The Leather Element: Comparing Leather Top Coats

Shop Leather Top Coats: www.weaverleat...
Finding the right top coat can be difficult. In this week's episode of "The Leather Element", Chuck shows the differences between six options by applying them to leather that has been dyed with Fiebing's Pro Dye. We hope this helps distinguish the differences and helps you find the perfect topcoat for your projects!
Leather Balm with Atom Wax: www.weaverleat...
Resolene: www.weaverleat...
Bag Kote: www.weaverleat...
RTC: www.weaverleat...
Leather Sheen: www.weaverleat...
Saddle-Lac: www.weaverleat...

[@bigang8367]

This guy is awesome. He's the teacher you want to learn from. Also he give info in a timely manner instead of long drawn out extra long overly informative directions.

[@shirleymalar2773]

Thank you for doing this demo. As a hobbyist, I would never be able to buy all these products to compare them. I appreciate that I can rely on Weaver Leather to share this information.

[@NathanShines]

Thank you sir for your years of work and passing your expertise on to us!

[@tommytitmouse]

Hi chuck from Tom in the UK. To be honest I wouldn`t know half I`ve learned since stating Leather crafting without Chucks fantastic teaching Videos. A massive thankyou to you Chuck ,and please do not ever think of stopping teaching us novices these techniques as they are invaluable .

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you so much, Tom! That means a lot!

[@LittleDangerMouse]

I had to completely remove a "professional" restoration on a veg tan leather tote bag and this was SO helpful for a novice like me. I've watched a few hours of your videos on basics to help with the project and I've become a fan. Thank you so much for being SO detailed on your explanations and offering your own preferences on each.

[@jamieswanson8828]

Whoa nice! Saddle Lac sales going through the roof now lol. I'm getting some!

[@scootr777]

What’s going on. Love the video . I have been using the saddle lac on some belts I’m making. Sometimes I’ll come back and it will just start peeling of the belt . The belt had been dyed and antiqued. What do you think causes that ? Thanks .

[@benzhang3913]

I love your teaching so much! Thank you, sir!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

You are very welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@patrickgleason6610]

This video was HUGELY beneficial. I've been brainstorming a leather project, but I was stuck trying to figure out what topcoat I was going to use. Pretty sure Saddle Lac is the way to go. Thanks!

[@petetownsend7142]

Chuck, thanks for the tutorial on topcoats. This demonstrated the differences in sheens and color changes which gives a person a better idea of what product to use. I have to agree with you, that Saddle Lac looks like the way to go! Thanks for what you do and keep them coming!

[@michaelmorris2837]

Thank you so much,I just ordered the Saddle Lac for my next projects,love that finish.Thank you again for sharing your time and talent.

[@colt5189]

I'd like a video comparing the different acrylic sealers. i.e. Angelus, matte, satin, gloss, Resolene, Eco Flo Matte, Sating, etc.

[@glacialimpala]

Same!

[@robertobulgheroni4525]

Good evening, I have a question, is it possible to apply oils, balms, creams over these finishes to nourish the leather or do they form a waterproof layer that prevents absorption? Thanks for the reply and thanks for the interesting video!

[@TheLeathersmithShop]

Great video! I'd love to see the same type of video, but with putting drops of water on the leather after the finishes dry, to see what performs the best. Sidenote: I use resolene for waterproofing, and it doesn't really effect darker leather colors, just the light ones. Especially using an air brush.

[@reefwade]

This. The video is great, but focused solely on color/gloss outcomes. What about actual protection? I'd also guess that applying those wet vs dry has more to do with penetration and depth of protection.

[@TheLeathersmithShop]

@@reefwade Ian Atkinson did an in depth video on finishes, think he tested like 5 or 6 by putting water on them. But these guys have access to way more so that's why I suggested it for their videos.

[@viking90706]

That belt you wear is amazing!

[@thomaskolthoff7546]

Hi Chuck just starting to make holsters after wet forming and dying should I edge coat then use Resolene in that order? Thanks for your help.

