Top Coat-Finishes

[JD Alan]

This is an extension of an earlier question on color matching, trying to dye a belt to match an existing holster. I've settled on either straight saddle tan, or 1/3 light brown 2/3 saddle tan, both used straight, not cut with EVOO or anything else. It sort of depends on how the final finish affects the color.

I've tried the following on products on different sections of a strip of veg tan dyed saddle tan: Skidmores,  Montana Pitch Blend,  Leather Balm with atom wax, Acrylic Resolene, Carnuba cream, Tan Kote, and Super Sheene.

My questions: Are all of these made to be used separately, as final coats? Should I use any of these, one of top of the other? Has someone found any one of these to be superior over the others? I've got to say, so far the Skidmores looks great, with Montana Pitch Blend a close second.

Thanks guys, JD

[cowboywc]

Howdy JD
I don't recommend mixing your top coats. Pick one.
WC

[JD Alan]

Thanks for the response WC. So then those are all top coats? I wasn't too sure with some of them. Although I prefer the look Skidmores or Montana Pitch Blend produces, they aren't quite shiny enough to match the holster

I have 12 squares of leather with different combinations of dye and other products on them. It's turning out that the closest match of the bunch is the one I mixed saddle tan with EVOO to apply, then a coat of Skidmores, and finally a coat of Fiebings Carnauba cream. I don't know if that seems like a weird combo or not, but it's looking pretty close to the holster in color, feel, and shine. The Carnauba gave it the feel and shine, but didn't alter the color.

The question now is, can I dye it straight, then put the EVOO on and have the same results as mixing the dye and oil together. It would be easier to apply them separately, since they don't mix together real good. There is only one way to find out. It's been a good education.         

[cowboywc]

Howdy JD
Skidmores is not a topcoat it is a conditioner. It just happens to work very well as a finish. You can buff it to a shine after a couple of days.
WC

[JD Alan]

Thanks for that info WC, I appreciate the time you spend answering my questions.

So if I understand it correctly, Skidmores, Montana Pitch Blend, and Lexol are all conditioners, and after using the one of your choice, you can put a top finish of some sort to protect? Waterproof? Shine up?

Skidmores and Montana PB produced the same results on smooth, dyed veg-tan in look, feel and color. I didn't try Lexol because I forgot that I had some.   

Fiebings lists 8 different top finishes, and I've tried 6 of the 8, all on smooth veg tan, dyed with saddle tan pro dye. I'm not seeing much difference in them, except the leather sheen produces more of a shine than the other products. My next step is to do some stamping on some test pieces, to see how the dye, conditioner, and top finishes affect the stamped areas

Now that all of my test pieces have had amble time to dry, straight saddle tan, followed by Skidmores or Montana PB looks the closest to the holster. They don't feel the same, because the holster has some sort of top finish on it. I'm going to try contacting Ross, and ask about the top finish. Who knows, they might actually give me an answer!

If someone out there can comment on the differences between the different top finishes Fiebings offers, I would sure appreciate it. JD