Coaster & Coaster holder present

[Alaisiagae]

The server migration ate my original post! I made these last Christmas as a gift to my sister and brother-in-law. It's my first by-myself, not-from-a-kit or class project. The coaster holder is from a Leathercraft Library template. I'm really proud of these, it took me a few tries to get that coaster holder cut correctly. I tried to waterproof the coasters using Sno-Seal wax and the Scotch-Guard I use on my leather dress shoes. It was fun coloring each bunny a different color, but I think the black one is my favorite because it's the most complex.

[Retswerb]

As I said on your now-lost post, I really like the coloring work you did on these. Very clean and precise.

[YinTx]

This is awesome!  Gave me some great ideas and inspiration, too!  Thanks for posting again!

YinTx

[Alaisiagae]

Thank you!

I bought detail brushes (the smallest being 0/20) and those helped a lot with painting the stamped areas and applying the resist (I used Neatlac). I used Cova Colors paint, and used several layers to make the color stand out vividly. My arbor press came in handy for doing the coaster boarder pattern, all I had to do was rotate the coaster and then pull the lever. 

[JayEhl]

How fun!  And a great gift idea, too!  

[Workinman]

Those are awesome...at any level of skill, let alone your first solo project !  Great job !!

I'm curious how your waterproofing is working ?  I also make (veg tan) coasters, but noticed they begin to stain really badly after a few weeks of use.  Coffee and wine seem to be really bad, but even water leaves a stain.  I've experimented with; 1) Fiebings Leather Balm;  2) Tandy's Eco Flo Super Sheen; 3) Tandy's Eco Flo Top Finish; 4) Mink Oil; 5) Saddle Soap, and; 6) Dr Jackson's Oil for Leather- ALL recommended by Tandy and Fiebing.  I've even experimented applying each on to dry leather, cased leather with 1 coat to as many as 4 coats.  NONE work perfectly (of course, some better than others).  Also, most leave a shiny film on the surface, which for my coaster designs is not desireable.

I'm sure open for suggestions any one

 

[Northmount]

On 7/24/2020 at 3:55 PM, Workinman said:

I'm sure open for suggestions any one

Use a lacquer finish on both sides, several thin layers, never immerse in water, wipe with damp cloth.

Tom

[Alaisiagae]

On 7/24/2020 at 5:55 PM, Workinman said:

Those are awesome...at any level of skill, let alone your first solo project !  Great job !!

I'm curious how your waterproofing is working ?  I also make (veg tan) coasters, but noticed they begin to stain really badly after a few weeks of use.  Coffee and wine seem to be really bad, but even water leaves a stain.  I've experimented with; 1) Fiebings Leather Balm;  2) Tandy's Eco Flo Super Sheen; 3) Tandy's Eco Flo Top Finish; 4) Mink Oil; 5) Saddle Soap, and; 6) Dr Jackson's Oil for Leather- ALL recommended by Tandy and Fiebing.  I've even experimented applying each on to dry leather, cased leather with 1 coat to as many as 4 coats.  NONE work perfectly (of course, some better than others).  Also, most leave a shiny film on the surface, which for my coaster designs is not desireable.

I'm sure open for suggestions any one

 

I don't know hiow they're holding up, my sister hasn't mentioned them - I don't even know if they've gotten any use. The guy at the Tandy store recommended I use Rustoleum's "Never Wet" spray. I figured I'd use the Sno-Seal and water-repellant spray that I had on hand. I used a hair drier to heat up the leather and sno-seal, hopefully that helped the sno-seal get into the pores better. Maybe I'll get some laquer as Tom suggested and ask her to let me touch up the coasters.

[Workinman]

Thanks Tom and Alaisiagae !

Tom, how would the lacquer affect the leather- other than the waterproofing ?  Would it darken it, stiffen it, or, leave a shiny film (like Super Sheen does) ?

Thanks again !

Mike

[Alaisiagae]

I spoke with my dad and he suggested using a clear acrylic finish to get waterproofing. I have a spare coaster/scap leather I can use to test it out, see if it darkens the leather or not.

[fredk]

1 hour ago, Alaisiagae said:

I spoke with my dad and he suggested using a clear acrylic finish to get waterproofing. I have a spare coaster/scap leather I can use to test it out, see if it darkens the leather or not.

Use Future/Klear/ Pledge with Future Shine 'floor polish'  Its actually a water thin acrylic varnish. It will darken raw leather.  It seals paints and dyes. Two thin coats will just about water proof any leather. Three coats are even better from there on more coats give a glossy finish. This can be countered by a: rubbing down with 2000 grade wet & dry paper used dry, or b: adding some talc to a final coat. The talc becomes a matting agent. Also, the more coats you put on the stiffer the leather will become. With two to four coats the stiffness isn't too noticeable but at around 6 to 8 coats leather becomes quite stiff.

I now use it instead of resolene or similar for sealing.

[Northmount]

1 hour ago, Workinman said:

how would the lacquer affect the leather- other than the waterproofing ?  Would it darken it, stiffen it, or, leave a shiny film (like Super Sheen does) ?

I use Clear-Lac (who made Tandy's Neat Lac).  Has a very slight amount of darkening.  Anything that goes on layers on the surface stiffens the product.  To me, that's not detrimental to coasters.  Surface is shiny.  As Fred, says above, you could add talc to make it more of a matte finish.

I did some with an airbrush in the hot summer sun.  Some of the mist dried before it hit the leather surface.  Left a matte finish.

Tom

[Workinman]

Thanks Tom.  I'll give it a try.