Noob Needs Help With Resist - Tandy, Eco Flo Super Shene, Block Etc

[fscii]

I got roped into leatherworking a few weeks ago by stumbling into Tandy's videos by George Hurst on Youtube and said "This is for me!" I'm so glad I did! I ran out and bought their ultimate set and a pile of other stuff and books (ok maybe too much? lol but I figure I'll learn as I go along).

Anyway, I made a few coasters from the kit following the instructions and then got ready to do the dyes. I chose to do what he did - use super shene as a resist on the center flower and the border. The only problem is it did NOT come out like his. The resist did do SOMETHING... but not nearly what it did in his video I'm still satisfied the piece looks good for a first time noob but I want to get it like his and I followed the directions to the letter (or so I thought).

I applied a generous coat of super shene with a brush. I let it dry over 30 min. I applied another coat. I let it sit overnight to be absolutely certain it was ready to resist. Using a dauber (like George Hurst did), I generously applied the same dye he did (Hi-Lite in Briar Brown). I then used what he did, a folded up paper towel to wipe off the excess. See the results in the photos. His has TONS of contrast and mine looks like the resist hardly did anything. I then tried the same thing with Eco Flo block and got the same results I did with super shene.

I am disappointed and don't know of anything I did wrong unless his results are a camera trick or some kind of Voodoo I don't know about yet and was left out of the video?!

Please show pity and help the noob!

PS: In his youtube video on making leather cuffs - he uses same two chemicals and his brown is WAY darker than mine and his resisted area is WAY lighter. UGH HELP!

[Cyberthrasher]

I don't know. I HATE supersheen. Couple of things here to clear up first while you're new (gotta do it now to save you trouble later). Hi-Lite is NOT dye!! It's more accurately described as a liquid antique. It's only really meant to accent the tooling, but will also change the overall color of the leather. I point this out because if you attempt to "resist" dye, your results will be TONS worse then this.

My suggestions here: Without telling you to use different products..... Let your first coat dry longer. Applying the second coat so soon may have reactivated the first. I'd give it a couple of hours between coats. Second, use more coats. 3 or 4 at a minimum. It's been a LONG time since I've watched those videos, but it's quite possible that he was being pretty heavy with the coats as well.

[TomG]

That stuff is actually a water-based stain. Like Cyber said.. NOT a dye..

Looking at Tandy's video on using resist, George only applies 1 coat and says to let it dry overnight. But again, Cyber is right. If you put a very heavy coat on, 30 minutes is not enough time to set.

If you look through these forums, you are going to find dozens of different techniques, tricks, tips and suggestions.

You will find that most, it seems, do not like Super Sheen (or Satin Sheen) and prefer Resolene diluted 50/50 with water. A less expensive equivalent is Mop N Glow floor wax cut 50/50 as well. Lots of folks swear by it for a resist as well as a top coat.

But your coasters don't look bad- especially for a first attempt

[TomG]

Here's a couple of different shots of a bracelet I'm making for someone.

This was resisted with full strength Resolene, dried overnight, dyed with Fiebings oil dye cut about 50% with denatured alcohol. Then Leather Balm with Atom wax applied, dried and buffed. Then a heavy coat of black antiquing gel rubbed in and then wiped off immediately.

Like I said before... Only one way of many.

[immiketoo]

I had issued with super sheen until I learned how to use it properly. The single biggest issues are as follows: Drying time. Let it set overnight. If you lack patience as I do, wyosheen or other lacquers are your friend. Resist the edges of your tooling. If your flower has a raised edge, resist the sides of it, not just the face, otherwise, your dye/antique will discolor the edges of your resisted area. Lastly, I have to disagree with Cyber on a little bit. While technically hilite isn't a dye, I use it to color leather all the time. This barstool was resisted with super sheen and colored with eco flo hi liter.

Edited December 19, 2013 by immiketoo

[holmesmarsh]

Like your barstool

Sultan of Chat

[MadMorbius]

WOW

[fscii]

Great looking stool! Your flowers look well resisted. I tried again last night and got the same ol results

I put a HEAVY coat of super shene on. Let set about 2-3 hours. Repeated a heavy coat. Let it sit overnight (about 6-8hrs) and did the same quick heavy coat w/briar brown hi lite and again didn't resist that well.

What is going on here? Are these the steps you are taking? Are you doing more than 1 coat? If so, how many hours apart? Why did your flowers resist so well but mine wont?!

I had issued with super sheen until I learned how to use it properly. The single biggest issues are as follows: Drying time. Let it set overnight. If you lack patience as I do, wyosheen or other lacquers are your friend. Resist the edges of your tooling. If your flower has a raised edge, resist the sides of it, not just the face, otherwise, your dye/antique will discolor the edges of your resisted area. Lastly, I have to disagree with Cyber on a little bit. While technically hilite isn't a dye, I use it to color leather all the time. This barstool was resisted with super sheen and colored with eco flo hi liter.

