Ok Question On Resolene From A Newbie!

[Windrider30]

Ok my wife and I are going to be going into be getting into leather making at the end of Oct we already have a "wish list" of the things that we are going to need and buy as we are planning in turning this into a business along with my chainmail business. Now I have read a lot on this form and every where about Resolen my question is does it work well with Tandy's Eco flow? And I know it needs to be cut 50/50, how long does it need to be truly dried time wise before we buff it again? And yes we will be using Tandy's Eco flow as its water based and a bit more friendly to the envoriment, as well as a bit less toxic should our silly boxer get a hold of something!

[cgleathercraft]

Yes it will work with Tandy Eco-Flo, at least it has for me. Let the Resolene dry 24 hours depending on humidity after your final coat before buffing. Overnight is the least amount of time for me.

[Windrider30]

Cool thanks, now the next question of course is: Am I assuming right that Resolene is more for items that might get wet, such as back packs, purses and the like or should everything be hit with it?

[Glendon]

I reserve resoline for outdoor use items. It gives leather a shell of protection, but it's plastic feeling, so I prefer just oil or cream for things that will stay inside.

[Windrider30]

Is there a natural water resistance that you can use, like beeswax mixed with something or would that not last as long as the resoline? Thanks all for the answers by the way its been a huge help!

[byggyns]

There are lots of recipes online for a beeswax , turpentine, mineral spirits mixture for waterproofing. I haven't used that on leather, but it should work- it works on canvas well. I have used a mix of neatsfoot oil & beeswax. I mix it about 2:1 oil to wax by weight. I'll tune it by adding more of either if the consistency doesn't come out the way I want. By adjusting the proportions, you can get it to a thick lotion / cream consistency with more oil, or a harder paste with more wax. I've toyed with the idea of adding shea butter or cocoa butter to smooth out the texture.

It will darken the leather. If you use a heat gun / hair dryer to help it soak in, the leather darkens even more.

I'm not sure about longevity. I haven't been doing it long enough to tell for sure.

The recipe for Fiebings Aussie leather conditioner is Wax, Mineral Spirits and Petroleum Jelly acording to the MSDS. 10-15%, 15-35%, and 55-70% respectively.