Antique does not stay into flower petals

[2SSophie]

Hi there,

I have just finished a new leather case for my phone. I'm curious about an issue that I encounter on all my projects: I like to carve flowers and try to make a few deep pear shader marks. When I apply some antique (Fiebing Antique Finish or Tandy Hi-Lite, used as an antique), it never stays into the petals (see picture attached). My dream is to achieve something closer to this: https://www.instagram.com/p/BAdbOq4R2g3/. Beautiful and subtle shades. I'm quite far from this result 

Here is my routine after tooling & dying, do I do something wrong?

- I apply 2 coats of Tandy's super sheen or, more frequently, Fiebing's Resolene (60% Resolene / 40% water), with a little spray bottle. I rapidly swipe with a piece of coton wool, to prevent the "bubbles" of resist to make stains on the leather. Let it dry several hours between the 2 coats, and after the 2d one.

- I apply some antique (Fiebing's paste or Tandy's Hi-Lite): I put a glove on and spread the product all over the leather piece with my fingers, then remove the excess with paper towel, trying to go horizontal. Let it dry and buff.

- I apply another coat of resist, sometimes 2. Most of the time, the antique tends to blend :-(

My guess: maybe I don't carve deep enough? Maybe my way of doing this is all wrong? 

I thank you in advance for your help and suggestions!

Sophie

 

 

[immiketoo]

Depth could be part of the issue, although it looks plenty deep to me.  I think its because of the smooth pear shaders.  Textured tools hold antique much better than smooth ones.  Another option is to use a block dyeing technique when you wipe off your excess antique.  Put a block of wood or firm foam in your paper towel and only wipe the surface.  The block will prevent the paper towel from wiping out the antique in your recessed areas.

[Goldshot Ron]

The Instagram example that you posted uses a lined pear shader in the pedals.  You could also use a checkered shader, but the lines is more realistic.  Anyway, the lines hold the dye as you can see in your decorative cuts.

[2SSophie]

Thanks for your very quick responses to my post.

I'll try both suggestions on my next project: using a lined pear shader + wrapping my paper towel around a block of wood.

Also, any advice to improve my cutting/tooling/dying is welcome :-)

Thanks again

 

[JazzBass]

I too, have also found that after the "wipe off" phase, (and touch-ups), and being happy with the result, that the first top coat over well dried antiquing, that both Resoline, Tan Kote or other finishes has a solvent effect, changing the final look. Sometimes good, sometimes not.

Does anyone know of a way of "freezing" the color/antiquing? Maybe a light spray of Saddle Lac or something before the Resoline finish coat??

Any ideas in this regard would certainly help both @2SSophie and myself. Thanks.
 

[bikermutt07]

Don Gonzales has a nice video on antiquing.

Pretty sure he uses shearling for final wipe down, and prepares the amount of finish left to account for what wipes out.

Did that make sense? I do antiquing, but his videos are so darn entertaining.

[JazzBass]

Yes , it makes a lot of sense. I was hoping for an "inside" trick, but once again, it seems that experience is the key to predictable results.

And yes...Don's videos are marvelous. His suggested "exercises" with the swivel knife were the best I'd seen. His work is magnificent.