High Contrast Antiqueing. What's The Best Way?

[Pennypower]

So I've been reading all I can find on here regarding this topic, and it seems that it's absolutely necessary to use resolene or supersheen as a resist first before antiqueing. My question is, how do you keep the resolene out of the grooves so the antique paste will show up there? Or is this even an issue?

Also, I'm not antiqueing tooled leather necessarily, just cuts in light colored leather that I want to turn out really dark, so I need a quick process. Can I just finish the leather like I normally would, then antique it, then finish it again?

Thanks everyone!

[Pennypower]

I'm trying to post a pic for you, but I don't see any link for an attachment :-( ????

[Northmount]

I'm trying to post a pic for you, but I don't see any link for an attachment :-( ????

If you are on a tablet or phone, just copy and past.

On a PC, use "more reply options" button.

Tom

[electrathon]

Can I just finish the leather like I normally would, then antique it, then finish it again?

Yes. It does need to be sealed well, like with neet-laq or RTC.

Aaron

[Pennypower]

:-)

[electrathon]

Exactly what are we seeing? Describe the kind of product and the steps you took.

[Pennypower]

This is the kind of effect I'm looking for. It's a dog collar I think but I didn't make it. I like how light it is in the middle, but I've never been able to maintain that much brightness throughout when I antique. The lines are really dark so I'm thinking a black or really dark brown antique paste was used?

[electrathon]

Ha! I thought you whipped that out real quick.

[Tina]

The option is to use Fiebings Hi-Liter...It just put black in the groves/tooled areas without staining the rest of the leather. You will still need a resist :-)

[Pennypower]

So the resist doesn't prevent the Hi Lite/antique from grabbing in the grooves?

[JLSleather]

So the resist doesn't prevent the Hi Lite/antique from grabbing in the grooves?

No, it doesn't. This is one of the main reasons I dont use it. If you look around, you'll see lots of projects with that stuff sitting in spots, loooks a bit like what's left behind when the river goes down in the spring. Sad, cuz I've seen some very nice tooling pretty much ruined with it.

INSTEAD, I just color where I want color. And I don't put color where I don't want any. This allows me about as much contrast as I want, limited only by the shade of the leather. And I don't buy any 'resist", so there's that benefit. Oh, and I don't buy antique, so there's that benefit (though I do on occasion use antique DYE - not antique FINISH).

Some sweatpea will be here in a minute to tell you it can't be done, so I'll just post one picture of a chunk of leather done with NO antique. Fiebing's leather dye (chocolate), then a light app of neatsfoot, followed 24 hours later with Fiebing's Tan-Kote. Idea is just to show that doing it this way, I can basically have it as light or as dark as I'd like.

This will take a bit longer than dumping some liquid mud on there, but only until you get used to doing it.

[Pennypower]

That's awesome! The problem is, I just want to darken very thin lines. I don't think I can dye inside those lines/grooves without atiqueing. It's just too thin.

Wait so I'm confused. (Sorry for being so slow LOL). You're saying the resist does or doesn't PREVENT the antique from grabbing in the grooves? Because if it doesn't that's a great thing. But you said it doesn't and then you said that's why you don't use it. Maybe you meant it doesn't grab well in the grooves once resist has been applied?

[electrathon]

The resist does not stop the antiquing from getting into the groves. The antique "fills" up the cuts and scratches and it stays dark there. The smooth areas are wiped clean and the original leather look is retained. It works well since it only fills the voids. No brush slips or messed up edge lines. If you dye it manually it will look as good as you can paint. If you antique it, then it will look as good as you carve.

[Pennypower]

great!

[electrathon]

With all respect to JL I want to say this next part. I think you do very nice work. But I would make the exact same argument as to why we antique and do not brush dye into the void areas. If you look closely at the bottom right corner of the upright wallet you will see areas where the dye does not follow the lines well. Close inspection shows you go outside the lines and some areas slightly inside the lines. Your decorative cuts are not well accented since there is no color in the lines. Your work would look awesome if you would antique.

My Dad taught me to do background dying like JL does when I started. I did it that way till I went to a Chan Geer class. I was amazed at the difference in what tooling could look like when it "pops' with the areas accented. I never looked back. I have since taught my Dad how to antique. I realize that this comes to personal preference. What I think looks good may be different than what you like. That is why there are so many different ways of doing things.

[iknowshaun]

As a small hijack would anyone mind if I ask electrathon, do you apply anything other than the dye before you use an antique finish? Just asking as I've dyed a belt, used an antique finish and then applied some carnauba wax to polish it and some of the antique finish came off, is this just something I have to learn to deal with? I love the look of antique but sometimes lose some of the contrast in the stamping..

Thanks

Shaun

[JLSleather]

The resist does not stop the antiquing from getting into the groves. The antique "fills" up the cuts and scratches and it stays dark there. ... If you dye it manually it will look as good as you can paint. If you antique it, then it will look as good as you carve.

Actually, the dye is where I wanted it (in the shadow, not in the actual cut). Still, this is actually a better way of saying it for the question she asked.

Edited January 21, 2014 by JLSleather

[electrathon]

As a small hijack would anyone mind if I ask electrathon, do you apply anything other than the dye before you use an antique finish? Just asking as I've dyed a belt, used an antique finish and then applied some carnauba wax to polish it and some of the antique finish came off, is this just something I have to learn to deal with? I love the look of antique but sometimes lose some of the contrast in the stamping..

Thanks

Shaun

The way I do it. I carve, tool, oil, NeatLaq, antique (Fiebings paste), tan coat.

If you do not get a good seal layer on it , or if you do not seal it, the antique will turn the tooling a muddy brown and it will instantly ruin it.

[Pennypower]

Is there a difference between Neat Laq and Clear laq?

[electrathon]

Clear laq is the replacement for neet laq

[Tina]

Here's a duo-picture of some work I've made with just Hi-Liter in the groves, just to give you an idea :-)

[Pennypower]

THank you Tina! That really helps!

[iknowshaun]

Thanks very much Electrathon, apologies for butting in PennyPower.