best way to seal wet molded leather

[stampingdelight]

what is the best way to seal wet molded leather out of 3 or 4 oz I think for the bar code is on the leather but the area where it tells you is mising for was on the very edge of the leather & ether got rubbed off or cut off by machine  I am wanting to make sure the item stays the sape it is for do not think can get to look the same if have to redo.

[fredk]

Properly done even a basic sealer will make it keep its shape. It needs a real long term soaking and mushing about for wet-moulded leather to loose its shape

A real good sealer I'm using more and more is the acrylic varnish sold as 'Pledge Floor Gloss'

[battlemunky]

I use Mop & Glo more than anything else. Cut it 50/50 with water and either spray on a few coats or use a dauber. Its acrylic based and is probably very similar to @fredk's Pledge floor stuff and both are similar to resolene.

[stampingdelight]

ok thanks & will that affect the leather dyes or paints used on the leather at all? 

[battlemunky]

Not on dyed leather. Not sure about stained. If it is acrylic paint, you have to worry about it messing up the painted parts. On plain veg tan or dyed veg tan though, it works like a charm, however, bubbles aren't your friend. Need to use a bubble free application method. Going slow usually works.

[stampingdelight]

ok so just do a light coat & let it dry before adding another? also is that on any veg leather one dye

[battlemunky]

In my experience it has worked on all veg tan, dyed or left undyed. And yes, do a few light coats and let it dry in between. I usually wait at least 30 minutes. I just put a coat on and then go do something and come back. 15-30 min or so.

[stampingdelight]

ok thanks and is thier other paints that work with the sealer by chance?

[battlemunky]

I'm not completely sure. The paint shouldn't really need to be seal if it is acrylic paint. Like dissolves like, so any acrylic sealer will affect acrylic paint and vice versa, but if you seal, then paint, it may be ok. Other paints, when dried, shouldn't be affected by acrylic sealer I'd think but don't know for certain. You may have to experiment some before commiting to a large piece just to make sure.

[fredk]

1. 

On 1/18/2021 at 4:17 PM, fredk said:

A real good sealer I'm using more and more is the acrylic varnish sold as 'Pledge Floor Gloss'

 

On 1/18/2021 at 4:31 PM, battlemunky said:

I use Mop & Glo more than anything else. 

These are the same. The maker keeps changing the name and I can't keep up. There are cheaper alternative out there which are the same formula and work just as good. eg, in the UK Pledge is about £15 for 750ml, I use 'Astonish' at £1 for 750ml

Although this is not wet moulded its for showing sealing of leather

Game board, over view,

Close-up of a corner

1 after the squares were stamped and edges done by grooving the squares which I was going to paint and the squares I was not going to dye got two coats of 'Astonish' sealant

2. squares were painted using mainly Humbrol Acrylic model paints, also used were Vallejo and Revell acrylic model paints

3 after painting those squares got two more coats of Astonish, the squares not to be dyed got one more coat

4. the remaining squares got a few coats of oil dye, as did the leather surrounding the playing area

5. an 'antique' gel was rubbed into the lines between the squares.

6. about an hour after 5 one coat of sealer was applied to all five surfaces of the leather, that dried almost as fast as I put it on so it got a second coat overall right away

7 all was left overnight, about 8 hours then the nails in the sides were fitted.

No dye or paint ran or was discoloured by the sealant