[Bob Blea]

Hello,

How long are you letting the Hi-lite sit on the super sheene before you wipe it off? I'm having similar problems with Wyosheen not resisting that well, but I think it was because I am not wiping it off quick enough and it is penetrating the resist. I'm not sure about that though, and still need to do some testing on some scraps to be sure.

Bob

[cgleathercraft]

Just my two cent's. I've noticed the same issue when I started leather working a couple years ago. I looked around the bottom side of the bottle and noticed it has a lot of settling material in the bottom. Think like Italian dressing. Need to shake it till everything is all mixed up again. Made a huge difference in using it as a resist. I -always- shake a bottle to mix it good before opening it up.

Note: Some products recommend to stir instead of shaking. It's to keep from air bubbles forming in the liquid.

[fscii]

Only as long as it takes to cover everything on a coaster. 15-20 seconds maybe 30 tops?

Hello,

How long are you letting the Hi-lite sit on the super sheene before you wipe it off? I'm having similar problems with Wyosheen not resisting that well, but I think it was because I am not wiping it off quick enough and it is penetrating the resist. I'm not sure about that though, and still need to do some testing on some scraps to be sure.

Bob

I thought of that after my 1st piece and have shaken it well ever since.

Just my two cent's. I've noticed the same issue when I started leather working a couple years ago. I looked around the bottom side of the bottle and noticed it has a lot of settling material in the bottom. Think like Italian dressing. Need to shake it till everything is all mixed up again. Made a huge difference in using it as a resist. I -always- shake a bottle to mix it good before opening it up.

Note: Some products recommend to stir instead of shaking. It's to keep from air bubbles forming in the liquid.

[Bob Blea]

How cold is it where you are working? I don't know about Super sheene but some products don't dry/set well when the temperatures are cool, say 65 or below.

[fscii]

70 degrees when I apply super shene and allow it to dry between coats (hour to 3 hours between). But I turn the heat down to about 64 when I go to bed.

How cold is it where you are working? I don't know about Super sheene but some products don't dry/set well when the temperatures are cool, say 65 or below.

Edited December 19, 2013 by fscii

[immiketoo]

I put on three heavy coats, about an hour apart, then let it sit for at least 24 hours to ensure it has fully cured. Then, during application, I and like a mad, frantic badger wiping that stuff off ASAP! A Miyagi-esque wipe on, wipe off. I don't let it sit.

[fscii]

I will swivel knife a few scrap pieces and give that a shot. Thank you for your help - and GREAT bar stool man!

I put on three heavy coats, about an hour apart, then let it sit for at least 24 hours to ensure it has fully cured. Then, during application, I and like a mad, frantic badger wiping that stuff off ASAP! A Miyagi-esque wipe on, wipe off. I don't let it sit.

[immiketoo]

Thank you! Post up pics of your results

[fscii]

Now that the holidays are settling down I finally got around to it. Worked like a charm!

3 coats, 1 hr apart, 24hrs drying time and I used eco antique gel and wiped it off in a hurry!

Thanks for all of the help! Curiously another didn't come out as light but I did a different process. I had to keep it moist longer in a plastic bag in fridge and when I finished and it dried, it dried a lot darker than this piece. Then I tried what I read from Eco Flo or Fiebings booklet (forget which one) about neatsfoot oiling. So I did that and it got even darker. Then the 3 coats and a very dark antique and of course my lighter part is substantially darker than this one.

Does keeping a piece wet for tooling a lot longer, typically add to it darkening like mine did? Neatsfoot as well?

[Bob Blea]

It's normal for Neatsfoot oil to darken leather. Some people here use Olive Oil to condition their leather because it apparently doesn't darken the leather or doesn't darken in very much, but I've never tried it. However, I've never noticed my leather getting darker just because I've cased it for a long time. Some leather just gets darker than other pieces, and also sunlight can naturally darken leather, so exposure to bright lights can make leather noticably darker too. But every piece of leather takes to dyeing and antiquing a little differently, so you never quite get the same effect from time to time.

I like how your leaf turned out.

Bob

[fscii]

Ahhh ok I wasn't aware that both prolonged casing (e.g. plastic bag in the fridge) and neatsfoot would both darken the leather. I think I will definitely try olive oil next. I should ask, is there a preference as to type? (Extra virgin is very dark green so I should avoid this I assume?) Thanks for the kind words about the leaf. I got a LOT of stray marks on the brown and was trying to be careful not to. Think I need to wear mittens or something lol Not sure how that keeps happening to me.