Re-dying finished and tooled leather products

[Bobadouba]

Hey everyone, 

we’ve been vending our leather goods at craft fairs and festivals this year and we’ve ran into an issue with the dyes fading after sitting in the sun.

I’ve researched a few products that can protect against this UV damage but I’d like to hit them with dye again before protecting them. 

My question is, what would be the process for pulling off the finish so that I may accomplish this? 

I imagine using denatured alcohol would take it off but I feel like I may just end up with sloppy gooey mess of resolene and antique spread over the whole piece. 

Anybody have any experience with anything like this?

Thank you everyone!!!

[Handstitched]

I've never had to remove ' Resolene' ,we don't get that here in Australia.  Is that like Neatlac ? 

I have removed a   sealer using  alcohol spirit like acetone on an old handbag, .....  it wasn't pretty, but it worked. 

However, saying that , after cleaning up the mess I made and letting it dry, and re-applying an antique dye & sealer,  it didn't turn out too bad. But it was a darker dye than the original . 

I too do markets, fairs,  country shows etc.  I do make sure my stock  is out of direct sunlight, even if it means moving some stock around during the day as the sun moves around, or adding extra shade to my stall. 

HS 

[Norton Custom Leather]

Fibbing's has a Deglazer that I use every time I need to refinish anything that needs the finish removed.

[Bobadouba]

Thank you so much for the responses. I’m going to give both of these a try on something small. See how it goes. I think we can also adjust our setup a little in order to minimize damage. Thank you, again. I really appreciate your time and help. 

[mikesc]

Remember, anything that can take off a finish is likely to be very bad for your health if you breathe it*..and is probably inflammable with a low flash point..
So..only do the "removing" outside, or in a well ventilated room, with a fan or similar set up to "suck" the vapour away from you..
Get a volatile solvents mask..3M do some good ones with cartridges, the cartridges are good for around 8 hours before you need to change them, you wont notice by any vapour smell that they need changing, so make a note of how much time you are using them , when not using them and the mask keep them in a sealed zip lock bog..

alcohol spirit like acetone

acetone is not an "alcohol spirit"..acetone and alcohol are not the same thing at all..

[ScoobyNewbie]

Great advice. Thanks!

[Norton Custom Leather]

Scooby, have you ever used acetone on leather? I have not is why I ask, tho i would caution using it. I have used acetone on many things like metal & oil based paint. 

 

[fredk]

11 hours ago, mikesc said:

Remember, anything that can take off a finish is likely to be very bad for your health if you breathe it*..and is probably inflammable with a low flash point..
So..only do the "removing" outside, or in a well ventilated room, with a fan or similar set up to "suck" the vapour away from you..
Get a volatile solvents mask..3M do some good ones with cartridges, the cartridges are good for around 8 hours before you need to change them, you wont notice by any vapour smell that they need changing, so make a note of how much time you are using them , when not using them and the mask keep them in a sealed zip lock bog..

With Mike's warning.

I use cellulose thinners to cut through industrial finishes.

On work I have done meths will take off resolene, then I use the cellulose thinners to remove the dye.

I recently had a chap want some car fittings done in black; duly done, then he changes his mind and wants them in mid blue. Meths to take off the resolene then cellulose thinners to remove almost all the black dye - what was left was just a darkening of the leather.

cellulose thinners dries out the leather something wild so it needs a good feeding with nfo afterwards

[ScoobyNewbie]

No, I haven’t. I’ve only used acetone to clean paint off windows, as nail polish remover, and that’s pretty much all. I haven’t had anything but blood on my leather projects so far. I don’t (or haven’t yet) tried to refurbish a bag that needed that level of cleaning. Or any bags yet at all. Made one from a pattern, but that’s all. 

Why? Does it sound like I know what I’m doing? Nope. Strictly seat of my pants and projects for myself or vict... loved ones. All worthwhile info has come from these guys here and the guys at Tandy. I haven’t even really done much YouTube study. Amazing stuff out there, and in here. 

I have found a new sewing thingy you guys might like. I was in a sewing store the other week, and they had something called machingers. They are white, I think nylon gloves, with rubber tips for gripping needles. The tips work okay, but I wrap my fingers in paper towels or Kleenex or any other absorbent paper product available, pull on the machingers, and “bam”! No more blood on the highway!

Thanks fredk.

Edited October 19, 2018 by ScoobyNewbie

[Bobadouba]

1 hour ago, fredk said:

Meths to take off the resolene then cellulose thinners to remove almost all the black dye -

Not sure if meth is legal here. J/K.

Not sure exactly what kind of products we’re talking about here, though. I’ll do some research and try to figure what those products would be. Thank you again!!! You all are amazing.