How to prevent water stains?

[Antleranchlady]

I am new to leatherwork, and so much to learn! I feel I have finally come to the right place for help.

My first 'real' project is a document portfolio. I developed my own pattern successfully, the carving, tooling, stamping and stitching all went well. Then came the dying process...I used Eco Flo Gel over the entire surface. My first mistake(after using Tandy Leather, apparently, lol)? But the resulting color was just what I'd hoped for. I applied Leather Sheen, and  2 coats of Neatsfoot Oil Compound (another mistake, I now know). I presented my son with this 'perfect' first work of mine. A short time later, it had the most obvious water stains! We live in an inland rainforest area of B.C...rain/snow are a fact of life. This is a mess...any and all corrective criticism/tips are welcome. Can dyed leather not be water stain-proofed? I have since purchased Fiebings professional dye. Would it show stains just as badly? I have approached our local saddle maker, who simply stays away from dye as much as possible. I did manage to 'wash' the water stains away by wiping the entire case with damp sponge. This also pulled much of the beautiful Briar Brown color out, and left the case a dull blonde-reddish color sadly waiting for closure!  

Edited February 23, 2017 by Antleranchlady
Forgot to attach photo

[fredk]

Did you case [wet] all the leather before doing the stamping?

Did you let it dry completely [or near completely] and evenly all over before dyeing? If I see a part of cased leather drying faster than the rest I redampen it with a slightly wet sponge to make sure it all dries at the same rate, evenly.

[cjartist]

I don't think it was the dye.  I think it was not sealing it properly.  You mentioned coating it with leather sheen ... is that Super Sheen?  One coat won't do it. And if you are also using oil, that would go on first.  Oil won't penetrate properly applied super sheen.

I would make sure to use at least three coats of super sheen, or use a finish that contains beeswax.

[Thornton]

I like the color. Some people pay top dollar for an aged look like that.

[Antleranchlady]

11 hours ago, Antleranchlady said:

Thank you all so much for your input. I did let it dry properly...the water staining came later as droplets that someone must have accidently splashed. And, yes, I believe I tried to apply the oil after the fact, trying to improve the waterproofness, as I felt it couldn't hurt to try, at that point. I will make a note of using several coats in the future and look into a beeswax finish. I have heard of using Dubbin also? I really did like the aged look, too, but if I can't prevent watermarks, it's frustrating. Another question...can drum dyed leather be tooled, and if so, what is a good source? Being in northern Canada seems to be a handicap in this field, lol...

 I am new to leatherwork, and so much to learn! I feel I have finally come to the right place for help.

My first 'real' project is a document portfolio. I developed my own pattern successfully, the carving, tooling, stamping and stitching all went well. Then came the dying process...I used Eco Flo Gel over the entire surface. My first mistake(after using Tandy Leather, apparently, lol)? But the resulting color was just what I'd hoped for. I applied Leather Sheen, and  2 coats of Neatsfoot Oil Compound (another mistake, I now know). I presented my son with this 'perfect' first work of mine. A short time later, it had the most obvious water stains! We live in an inland rainforest area of B.C...rain/snow are a fact of life. This is a mess...any and all corrective criticism/tips are welcome. Can dyed leather not be water stain-proofed? I have since purchased Fiebings professional dye. Would it show stains just as badly? I have approached our local saddle maker, who simply stays away from dye as much as possible. I did manage to 'wash' the water stains away by wiping the entire case with damp sponge. This also pulled much of the beautiful Briar Brown color out, and left the case a dull blonde-reddish color sadly waiting for closure!  

Life is a journey, not a destination.

 

[Boriqua]

I think it looks great! I am a great believer in allowing for happy accidents

But ... since you asked I will try and offer some semi useful input. First off .... I am a motorcycle guy from way back and have tried a ton of products over the years to completely water proof and I get really good water resistance but have never actually gotten to water proof. If you can except that life is grand... now what we dont want is for the water to mess up our stuff and make a permanent hideous mark.. that I can help with.

Almost all products will mess with your color some. The only one I have ever used that doesn't seem to lighten or darken the color is resolene. It offers a good deal of water resistance, doesnt stink and in my experience if the item does get wet the stain doesn't stay and once dry appears ok. I would be afraid of supersheen on a light leather I know will bend alot like your bag.

Having said that ... if you had come to me for an item and told me the circumstances of where you live I might suggest the ol Bee's wax and pure neatsfoot oil blend.You will find a few different concoctions with a search of the forum but I just did a 50/50 by weight split in a simple double boiler setup. When cool it forms a paste about the same as tin shoe polish. I heated my leather slightly with a hair dryer and rubbed it into the leather. I then slightly heated the paste and watched it soak in. When dry I buff. Sometimes I apply again.

The up side .. I have never tried anything that offers as good a water resistance. I tested a whole host of different products when designing some leather jewelry pieces and ran bits of dyed leather under water soaked them in cops and what have you. Water runs off of leather treated with the beeswax and neatsfoot oil and any partial staining is gone when it drys. Down side possibly is it will darken your color some. I think it looks attractive as hell but YMMV. You may want to use less dye to account for the darkening.

I think its a gorgeous finish, is highly water repellent, easy and inexpensive to produce, doesnt have a foul odor and is easy to touch up. It is a wax though so the possibility exists like with any waxed or oiled garment, like a Barbour jacket, to rub some. I have used this finish for gear I knew would be used heavily outdoors by hunter guys and they love it.

Alex

[NVLeatherWorx]

Anything is dyed/stained with a water-based product is 100 more susceptible to staining from water, humidity, sweat, etc. than items that are stained with a spirit based dye/stain.  Water based products do not have the same penetration and setting factors as a spirit based product and, unless they are totally sealed with a proven water repellent sealer, this is what can happen.  It does make a difference with the materials you use as to whether or not the finished product will maintain the look that it had when you finished it and does make a difference which product base type you use.  There are so many new, and some experienced, leather workers who think that using Resolene, or Satin Sheen, or anything else like that will keep this type of thing from happening and there are several responses to this requests for help that clearly identify that you can only prevent such a thing from happening if you waterproof the item; there is no such thing as a water based waterproofing agent.  It also makes a difference on the order by which each ingredient (for lack of a better term) is added to the leather.  In the case of the OP's issue the order in which everything happened is a bit off.  From the information available, here is the order that things should have been done:

• Let leather dry completely (24 hours recommended)
• Apply Neatsfoot Oil (Pure Neatsfoot Oil, compounds do not provide adequate conditioning and the chemicals that make it a "compound" have the reverse effect on the conditioning); let dye completely (24 hours recommended); repeat if needed
• Dye/Stain/Antique - let dry completely (24 hours recommended), repeat if required.
• Seal - if finished item is NOT expected to be exposed to excess moisture/humidity then this should be okay; this includes any wallets that will not be at risk of absorbing heavy sweating when carried/worn/used

- or -

• Waterproof - if finished item IS expected to be exposed to excess moisture/humidity; this also applies to all wallets/bags/ etc. that will be at risk of exposure to heavy sweating when carried/worn/used

Applying any conditioners after a sealer/waterproofing agent has been applied has no result as it now has nowhere to go but just sit on top and slowly rub off or evaporate.

[Antleranchlady]

Thanks again for the tips/guidance. I grew up in 4-H. The motto is 'Learn to do by doing'. I will add to that 'by your mistakes', and 'by others' experience'. Wish I had found this site before I started floundering around on my own.

I am now making a series of test patches....I'm sure I'll be back!