Top Finish Help

[stelhrse]

I recently did a belt. I used antique as the dye and treated and edge coated the finished belt. I am being told at my local tandy shop to apply a top finish on both sides of the belt to get oils back into the belt and help protect it. Of course they recommend tandy products. So,my questions are: do I need to do this and if so, what other products could someone recommend besides tandy products. I have seen some talk about rtc but what others can be used? Thanks

[MonicaJacobson]

I have noticed that when I use a fiebings dye, the leather gets very stiff and dried out. I've started using Lexol leather conditioner on the back of my projects after I dye them. I don't really know what other people do.

[jtweatherford]

I just started using WyoSheen (old version of Neat Lac) and I am very pleased with it. I put on Tan Kote first followed by the WyoSheen. It seems to keep the leather softer and it also gives more of a water resistant to the leather.

[tossik]

Olive oil. Then dye, then beeswax with neatsfoot. Buff buff buff.

[lranger]

I, like Monica, have also noticed that the leather becomes really dry, hard, and stiff after I use Fiebing dye. I actually have never liked any veg tanned leather I've used from Tandy, though. It doesn't color up as nicely, or get supple after I oil it with 100% neatsfoot oil. It always comes up looking darker/dirtier than the skirting leather I use for saddles. I do use Tandy's veg tan, because I can buy smaller pieces (shoulders), and I can buy lighter weights because they split it. Maybe that's why it colors up differently. I don't make whole projects from it, I just use small pieces here and there when I need something thinner. I don't know,,, it's just my feeling about it.

I could be doing it all wrong, but I've always tried to put the oils back in vegtan leather by oiling it very well with Neatsfoot oil. I do like to use tankote, too, after I've done everything else I'm going to do to it.

Keith