Help on Resolene

[shotypua]

Hi all! I just recently got my Resolene from another guy in this group. I was wondering if it has a expiration? Because the date was 2011 but never opened. I cut it 50/50. So my question is... Why did it do this to my dyed leather? I used Fiebings Leather Dye (USMC Black)

[rickybobby]

I would think it was the USMC black (I just don't seem to get along with it, It seems to never dry completely) but, that is me.

I have found that most black dyes have pigment that is left on the surface after solvents have flashed off. It helps to "Buff" the surface before applying any topcoat finish using any color but especially BLACK. Doing do pulls the extra powder pigment off your leather surface.

That may be what we are seeing in your photo, the extra pigments being moved around by the resolene. 

If you buffed it before resolene application, you may look at the age of the product then as the issue.

Hope that helps,

Rick

[silverwingit]

I have an intense dislike for Resolene. Its inherent fake-looking shiny finish can be dealt with by diluting with water as you did. But, that isn't my problem. Resolene once ruined a nice project I had worked long and hard on. It dissolved the Fiebings Antique paste that I had applied and rubbed it all over the piece. It dried so quickly that I couldn't remove the streaking, not unlike your picture. 

My takeaway: In spite of its popularity I'll never use it again.

Michelle

[venator]

Airbrush your dye, buff, airbrush your resoline mix. 

 

Ive been battling for 2 years for consistent dye effects, got an airbrush and boom, no more issues. Especially using the Tandy waterstains. 

[bgl500]

On 11/4/2016 at 9:33 PM, venator said:

Airbrush your dye, buff, airbrush your resoline mix. 

 

Ive been battling for 2 years for consistent dye effects, got an airbrush and boom, no more issues. Especially using the Tandy waterstains. 

The longer I have been dealing with dyes and finishes this has been my conclusion as well. With that being said I have had success applying resolene with a lint free cloth. I first apply a thin coat by wiping once across the piece of leather and then immediately follow with a clean lint free cloth by lightly wiping off the excess with one pass in the same direction as the resolene was applied. When the resolene dries I then buff with a clean cloth and add more coats of resolene in the same fashion until the desired finish is achieved.

[thekid77]

On 10/28/2016 at 0:49 PM, shotypua said:

Hi all! I just recently got my Resolene from another guy in this group. I was wondering if it has a expiration? Because the date was 2011 but never opened. I cut it 50/50. So my question is... Why did it do this to my dyed leather? I used Fiebings Leather Dye (USMC Black)

honestly if you want to solve your problems with resolene on black-dyed leather, ditch the fiebings black and get a bottle of the waterstain black.....this stuff is amazing and once it is dried, you can actually run the leather  under water and scrub it and the black will not pull up or come out...

when you go to finish with the resolene on something dyed with the black waterstain, it will NOT pull up the black....I honestly think the problem is the dye you're using.

with that being said, resolene does tend to pull up most dyes that I have used.....but I'm telling you, the waterstain stuff is THE CURE....

 

this stuff right here: https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/eco-flo-waterstain

 

 

[venator]

4 hours ago, thekid77 said:

honestly if you want to solve your problems with resolene on black-dyed leather, ditch the fiebings black and get a bottle of the waterstain black.....this stuff is amazing and once it is dried, you can actually run the leather  under water and scrub it and the black will not pull up or come out...

when you go to finish with the resolene on something dyed with the black waterstain, it will NOT pull up the black....I honestly think the problem is the dye you're using.

with that being said, resolene does tend to pull up most dyes that I have used.....but I'm telling you, the waterstain stuff is THE CURE....

 

this stuff right here: https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/eco-flo-waterstain

 

 

You say that, but I've had some epic fails with streaking using the waterstains.  Again, until I started airbrushing everything.  

[HBAR]

On 11/4/2016 at 8:33 PM, venator said:

Airbrush your dye, buff, airbrush your resoline mix. 

 

Ive been battling for 2 years for consistent dye effects, got an airbrush and boom, no more issues. Especially using the Tandy waterstains. 

How much do you cut the resolene to air brush it?  What pressure?  any other tricks/tips I would love to hear.

[venator]

I usually cut it 50/50 with water, and I use a siphon feed single action to apply the resoline since I"m not trying to do any effects, just get an even coat.  I'm actually not sure what pressure I'm set at right now, I should check.  It's not a huge concern with resoline as you'll stay well off the work and let it mist on, just make sure you wear a respirator, resoline is not so easy on the lungs.

[shotypua]

thank you all for the wonderful advice!

[thekid77]

On 11/21/2016 at 7:10 AM, venator said:

You say that, but I've had some epic fails with streaking using the waterstains.  Again, until I started airbrushing everything.  

Yes, I do say that, and what I said is the truth about my experience with the waterstains. lol.

If you're having problems with streaking, the streaks had to have happened during the time you applied the dye because after the waterstain is dry, it is not coming off......either that, or the streaks are coming from your application of the resolene finish....not the waterstain

Edited November 24, 2016 by thekid77
to add info

[chiefjason]

I prefer the pro oil black.  FWIW, if you put the resolene on too heavy and let it set it can do that.  I use mop & glo, but put it on kind of light and wipe the extra off.  I had some splotchy finishes with the USMC Black and resolene.  None with pro oil black.  

[OLDNSLOW]

You really need to buff the shite out of the black dye or you will get smudges and rub off if you don't.  You need to have a good buffing brush or do it by hand till you get no more rub off.  Then you can use the clear coat with no problem. just to throw this out there I bought a good horse hair brush that will work with my drill press but it wasn't cheap it was like 90.00 with shipping, but cant figure why I didn't get one sooner, I just finished a belt that is black and it make all the difference in the world.  If you look up a utube video for Prince leather you watch him using a brush during a black holster build.  It also shows him using a spray at the end it is called leather sheen put out by Fiebings, I started to use it after clear coating it and does a great job like the difference between night and day.