[@commonsensecorner7275]

WOW, THANK YOU!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 I love the color, Burnt Orange is my favorite. 🧡 This was a HUGE HELP, because I want to make a belt and I haven’t even cut my first piece of leather yet! I’m not thrilled about the Saddle Lac being a spray, but it is gorgeous and it will be my go to for no color change when dyeing! 👍🏽👍🏽 I’ll get the Leather Balm for darker browns that I wouldn’t mind getting darker! 👍🏽👍🏽

[@theWalkingMuse]

When dying with alcohol-based dyes, can you add some leather balm to re-hydrate it before applying Resolene? Or will the oils an waxes prevent the Resolene from "sticking". Thanks!

[@ORenee]

I have this same question as well. I hope someone answers.

[@ropetrick6259]

thank you for this video. i have struggled find the right top coat over the years. looks like i am going to get some saddle lac and leather balm. see how they work on my projects. thank you for all the help.

[@JoyinFlorida]

Holy smokes! Sooo glad I found this! I ALWAYS buy leather furniture with a wax sheen because of my spoiled dogs...it makes cleaning EASY. But for some reason THIS time I not only purchased a non waxed finish, but it's light grey🤦‍♀️Imagine my nightmare. I was literally about to have a furniture consignment place come get it but seeing as I paid 1800 for it 5 months ago I KNEW I was gonna lose my butt. I'm ordering saddle lac today and I pray that it works!!

[@londonjacks8371]

Good video Chuck, what’s your opinion on Weavers Top Coat 200, is it really waterproof?

[@khayelihleshezi1812]

Hi thanks for the video,I just wanna ask which one can be recommended leather couches after redying ? thank you.

[@dashag3554]

Thank you so much for the video! Will try Resolene as a finish for my saddle...fingers crossed!)))))

[@lapaporter4744]

Thanks, great video. Actually I love the leather sheen, I use it a lot, I like to protect the colour but not to have a real change on the leather surface, I prefer a mat look on the leather so I think it is great! Thanks for your videos!

[@k_sey.9370]

After I tool, oil & paint/dye can I use leather balm with atom wax before I antique? Then apply more Atom wax as top coat over my antique? Or should I use resolene over my antique?

[@lsubslimed]

Excellent video. I was just curious, I've been having some problems with Bag-Kote, Resolene, and Leather Balm (with atom wax) lifting out the dye as I apply them. This is after a plenty of time for the dye to dry and also with plenty of hard buffing to get rid of excess pigment. This even happened when I applied Leather Balm on top of a Resolene finish. Do you know of any way to avoid this? Thanks!

[@rondumontier1187]

Nice. I used saddle lac for many years now on wet molded outdoor gear. Can,t go wrong. Bag coat I use equally as much. Then resolene. Once again a great helpful video.

[@programmingfortheweb]

I bought some pre dyed veg tan leather and the dye comes off at an alarming rate. I've tried various finishing methods (including those suggested in this video) to "set" the dye but none is really successful. Any tips you can give to set the dye and avoid the alarming rub-off please?

[@mamabearsleatherworks3546]

Great video Chuck! I love seeing the side by side comparisons!

[@TQB12]

Would you recommend Leather Balm, Leather Sheen or Resolene for a couch? I want to avoid cracking and bleeding. First project and unsure where to go. Thank you!

[@zabeeden4394]

will this protect leather that has been painted or do you suggest something else for that?

[@digitaIgorilla]

Good explanation. Enough info to let people see and choose what might suit them. I have a question... I have seen people hammer along their seams and stitching after completion. Why do they do this? Does it make a difference at all?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thanks so much for watching! Hammering your stitches will sink your stitches down evenly against the leather and it will also close up the holes from the stitching chisels. If you check out the following video at about the 14-minute mark Chuck explains this and you can see the difference between hammered and unhammered. Hope that helps! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gp64Y4KCg8-Hm9k

[@digitaIgorilla]

Excellent, watched and absorbed. Yep, that answered it exactly!

[@EM-cg4iy]

Cool, gonna keep on using the Saddle Lac then!

[@jasonchapman9116]

Just what I needed to know, thanks Chuck. Another great informative video, love your boundless enthusiasm for the craft.

[@stevemalone2010]

Good comparison, thanks!

[@michaelsantana5781]

Hey Chuck, out of all these Top Coats which would you say keeps the leather smell the best? Love your videos they've been a huge help.

