Top coats and dying for flesh side

[Warhauk]

I've recently started working with leather and I'm making several dog collars for my dogs (I have 6). I decided to dye both the front and back of the collar (Which afterward my wife commented she prefers the back to look natural). I know that pretty much everything in leather crafting seems to be a matter of preference and opinion but I am wondering if more experienced people can lend some of their knowledge. Does it look unprofessional to leave the back natural? If not, do I need to be really careful to only do the front and sides and make sure there is no color bleed to the back?

Additionally, I would assume that if I dye the back, I need to use something to seal the dye in to prevent bleeding. Should I just use resolene on the back also or are there better methods to seal the back without making it harder/uncomfortable? I imagine the difference wont matter much to a dog because they have fur in between anyways, but say on like a choker or something that would go against the skin.

[chuck123wapati]

15 minutes ago, Warhauk said:

I've recently started working with leather and I'm making several dog collars for my dogs (I have 6). I decided to dye both the front and back of the collar (Which afterward my wife commented she prefers the back to look natural). I know that pretty much everything in leather crafting seems to be a matter of preference and opinion but I am wondering if more experienced people can lend some of their knowledge. Does it look unprofessional to leave the back natural? If not, do I need to be really careful to only do the front and sides and make sure there is no color bleed to the back?

Additionally, I would assume that if I dye the back, I need to use something to seal the dye in to prevent bleeding. Should I just use resolene on the back also or are there better methods to seal the back without making it harder/uncomfortable? I imagine the difference wont matter much to a dog because they have fur in between anyways, but say on like a choker or something that would go against the skin.

the dye can bleed off when the collar gets wet. Don't ask me how i know lol , but it took a long time to come off my dogs coat. I would not dye the back /inside at all. 

[Warhauk]

10 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

the dye can bleed off when the collar gets wet. Don't ask me how i know lol , but it took a long time to come off my dogs coat. I would not dye the back /inside at all. 

Yeah thats what I'm afraid of. Would resolene be able to stop that? I've already made all of the collars (dying the back also) and just need to put on the top coat and hardware. Do I need to just scrap them at this point?

[toxo]

You can of course buy leather that's finished on both sides. Don't know what it's called and I only have scraps but here's a pic of each side. (apologies for the pics). This is thin - around 1mm and of medium temper.

[fredk]

 

46 minutes ago, Warhauk said:

Yeah thats what I'm afraid of. Would resolene be able to stop that? I've already made all of the collars (dying the back also) and just need to put on the top coat and hardware. Do I need to just scrap them at this point?

I find that Resolene is no longer a good sealant. I prefer to use a certain 'floor polish' which is actually a water thin acrylic varnish. In your area it might be called 'Mop & Glo'. Thin the M&G with water and dip the collars into it. Dip, drip dry to almost dry, do this about 3 or 4 times and the collars should be well sealed

[chuck123wapati]

3 hours ago, Warhauk said:

Yeah thats what I'm afraid of. Would resolene be able to stop that? I've already made all of the collars (dying the back also) and just need to put on the top coat and hardware. Do I need to just scrap them at this point?

i would try fredks suggestion on at least one then do some testing before tossing a lot of work. i think it would work fine if your only thinking a thunder shower here or there. My dogs love to play in the sprinklers so when i say wet i mean soaked through wet. 

[Warhauk]

Thanks for the suggestions I'll definitely look into the mop n glo and compare it to resolene.

[Handstitched]

It is a matter of preference. I've always dyed the flesh side of everything , belts and collars. I use a ' seal 'n' shine.  I sometimes use a water based lacquer  on some projects as neat lac is no longer available , although it did take some testing. 

HS

[Spyros]

tan kote for me.

[Warhauk]

2 hours ago, Handstitched said:

It is a matter of preference. I've always dyed the flesh side of everything , belts and collars. I use a ' seal 'n' shine.  I sometimes use a water based lacquer  on some projects as neat lac is no longer available , although it did take some testing. 

HS

Are you referring to the turtle wax ICE seal n shine?

19 hours ago, fredk said:

 

I find that Resolene is no longer a good sealant. I prefer to use a certain 'floor polish' which is actually a water thin acrylic varnish. In your area it might be called 'Mop & Glo'. Thin the M&G with water and dip the collars into it. Dip, drip dry to almost dry, do this about 3 or 4 times and the collars should be well sealed

I looked it up and it says it is a floor 'cleaner'. Is that the same product you are referring to?

[Samalan]

Harness leather works good .

[Handstitched]

@Warhauk this is the stuff I use:

https://maclaceleather.com.au/product/seal-shine-1-litre/

It has a nice glossy  look and feel to the finished product. I use it on pretty much all dyed products. 

HS 

[Warhauk]

On 12/8/2021 at 1:39 PM, fredk said:

 

I find that Resolene is no longer a good sealant. I prefer to use a certain 'floor polish' which is actually a water thin acrylic varnish. In your area it might be called 'Mop & Glo'. Thin the M&G with water and dip the collars into it. Dip, drip dry to almost dry, do this about 3 or 4 times and the collars should be well sealed

Funny enough, all the places I normally shop seem to be completely sold out of mop n glo (or only have the 3 in 1 and reading those ingredients, felt it was very iffy to be using it on leather). So I ended up just doing the 5 collars I was working on with resolene and also made myself a 1.5" wide bracelet that I dyed and finished the same exact way for me to wear around purely to test bleed off potential. I've learned that a resolene coating against your skin is not particularly the most comfortable experience and also, while I was putting the barcelet on for the first time, I created a tiny crack in the resolene near the edge (which I just tossed a bit more resolene over). I admit that I'm not sure I applied the resolene well. I did a pretty heavy coating of it, let it sit and soak in a bit and gave it a little wipedown before it started to fully dry so it didnt come out uneven and on the back, i worked it in with a bristle brush then just let it dry. After it dried, I gave it a second coat. Both time, I was experiencing dye coming off and I'm not sure if that means I didn't properly remove all the surface dye or if that is a typical thing. If it is typical, wouldnt the dye mix with the resolene as it dries and just bleed off of that? If it isn't normal, then how do I do a proper dye removal beforehand? I gave it a really good buffing with a dry cloth until nothing was coming off before applying the resolene.