Problems With Rtc

[Old Chief]

I am building a picture frame using 4 straps laced together at the 45 degree corners. I tooled in an arrowhead design using a basketweave tool. I wanted to use an antique finish so I started with two practice straps before moving to the actual project. After tooling I conditioned the practice strips with Fiebing’s Neatsfoot Oil Compound which immediately darkened the leather. After an overnight dry I followed the directions on the Bee Natural RTC bottle for antiquing. I applied another coat of Neatsfoot oil, I didn’t have any Leathercare #1 Saddle Oil, let it set for 3 hours followed by a coat of RTC as a resist on ½ of each practice strap, let it dry for one hour and applied Fiebing’s Antique Finish; Medium Brown on one strap and Mahogany on the other. The finish immediately combined with the RTC and uniformly stained the leather. There was no resisting on the raised areas and no amount of buffing could bring the stain off. I could not tell where I had applied the RTC compared to the area with no treatment. This was not the look I wanted so after reading some of the other posts I modified the sequence on the actual straps used for the project.

I wanted to keep the leather as natural as possible before antiquing so after tooling I treated the 4 straps with Bickmore Bick 4 as it is the only conditioner I have found that will not darken the leather. The problem with Bick 4 is that it goes on like lotion and builds up a residue in the deeply tooled areas. After drying I had to take a brush to remove the residue. The second coat of Bick 4 soaked in much better and left very little residue. As I had read on other posts, I applied the RTC and allowed it to dry overnight. RTC is very watery and soaks into the deep cuts as well as the raised areas. I applied a second coat of RTC and allowed it to dry for 2 days. I applied the Antique Finish which seemed to work as it should until removing the finish from the raised areas. As I wiped the finish off, the RTC also came off in some of the raised areas. It peeled off the leather in thin sheets just like sunburned skin. I got the antique look but it looks old and weathered with still too much staining on the raised areas. It looks more like a bad job of staining than a good job of antiquing. Has anyone else had similar problems with RTC?

[Tina]

The antiquing needs a few (2) layers of a resist before using it. Resist as an acryllic finisher such as: Angelus acryllic finisher/satin or super shene/resoline to mension a few. Then have the patience to let it sit for 24 hours before using the antique. The antiquing will need some protection/top coat after drying.

[Cyberthrasher]

Tina, have you experimented with RTC at all? They claim that it only needs 1 coat, though I've been reading recently about people using 2 anyway. From what he's describing, it sounds like NOTHING is adhering to his leather.

I'm a little confused, was the Bick 4 put on before or after the finish? If it were before, I'm willing to bet that that's the issue.

[Old Chief]

Cyberthrasher: I used the Bick 4 prior to the RTC finish. I let it dry overnight. I anticipated this problem because thats sort of what happened on my practice straps when I used the neatsfoot oil. In that case, I followed the directions on the RTC bottle and applied the RTC only after 3 hours of the oil drying. It was obviously still wet. That's why, this time, I let the RTC dry overnight twice before antiquing. I think you might be right about the Bick 4. I have some of the Bee Natural Leahtercare #1 Saddle Oil on order and might try their process again. Or, I might just look for a better way to antique. By the way, I have been using a 32 oz BearMaul and love it. I am going to order a lighter one for my border work. Thanks for your input.

[Cyberthrasher]

I've heard so many good things about RTC, so I've been wanting to try it out. Talking to a lot of people in another group, I don't recall any of them saying that they use anything else underneath it. So, you may try putting the RTC directly on the leather. If you need to oil at that point, you can always oil from the flesh side, at least until you get the main issue sorted out. That will show you how it works with nothing but dye on the leather.

I was saving up for my BearMaul, then decided to treat myself with it out of my tax returns (as well as a LeatherWrangler's round knife). I got the 18 oz since it should suit most of my work. I hardly ever do any heavy hitting work.

[Tina]

Tina, have you experimented with RTC at all? They claim that it only needs 1 coat, though I've been reading recently about people using 2 anyway.

I don't care what the labels say, IF I want to be sure that I have covered every little bit then 2 layers is the way to go (could be thinned?). The risk of missing some spots so the product manage to penetrate is too great to destroy any work in my book :-)

[mikesmith648]

OK, Here is my 2 cents. RTC is an acrylic finish. Feibings is a non acrylic finish................ using one with the other will not work. I have a sheet I picked up from Tandy the other week that has a compatability list. I will try to get it out and post it in the next few days. My personal suggestion would be to use RTC and (shudder) Eco-Flo antique for better results. Another suggestion is that if it doesn't work on scrap......it won't work on the real piece. JMHO

Mike

[cjdevito]

Tina, have you experimented with RTC at all? They claim that it only needs 1 coat, though I've been reading recently about people using 2 anyway. From what he's describing, it sounds like NOTHING is adhering to his leather.

My own experience with it is that one coat will work, 2 is better, and 3 is overkill.

I believe MikeSmith identified the issue, though - the fiebing's antique is not acrylic and the RTC won't block much of it. It does work very well with tandy's acrylic gel antiques, though.

[electrathon]

My experience with RTC is that it adhears better to the leather than it does to itself. With two coats the top coat tends to flake off.

When using RTC it is best to use one medum coat. If you try to put it on thin you will not be happy with the results. WORK FAST. Very fast. It flashes off in a very short time and once it has flashed you are done. When I have watched others use it in classes 100% of the people did not use a thick enough coat or work fast enough. I tend to splash some directly on the leather and start wiping (sheep wool). Try to smooth it out and get the bubbles to go away, long straight movement, not swirls. If you are done and it is splotchy it is because you did not use a thick enough coat. Did I mention that everyone does not use enough? I have watched people urging them to work faster and they get upset telling me they are (no they are not, they need to move faster). You have about 30 seconds ofr so from the time the finish hits the project till it flashes off.

Once dry, you can then coat it with Fiebings antique, followed by tan coat. Over rubbing will rub through the RTC and you will get bad results.

[treybecca]

I've actually had no problem with the Bicks/RTC/fiebings combo. I actually mix the Bicks in with my dye. Once it sat for a day I hit it up with RTC fairly thick, and then once it was dry I did the Fiebings antique. I have attempted to use the RTC as a sealer but it did pull-up some antique, so I now just go back to my trust Leather Sheen.