[@nicoledellabalma1356]

Thank you Chuck! I love your videos! They are always helpful. I had an additional question on top coats. When would you use the product Tuff Kote Clear? How does it compare? Also, do any of these top coats protect agains UV fading?

[@brandonfullenkamp4723]

It's videos like this (and every other video) that provide such a depth of information that led me to buying from Weaver for my very first large cut of leather. Thank you for going so far in depth on every topic you cover.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you so much, Brandon!

[@alexbaker9967]

​@WeaverLeatherSupply I'm doing my cowboy boots once the dye is dry do I buff my boots before adding resolene????

[@joshuaesack4970]

So, I bought Leather Hero Satin Top Coat and it is sticky after 3 days…is this normal? It is my first project

[@fishingingermany6977]

thanks for this video, was very helpful on the newest sheath I am completing.

[@ladgaddh5948]

Wow! Great video and thank you for simple and clear explanation

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Glad it was helpful! You're welcome.

[@mengjunwang7057]

I have a question about the sealing. I heard that some of them are water resistant, does that mean that there is no use of the leather conditioner any more? Thanks

[@michaelhada1865]

Thank you for the video. Been having trouble with to much darkening of my projects. Very helpful video. Keep up the good work

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you, Michael!

[@kristi94]

Do we need to seal our leather with a top coat even if we haven't painted it? I have ordered some veg tan from my loc tannery and it will be natural ..so I can dye it my self. But what if we decide not to dye it and use it as is. Do we still need to use a top coat?

[@k_sey.9370]

Since weaver is carrying Smiths Leather balm, what do you think about strictly using that leather balm as a top coat over Pro Dye? Or leather balm in general as the only top coat?

[@nightwalkeraceland]

This is very informational. I was holding off on my major projects until I found which one to chose from. You made this decision easy for me. Thank you so much! I'm off to buy some Sheridan RTC.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@janetbenson9163]

You just answered my top coat question I asked from your other video. Love it! Thank you.

[@slide6shottie4]

I am dyeing a pair of white leather boots. After using acetone to deglaze the boots, I applied a layer of the fiebing black pro dye, and noticed it dries a dark navy blue. I am applying many more coats in an attempt to make it black, but it doesn't really quite give me the deep black look. Would using the black resolene make a significant difference in the final coat or should I just use the neutral resolene that I already bought?

[@chuckgaudette8885]

Hey Chuck, I just got some Saddle Lac which I like. Can I use a conditioner with this like leather balm or Bick 4? If so, would I use the conditioner first and then the Saddle Lac? I assume the conditioner wouldn't penetrate the leather if I used it after the Saddle Lac.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

We haven’t tried using the Saddle-Lac with a conditioner. Either way - before or after it has been applied. We would suggest giving both a try on a piece of scrap leather and experiment to see which outcome you like the best.

[@affinityatkinson5987]

Extremely informative to a beginner like myself truly appreciate these videos short quick and to-the-point I really wish you would put more out the spokesman may want to consider a little best coffee haha

[@davidh3999]

Would you use top coat instead of an oil? Neatsfoot for example? Or would it be oil > dye > top coat?

[@texuzlatina]

This is just a top coat or will it also condition? Asking for the saddle lac

[@Rickjapodaca]

Very informative. Looking forward to the next video.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you, Rick!

[@mr.m6387]

Can you add the clearcoat/protectant over acrylic leather paint as well if you're using both dye and paint on you projects? Will the effect be different as for as finish or durability?

[@honda200twinstar3]

Here in Ontario Canada .the leather shine is $17 at Tandy and the Sadl-lac is $27 ..so for me it was price that helped me decide ,and on a scrap piece i had tooled,dyed,and leather shined it does have some water resistance as i spraid a mist of water and the water did bead up and not soak in and or leave a spot.

