Sealing Black Dye Background

[Jbodnar]

Hi! I know this has been discussed a bunch so I apologize for any redundancy but I still have a question. I’m making tooled panels to go on a pair of converse, using premium veg-tan from Hide House.
-Tooled, cleaned with rubbing alcohol (didn’t have deglazer and figured it was close),

-Dyed the background with fiebings black water based dye. I did three coats and dried overnight. 

-Lightly oiled(olive oil), dried for atleast half an hour. 

-Applied Tankote and the dye is rubbing off-and transferring onto the undyed areas, not all of it but definitely getting splotchy if I rub it too much.  I tried to delicately apply the tankote in hopes of sealing it and not disturbing it.  
Now that it’s dried overnight it feels sealed and doesn’t SEEM to be rubbing off, but worried it will if they get wet at all.  
Questions being, I was reading resolene may be more appropriate for this application? More waterproof as well(seeing as they’re going on shoes)?
Also do I need to buff the leather and get off any dye that wants to run(and at that point can I even touch it up since it’s already got tankote on it) or should I just seal it with a 50/50 resolene(or tan kote if that’s more appropriate) and it will stay put? 
Planning to antique as well but waiting to sort out the dye issue before I go any further. 

Appreciate any advice, thanks so much for your time!

 

photo attached, go easy on me it’s only like my third time tooling something

[fredk]

Depending on your location; you local version of 'Mop & Glo'

Its a water thin floor 'polish' which is actually an acrylic varnish. Depending on your version, it may need thinned, with water. My version is already very thin. About 3 or 4 coats of it should do

[battlemunky]

I get why there's a market for waterbased stains and stuff for leather but I really wish the manufacturers would just leave it behind. Fiebing's Pro is about the only way I get consistent good results without the need to hand hold a project and stand on one foot on the second Tuesday of a month, but only after I remembered to put the recycling bin down by the road longways to the curb, but only after it rained the prior two weekends, etc...

I'd recommend getting Fiebing's Pro-Dye when you get the chance. It'll make most of you problems go away, including working with Tan Kote and whichever version of Resolene/Mop & Glo you opt for.

Your applique looks great btw, I hope you can figure out your immediate issue.

Edited November 12, 2021 by battlemunky

[Jbodnar]

On 11/12/2021 at 8:15 AM, fredk said:

Depending on your location; you local version of 'Mop & Glo'

Its a water thin floor 'polish' which is actually an acrylic varnish. Depending on your version, it may need thinned, with water. My version is already very thin. About 3 or 4 coats of it should do

Thank you! I’m in CA so shouldn’t be too hard to find. You’ve found it seals dye well?

[Jbodnar]

On 11/12/2021 at 9:03 AM, battlemunky said:

I get why there's a market for waterbased stains and stuff for leather but I really wish the manufacturers would just leave it behind. Fiebing's Pro is about the only way I get consistent good results without the need to hand hold a project and stand on one foot on the second Tuesday of a month, but only after I remembered to put the recycling bin down by the road longways to the curb, but only after it rained the prior two weekends, etc...

I'd recommend getting Fiebing's Pro-Dye when you get the chance. It'll make most of you problems go away, including working with Tan Kote and whichever version of Resolene/Mop & Glo you opt for.

Your applique looks great btw, I hope you can figure out your immediate issue.

Thank you! I knew it was the dang recycling I forgot. Gets me every time. 
I didn’t know there were so many types of dye till I started researching the issue.  I’ll definitely look into the pro-dye if I attempt this again. 

[Jbodnar]

Thanks for the help! Ended up doing resolene 50/50(four-ish thin coats, damp sponge)  to seal and the dye still bled quite a bit but all and all turned out OK-ish. Definite learning experience all around and will give the pro-dye a shot for any future dying projects. 
Ended up having to use a stitching awl to sew it, I started saddle stitching but it was just so awkward to try and get into I spent an absurd amount of time getting nowhere. The awl left FAT stitch holes which was a bummer - going to do more searching for one with a thinner needle. 
all and all for my third tooling project; at least they’re shoes and no one gets that close to my feet!

[battlemunky]

Those look pretty good. Practice your stitching in those blind areas and it'll up your look a ton. Pretty nice execution though  

[Jbodnar]

On 11/25/2021 at 5:30 PM, battlemunky said:

Those look pretty good. Practice your stitching in those blind areas and it'll up your look a ton. Pretty nice execution though  

Thanks! Haha I got so fed up with the whole thing trying to stitch those after all the dye mishaps I was like “f it they’re going on I don’t even care anymore!”

Ive thrown the dye away and ordered acrylic paint to try(can’t ship pro-dye to CA). Had the same issue with another project with even a different hide. Did multiple tests (1-prepped with alcohol, 2- oiled first, 3- no prep at all) on a patch with NO issue, applied tankote and couldn’t get that dye to budge to save my life. Thought perfect! Great! Then when I painted the real piece same issue again, smeared all over the place and ruined it. Can’t figure out what’s going on and feel like I’m losing my mind!