Setting dyes/stains

[Pappy Hayes]

What do you use to make sure the dye/stains do not come off when getting holster wet? I just finished a holster for a semi-auto. When I got it wet to form it, I was getting a little of the dye on my hands. I have been using Resolene over my dyes/stains.

[Trailrider]

Try Fiebing's Bag-Kote (neutral).  Tandy/Leather Factory does NOT stock it, but has Tan-Kote. I order Bag-Kote directly from Fiebings.  Since it is water-based, you don't have to worry about haz-mat fees, storage, etc.

After the leather is thoroughly dry, I apply a light application to the leather using a soft cloth such as an old T-shirt. The cloth may show stain from the dye, but after the Bag-Kote dries, I have seldom had trouble with the dye rubbing off. This includes black dyes and my "Faded Arsenal" mix of 50/50 Black & Tan for military gear.

Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

[DUKE DEADEYE NUKEM]

Try Fiebing's Bag-Kote (neutral).  Tandy/Leather Factory does NOT stock it, but has Tan-Kote. I order Bag-Kote directly from Fiebings.  Since it is water-based, you don't have to worry about haz-mat fees, storage, etc.

After the leather is thoroughly dry, I apply a light application to the leather using a soft cloth such as an old T-shirt. The cloth may show stain from the dye, but after the Bag-Kote dries, I have seldom had trouble with the dye rubbing off. This includes black dyes and my "Faded Arsenal" mix of 50/50 Black & Tan for military gear.

Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

What he said.

[rickk]

I use 2-3 coats of Resolene, which I apply with a dampened rag. The water dilutes the Resolene so that it doesn't just sit on the surface and stay shiny.

Did you already have Resolene on it when you were trying to wet mold it?  I would have waited until after it was done before applying the Resolene.  Resolene blocks water pretty well, so it would be harder to get it wet enough to wet mold it.

A couple of thoughts... how long before you molded it did you dye it? Dye moves around for a few days it seems. Many a splotchy dye job is fixed by putting the piece down for a couple days and when you pick it up again all of a sudden it looks good.

Also, if you did have Resolene on the piece when you wet molded it, how long did you give it to dry before you were handling it?

If it was only a day or two, let me tell you about how "paint dries" ;-)

Water, or whatever solvent is used, holds the paint particles in suspension and the particles are separated from each other by the solvent.  When paint "dries", all that means is that the solvent has evaporated and the particles are allowed to touch each other. This is the stage where it feels dry but it is soft. Yes, it is "dry", but it has not completed "curing". In fact, if it was to get wet again at this point the particles would go back into solution again.

Over the course of the next few days the particles start to bond with each other, forming a solid coating. When the bonding process stops, the paint is cured. Now there are no spaces between the particles for water to enter.

I dunno if all this helps ya, but I hope it points you in the right direction.

Rick

[Cliff Fendley]

+1 for Bag Kote.

I've had trouble with some dyes especially Black rubbing off on ivory knife handles. I have realized it was when I used Resolene as a top coat. The ones I used Bag Kote on does not. I only use Bag Kote over black.