Resolene is ruining my product, making it unsellable :( HELP

[Baron]

Hi guys,

my name is Javier im from Paraguay. I love leather and have been hand tooling veg tanned leather for two years. Recently ive become good enough to start selling my products. My first product is a backpack that has a patch of veg tanned leather with a Mandala hand tooled in it. In order to make the colour look like the rest of the leather of the backpack I use 2 products, Tandy's Eco Flo Hi Lite Stain to penetrate the leather and colour it (not a fan of Eco Flo but it does the job) and after this I use Fiebings Antique Finish to highlight the hand tooling. The end result after this is magnificent (I will upload photos tomorrow since now at nighttime its not worth it.), the BIG PROBLEM im having is making it waterproof. I dont want to sell a backpack that is only some drops of water away from getting completely ruined, I have sold some already and im hoping they dont get ruined soon enough and I get complaints. To waterproof the veg tanned part of my backpack im using Resolene, which COMPLETELY takes away the glossy nice finish I get after aplying both products I mentioned before and polishing with my horsehair brush. I have applied resolene 24 hours after the chemical process (maybe its too early?). My big questions are:

1) How do I protect my piece of veg tanned leather from completely ruining itself with little water? I had both problems with water ruining the piece dropping from the front part of the backpack (where the hand tooled mandala is) and the backside, which I believe is called the grain side. I need to completely seal both sides to make my backpack durable? Is it even worth it?

2) If some drops fall from the zip of the backpack, where the stitching meets the zip and the veg tanned leather, it also completely ruins the product, so I need to seal the edges of the veg tanned leather as well?

3) When applying resolene with a cloth/sponge it gets stained with the finish of the leather, meaning its taking away either the Fiebings or the  Eco Flo. I used to paint on veg tanned leather with Angelus Leather Paint and if I didnt let the paint dry for days it usually happened, the sponge got stained and the paint dilluted. Is Resolene such a harsh chemical or am I just applying it to quickly (24 hours)?

4) Im uploading a picture of my backpack. My main problem is making the veg tanned part of it (hand tooled part) looking like the rest of the leather of the backpack. I dont believe that Eco Flo is ideal but I have tryed Dyes and they are so hard to apply evenly. Eco Flo is easier to apply but very limited colour options. Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your tips, this forum once saved my hand painted leather items, im sure I will find a solution to my problem this time as well. 

Cheers

Javier

[slipangle]

Javier,

It may be reacting negatively with the Eco Flo, being wiped on with a sponge.

...if you could, I would try applying it in two or more very thin coats, with an airbrush or similar. First coat a light mist. Dried thoroughly to seal. Second coat can be a little more, but still very light. Third if needed. 

[NVLeatherWorx]

Resolene will not waterproof the leather, it helps to protect the leather from the elements but it isn't waterproof as it itself is a water-based product.  Waterproofing only comes from using products that are labeled as such or those that you can make yourself just like so many of us do.  I use my own blend of beeswax and Pure Neatsfoot Oil and it can pass the test of being waterproof, the water actually runs right off the leather and doesn't even bead up.  There are several sources for a recipe for such things via the Internet and they are not hard at all to make if you have what you need.  Several of us even make it to sell as an add-on item to our leather goods.  Just remember, you can't stop water with water.  And when you get the chance, drop the use of Eco-Flo products as soon as you can; they are not good at all and there are plenty of stories to support this throughout these forums.

[Northmount]

Grain side of leather is the nice side, show side, hair side.  Opposite is the flesh side, originally against the meat and fat.

Tom

[VMTinajero]

http://www.pecard.com

Edited March 17, 2017 by VMTinajero

[Baron]

11 hours ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

Resolene will not waterproof the leather, it helps to protect the leather from the elements but it isn't waterproof as it itself is a water-based product.  Waterproofing only comes from using products that are labeled as such or those that you can make yourself just like so many of us do.  I use my own blend of beeswax and Pure Neatsfoot Oil and it can pass the test of being waterproof, the water actually runs right off the leather and doesn't even bead up.  There are several sources for a recipe for such things via the Internet and they are not hard at all to make if you have what you need.  Several of us even make it to sell as an add-on item to our leather goods.  Just remember, you can't stop water with water.  And when you get the chance, drop the use of Eco-Flo products as soon as you can; they are not good at all and there are plenty of stories to support this throughout these forums.

Thanks for the tips. Ill start looking for that blend of beeswax and neatsfoot oil!

[Baron]

Any experience on Aussie Leather Conditioner?

[gigi]

I think Aussie is pretty good as a conditioner and a finish, has beeswax, also makes the leather more supple. Requires buffing. Some people use both Aussie and super sheen.   I would make some tests first on leather scraps.

[Dwight]

First things, . . . first, . . . the only item every protected by leather as a "water proof" covering was the original cow, sheep, goat, lamb, deer, or other animal that wore the skin.

Veggie tanned leather is not, . . . and for all tense and purposes, . . . cannot be made to be WATER PROOF.  Anyone attempting to make it such is fooling themselves and their customers.  

Four coats of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly on your hunting boots before a big hunt in the swamps will do for the first time out, . . . but later, it will have to be done again.  That is about the nearest you can get to water proof.

Water resistant, . . . that you can do.  I do it all the time with veggie tanned leather belts, holsters, knife sheaths, cell phone cases, . . . etc.

I use oil dyes almost 100% of the time, . . . and I let them dry for a minimum of 24 hours, . . . and then the resolene is applied, . . .  thinned 1 to 1 with water, . . . and is applied very lovingly and carefully with a bristle brush.  Apply a liberal coat, . . . brush it left, then right, then up, then down, . . . making sure it fills every little void.  Brush lightly until there are no more bubbles.  Add a second coat within about 2 hours, . . . then let that dry for 24 hours or more.

Do this both inside and outside.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Hillbilly tim]

I agree with Dwight completely with only one addendum for myself. I have recently been using an air powered paint gun to apply my thinned resolene. I find I can vary the thickness of coats and can apply to many different products in a rapid pace while still leaving a wonderful surface. Doing one or two small items, do what Dwight has said. 

 

Bro. Timothy

[Jaymack]

Fiebings makes a spray saddle lac and leather sheen.  I have used the spray leather sheen and like it.

 

[Sceaden]

Interesting, as mentioned, it might be a reaction with the eco-flo dye as was mentioned since my experience with Resolene is that it is one of the most water resistant finishes available with a high gloss. 

Stunning tooling BTW!

Edited March 18, 2017 by Sceaden