plastic bone folder. See picture I'm attaching. they are pretty cheap.

I've seen some of those satanbarber vids. Not bad, but he's kind of "chatty". Tandy has over 80 free videos on their site that will give you some step-by-step directions on stuff. Check them out. the only issue I have is some of them are choppy on my PC... but that's probably on my end.

I get chatty to, though....

In a nutshell:

1) Block

2) Dye

3) Balm

4) Antique

5) Finish

Later

Idk why, and I feel bad. But you putting it in your words how you did cleared it up for me for whatever reason... Lol, thanks to everyone still though!!! Yes I found the bone folder after I posted that response, I did have a question about the resolene? Doesn't it have a strong bad smell to it? If so is there a subsitute?

also whats your preferred dyes to use and what leather blam? Like specifically the bottle if you don't mind...

[TomG]

Idk why, and I feel bad. But you putting it in your words how you did cleared it up for me for whatever reason... Lol, thanks to everyone still though!!! Yes I found the bone folder after I posted that response, I did have a question about the resolene? Doesn't it have a strong bad smell to it? If so is there a subsitute?

also whats your preferred dyes to use and what leather blam? Like specifically the bottle if you don't mind...

Smells like ammonia... Be sure to cut it 50/50 with water.

No sub that I know of other that the standard toppings Look in the Dyes section of the forums and you'll see hundreds if not thousands of posts on various methods and type of finishes.

You can get the leather balm at Tandy in Neutral which works for all colors. Other sites may still carry it in brown. black and a few other colors, but I herd Fiebings was going to discontinue most if not all of the colors ones... I could be wrong on that though.

I prefer Fiebings dyes.

Tom

[edgeleatherworks]

Smells like ammonia... Be sure to cut it 50/50 with water.

No sub that I know of other that the standard toppings Look in the Dyes section of the forums and you'll see hundreds if not thousands of posts on various methods and type of finishes.

You can get the leather balm at Tandy in Neutral which works for all colors. Other sites may still carry it in brown. black and a few other colors, but I herd Fiebings was going to discontinue most if not all of the colors ones... I could be wrong on that though.

I prefer Fiebings dyes.

Tom

Tom, I can't thank you enough. Its at least cleared up my choices on trying the next set of dyes and finishing products. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.... Maybe a little better then the eco dyes I was using. Thanks to everyone again/