[@cannonfodder90]

Dear Weaver Leathercraft, mr Dorsett, Always informative, Always well presented, Always brings a smile to my face. And the videos you make are also a source for great inspiration. I can rant endlessly about how great it is to watch the things you do. But don't let me bore you with that. So to cut a short story even shorter, I trust you implicitly when it comes to leather related information. I'm in the process of making my own leather military Late Roman belt. I found the required veg tanned leather, now I'm looking into dyeing the leather. I know that I should use the Fiebing Pro Oil Red dye. (although the real historical option using madder for red would be amazing but for a starter project that is not supposed to be cost prohibitive and to difficult, that seems a bit much.) But there is one thing that still eludes me. How to 'finish' or 'seal' the leather after dyeing. I want something that prevents rub off or bleeding of the dye. But here's the hard part. It would be amazing if there would be something that doesn't affect the collor or sheen/gloss of the leather. Someone I know that also does leatherwork advises every season/once per year Rapide leather grease/oil or Lederfett Gelb as a finisher. What are your views on this? And even if there is some darkening of the color, is there something that works without leaving a sheen/gloss on the leather? With kind regards, Jeroen Wichers

[@mengjunwang7057]

Thank you so much, do you have a recommendation for matte feel like seal while does not change the color that much? Thanks

[@henriquevaz6928]

Hi, can water based lacquer be used with oil based fiebing's dye? I dyed my seats with the fiabings dye, but now I can only find water based lacquer were I live.

[@benzhang3913]

Thank you so much, it's a great finishing lesson!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@cheezballz512]

Great video! After leather is sealed, will it absorb leather conditioner down the road?

[@baidoc1633]

Newbie question here: If I dye leather, then apppy a topcoat, do I then at the end still use stuff like my Fiebings Aussie Wax?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

You don't need to because the top coat will actually resist the Aussie. You can always apply the Aussie as a conditioner once the leather item has been used for a while and could use a good conditioning.

[@tannernail7919]

Thanks Chuck. Any opinions on Tan Kote? I’ve been using it a lot lately but haven’t used it long enough to see how it looks over time.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Tanner, Tan Kote is going to be very similar to Bag Kote except it has a little bit more gloss because it's resin-based but overall it should wear very well over time.

[@laurendill5572]

Does condition fall into this category? Like the Oakwood Leather Conditioner? Is that a suitable top coat like these? specifically for a wet molded holster.

[@curtissheppard1996]

Great vid man,I needed that. Thank you.

[@rhino159]

Chuck you are always so positive thank you for the information, Cheers Mate!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you!

[@eiyumats6218]

Amazing video! Big thanks. I have a question. Which leather conditioner should be applied for periodic maintenance after saddle lac?

[@korntatan]

I like the result of atom wax, is it give a waterproof effect? I've seen some other youtuber apply resolene on the leather and drop some water to show that coat with resolene give a waterproof effect. but after I give it a try with the resolene. the leather still absobed the water or maybe I might apply resolene with the wrong method?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

The leather balm with atom wax will not give a waterproof finish, it will keep the dye from rubbing onto clothes but it won't keep water out. The RTC resist will give a pretty water-resistant finish but because leather is porous it's hard to completely waterproof it. Something like Oakwood leather conditioner and Aussie leather conditioner will also help repel water. Hope this helps!

[@dogma13gaming]

Hey chuck my local store has fiebings 4 way care leather conditioner and I'm not sure what it is used for. Is it supposed to be used before dying or tooling or after. I can't seem to find any info online except that it preserves strengthens cleans and beautifies. I'm new at this and not sure if I need it or what. Please any info would be appreciated.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Jeramy, Fiebing's 4 Way Leather care is a great product for cleaning and conditioning finished leather goods. Say, you have a belt or a headstall that's been used for a while and needs cleaned - this product will clean and condition. Hope that helps!

[@JCraftvfx]

I'm making a hat and dont want to worry if I wear it out in the rain and getting water spots, would any of these prevent that?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Jason, The best water repellent top coat we've found is beeswax, apply it to the entire surface once the hat is finished. Leather Balm isn't water repellent but I did find that there weren't any water spots once the leather dried after wetting it. Hope that helps.

[@cekkmt]

Is there a trade off in durability with any of these coatings/are any of these more resistant to dye fading than the others?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

I can’t honestly tell you how much light fading there will be with any of the top coats. It’s a real issue for products that are constantly in the elements (reins, saddles, gun straps…) but for the most part any of the above will help. Without a top coat, the leather will fade quickly but a good top coat seems to really limit that. As for durability, what I’ve seen is that the top coat will wear off and that can make the leather appear lighter. Once I see a product wearing I’ll add another coat or two and it will really pop back to a rich color. In my opinion, the wax based seem to have the best durability (Leather Balm, Aussie…).

