DavidL Report post Posted April 2, 2014 This question is for leather finishing. Which finish has- best protection less distortion/ no darkening of leather Shine finish matte finish Distinct smell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted April 2, 2014 Your answer is similar to "Which is the best football team?" My answers would be Resolene and Pittsburgh Steelers, . . . but there are those who disagree. The steelers will break your heart sometimes, . . . and Resolene will darken your project a tad, . . . but both are still great, . . . and Resolene offers protection against UV which is important to me. May God bless, Dwight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Blea Report post Posted April 2, 2014 Neatsfoot oil is a conditioner, not really a finish, and it will darken leather. Resolene is the choice of many here especially when weather resistance is a big factor. Leather balm will give you a glossy finish but I've got it on my checkbook that I made five or so years ago and it has held up well. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chavez Report post Posted April 2, 2014 (edited) Neatsfoot is a conditioner. Apply it after you carve/dye leather. Can be replaced with EVOO. Resolene is an acryllic finish. Gives better weatherproofing but leaves a less natural looking finish. Can be replaced by leather sheen. Atom wax, aussie, sno seal, beeswax/oil blend, carnauba, dri-boot are all wax-based finishes. They give a more natural feel & look but less splash protection and they have to be re-applied on a regular basis. Acrylic finishes do not give an aged look like wax-based finishes. Living in Scotland, I am pretty much forced to use resolene to protect leather from the rain. Also, I never use wax-based finishes on carved pieces. Long way to find the best finish is to buy & try them all. Quick way is to learn how to use resolene =) Gloss/matt look can be controlled by the top coat: carnauba or kiwi shoe polish will give you a wide range of matt to gloss depending on how well you buff them. Edited April 2, 2014 by Chavez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidL Report post Posted April 2, 2014 so much info to take in . Seems like resolene is a popular finish, I'll will give it a shot. I have atom wax and the finish is shiny. Neatsfoot is a conditioner. Apply it after you carve/dye leather. Can be replaced with EVOO. Resolene is an acryllic finish. Gives better weatherproofing but leaves a less natural looking finish. Can be replaced by leather sheen. Atom wax, aussie, sno seal, beeswax/oil blend, carnauba, dri-boot are all wax-based finishes. They give a more natural feel & look but less splash protection and they have to be re-applied on a regular basis. Acrylic finishes do not give an aged look like wax-based finishes. Living in Scotland, I am pretty much forced to use resolene to protect leather from the rain. Also, I never use wax-based finishes on carved pieces. Long way to find the best finish is to buy & try them all. Quick way is to learn how to use resolene =) Gloss/matt look can be controlled by the top coat: carnauba or kiwi shoe polish will give you a wide range of matt to gloss depending on how well you buff them. So I can use saddle soap to clean the leather, apply my dye, add the resolene/atom wax, then the kiwi polish? or will the mixture of this cause a bad reaction? Its a lot of questions, but I'm about to make a purchase and would like to get the proper stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chavez Report post Posted April 2, 2014 I dye without cleaning anything first. 1) Dye (I cut fiebing's pro with isopropyl alcohol at least 50/50). Let dry for a day or two. 2) Oil. (Evoo in my case as there's always some in the kitchen). Leave for a couple days for the oil to absorb. 3) Finish. Usually, a few coats of 50/50 mix of resolene & water. If I want a natural finish, I'd use an extra coat of mink oil and then a heavy coat of carnauba/aussies. 4) Top coat. Carnauba creme for resolene. Kiwi neutral shoe polish for "natural" finishes. For a starter, I'd say use 50/50 mix of resolene applied by dampening a sponge and rubbing it in circular motion - do 3-4 coats. If you overapply resolene you end up with a horrible plastic look & feel =( PS On unfinished leather I found atom wax and carnauba often bring out a lot of dye particles to the top of the grain, leading to crazy crocking. Carnauba is fine when it goes on resolene though. PPS If you ask 10 leatherworkers about their conditioning/finishing process, you'll get 12 different answers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cgleathercraft Report post Posted April 3, 2014 PPS If you ask 10 leatherworkers about their conditioning/finishing process, you'll get 12 different answers. ^^^ The most accurate statement regarding finishes and techniques I've ever read. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
