Coaster & Coaster holder present

[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.