[@TheLeathersmithShop]

I make a lot of wallets and pen sleeves, stuff that goes in your pocket everyday and gets used a lot. Resolene offers actual waterproofing for outside surfaces, and my personal wallet hasn't changed color after 2 years of use. Just don't put resolene on the insides, it'll stick even after it dries. Use something like Aussie.

[@L.WolfMoidell-is6vz]

Very helpful video especially for beginners. My only criticism is that it was an improper application of Resolene which should not be buffed at the same time as the application. In fact as an acrylic top coat it really does not need to be buffed at all. But, aside from that, useful video. 👌

[@jamesvarner6254]

so you said your least favorite topcoat is leather sheen but you used a spray can. is there any difference with the rub on liquid or is it the same result?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi James, The rub on liquid would be the same finish and would result in the same look once applied. But, if you like the finish it gives then rub on liquid might be easier to apply and you wouldn't get the little air bubbles. Hope that helps!

[@jamesvarner6254]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply well i did try the rub on and its a very nice and even shine so i might stick with this one cause the armor i am making i dont want too much to it. thank you for the tips.

[@SunyJim]

Came up at just the right time, i was just wondering about all these top coats and benefits of each!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thanks, Colin! Glad the video was helpful!

[@ShellieByrd]

ohh that Saddle Lac!! How does that interact with paints? Im interested in using it to finish off my leather crafts that have been painted. I find that some of the wetter finishes that I have to rub cause issues.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

The Saddle Lac would work great for paints since its an aerosol, just make sure to use light coats.

[@yayaglass]

Great vid! What do you do with the BACK of a DIP DYED piece that will be against the skin, bracelet, necklace, etc, to revent dye transfer?

[@Mx.Kaisho]

in most cases simply don't dye them, that's what I've learnt during some of those videos. Most of the time you will not see the inside of a mask or the collar or what else. But still interesting question.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

I rub/clean all my projects before top coating with a lightly oiled rag (not enough oil to spot but more of a cleaning that gets a bit of oil in) and I’ll hit all edges, top grain and backing. With the Pro Dye, it really wicks in well so surface rub-off isn’t a big issue (a full soaking can be though). Once that’s had a good amount of dry time I’ll add my top coat the same way (top grain, flesh side and a little extra effort on the edges). With the combination of the Pro Dye, a good rub-down and a good coverage of top coat, the rub-off is reduced immensely. This has always worked for me, but, we sweat, it rains…and it’s almost impossible to completely seal leather in these types of situations.

[@yayaglass]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply Thank you so much! I guess another stand-by is to back it with suede or thin raw veg tan. I was hoping, as we all do, for a quick fix, LOL. I did buy an Air Brush, long ago, but the issues of cleaning it and figuring out how to get it back together again put an end to that. I'd love to use one for ombre dying, but it's just too much trouble, or seems so. Perhaps you can make a comprehensive vid on that process, I know how to use one, but not the specifics of cleaning a brush after using Pro Dye, etc. Again, thanks for your reply! Karen

[@TheLeathersmithShop]

You can try gum trag, or tokonole from Japan. Just apply a thin layer and burnish with a wood or glass slicker. Just buff off as much dye pigment as possible before applying it. The pro dyes seem to have the least bleeding, and it generally stops after a few uses. Pig skin is a great backing too, comes in veg tan and colors, and its soft.

[@Alomtancos]

Yes, that did help A LOT! Thank you for the explanation - now I feel I can navigate according to my needs for each project! I may not want a high gloss all the time... phew! Lot to process :) great material!

[@dieuxroux]

Which one's the most durable - abrasion resistant?

[@leanneharvey9778]

I have a question but it isn't about this how do you or can you carve/stamp and wetform on the same peice?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi LeAnne, The best way to do this is tool while in the press or on a form. The saddle folks will tool the swells once they’re on the tree. You can tool before forming but it adds some issues. Areas that are backgrounded can stretch more than the rest of the design and if the design wraps around corners then you can actually lose some, or most, of the tooling in the bends.

[@leanneharvey9778]

Thank you it is a topic I just haven't seen anything about

[@Glennoutdoors]

I love leather Sheen , It works great for my leather projects .

