Putting leather finish on porous leather

[akgator1]

Have a question. I make leather straps for championship belts. I use Hermann Oak or Wickett and Craig tooling leathers which usually have porous spots in certain parts of the hide. I use fiebings leather sheen as my top coat usually but have used resolene or even other types of finish.  The finish just soaks into the leather in those spots. Can someone tell me what to do about this? Is there something I can use as a barrier that won't crack off since these are flexed a lot?

[MADMAX22]

Not that I would recommend BUT 

Have you tried slicking the leather, ya know case it then use a slicker to smooth it out. This will really smooth out the surface and gives it a nice look after its finished. 

Do ya have a picture of the offending areas just to make sure I am not pointing you down the wrong path. 

 

[akgator1]

I don't have a pic but certain spots will work fine and then you'll get to a part that is more porous as the hair cells are visible and it just soaks it in no matter how many coats you put on. Im sure that would work slicking it but don't want to do anything to make any marks on the leather while doing it.

[MADMAX22]

If ya do it right you shouldnt leave any marks. 

Question though, are you tooling these or painting them certain colors? 

Using a bridle leather from the same manufacturers may be an idea as well. Its pretty much there vegtan thats been slicked/dyed/finished already. Add a nice wax coat to it and it would look really good. 

[akgator1]

They're tooled then dyed on the black straps. Never have trouble with topcoating when painting them the other colors, it seals them off. That's why I wondered if there was something I could put over the dye to seal on the black ones before the sheen.