Creating A High Contrast Tooled Project

[cbeatti2]

Hi

Would someone here be able to fill me in on how to achieve this type of natural finish look for the high areas and the burnished look for the lows on these pieces? I've tried to do this, using a few layers of resist (LCI Clear-Lac) then antique, but haven't been able to maintain the natural, almost un-oiled look of the high parts of the leather as the antique always darkens the resist to some degree. Perhaps the secret is in the leather itself (awesome burnishing properties) and there is no antiquing involved here? It's a look I would like to be able to create for some of my projects but it's been alluding me.

These guys sure go to town on their tooling, and create some nice work :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5udaOaTBkeU

Thanks!

Clark

[JustKate]

Clark, this looks to me like leather that was antiqued after a resist was applied over the entire piece. If that didn't give you the results you wanted, maybe if you could show us a piece you treated, that might give us some idea what to suggest.

Edited May 26, 2013 by JustKate

[Northmount]

As JustKate says, and include all your steps, what was used for antique, etc. drying times, buffing, ...

Tom

[cbeatti2]

Hello again. Thanks for the reply.

I am using Fiebings antique paste, and leave the resist dry for 24 hours between coats and before proceeding to the antique. Lately I have been cutting the paste slightly with Tan-Kote. I have been buffing with trimmed fake sheepwool....trimmed to not reach deep into the tooling impressions.

Here is a sample of two coats Clear-Lac (24 hours drying time between) and then some Fiebings Mahogany Antique paste (left). Middle sample is paste without any resist at all, and right sample is untouched leather. I was working through this previously using multiple samples, trying to get the results I was looking for. The sample is very small, about 2 in x 2 in.

The photos of the projects were using Sheridan Brown Antique paste I believe.

Some samples of what results I have had:

[JustKate]

One possible solution - you can mix the antique paste with some Tan-Kote to make a lighter antique. That will also take some of the "stiffness" out of the paste and make it a little easier to work with.

[cbeatti2]

Yeah, that's what I have started doing lately (helps to get it deeper into the tooling) but it's still not where I want it...maybe I need to increase my Clear-Lac thickness, or apply 3 coats. I don't think I have tried 3 coats before....hmmm. A lighter color of leather would help too I expect.

Thanks!

[Bob Blea]

I find that the longer I leave the antique on the resist, the more it colors it. I've gotten very light tooling sometimes when I remove it quickly, but not always. I haven't been able to get that light tooling / dark background consistently yet. You might want to try a darker antique than what you are using to get the backgrounded areas to look really dark.

Bob