[@zoescott779]

Leather sheen is the only thing I can find locally, and I personally see nothing wrong with how it looks so 🤷

[@deadtotheworld00]

I know you said these don’t water proof so I’m curious what water proofing options there are? Is wax finishing the only real way?

[@elliotbegley]

Heyo! What finish would you recommend for a low gloss, matte top coat? Secondly, what top coat would you recommend for something that will have moisture contact, like a coaster?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Elliot, If you're wanting a water resistant top coat, we would recommend the Bee Natural RTC, however this does get pretty shiny. I would say try beeswax, this will be very resistant to water and it buffs to a pretty mellow finish.

[@MFTgal]

Which is best top coat to protect leather dye on a western saddle?

[@Ashlynn.HudsonWelburn]

That's a wonderful demonstration of the effects these finishes have. Thank you for another great video (I've been binge-watching your channel - so happy to have found it, you're so informative!) May I ask, I've heard that Resolene is best for water resistance so a good choice for things that may get rained on. Do you find using Resolene makes a big difference for such applications, or do the others hold up well too? (thinking for a quiver I'm planning to make shortly). Also, do you ever apply finishes to the flesh side of leather? Came across a video earlier of someone using beeswax to do so... I'd not thought of finishing this side, I just left it as is on the projects I've tried so far.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Ashlynn, We tested some top coats out on a recent Facebook Live and beeswax has the most water resistance of any of them so if that's what you're needing I would say go with the beeswax finish. The only time I finish the flesh side is if I dye that side. If you dye the flesh side you'll have to seal it in. Hope that helps!

[@bananapotatonaaa]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply what do you use for a beeswax finish? can i use straight pure beeswax?

[@bradjones4737]

Nice comparison of application methods and color change. How do these finishes compare in durability and water resistance?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Brad, Most of these top coats provide protection but not water resistance. Resolene will provide a water resistant finish, as will our Clear Leather Sealer or a conditioner like Oakwood. We'll link them below for you. Resolene: www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/50-1920/fiebings-resolene/pr_8070 Clear Leather Sealer: www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/50-2998/clear-leather-sealer-quart/pr_59758 Oakwood Conditioner: www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/50-2154/oakwood-leather-conditioner/pr_35392

[@mitchsadler1]

Thanks for the Video. Saddle Lac 🔥

[@bret9741]

How well does saddle lac wear? I just refinished king ranch seats in my f-150. I’m looking for a way to help reduce the staining etc. I’ve used Atom wax in the past. What I like about the rain was is it removes easily and I can condition and re stain as the color fades after a couple of years

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Bret, The Saddle-Lac is my favorite, BUT, it has several tricks to get it to work just right and the durability is good but I don’t think it’s as good as the Balm. Also, the Balm is going to give it some wax, which is good for the leather, and if your familiar/comfortable with the Balm I would say stay with it.

[@bret9741]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply 🙏 thank you.

[@paulbh7]

thank you! this answers my question in a different video

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@veronicallamas9333]

No rub off with saddle lac?? Because resolene didn’t work for me.

[@darleneshipe7120]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! This is one of the topics that is so confusing for new leather crafters like me!!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you, Darlene! So glad it was helpful!

[@rachaeljohnson7327]

What is the best for furniture?

[@lonerangeri56]

Would you be able to use antique after applying leather balm wax

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

You can, it won't be like a true resist such as Resolene or ProResist.

[@tonyobyrne1846]

Very helpful Chuck - as always 😉 Could you comment on long term behaviour ov various ones. For example, I saw in another forum a comment saying that Resolene cracks with age. Thanks in advance! Tony

[@Automedon2]

I was happy to hear that Saddle Lac doesn't change the color, but after buying it I am very disappointed in the result. It is a high gloss finish that, to me, looks plastic and artificial, like a highly polished shoe. I'll keep using Bag Kote, which has a beautiful soft sheen (but does darken the leather) until I find something else.

[@bronsonlott9532]

This was really helpful. I’m a bit late to the part but I have a question. Which would be best for a really low gloss, almost matte, finish that prevents dye rub off? The project I have in mind is a backpack and I prefer a dull leather but I’m worried about the dye coming off during wear.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Bronson, We would recommend the Bag Kote or an Aussie Leather Conditioner for a low gloss finish.

[@rashawncoward5505]

Should I use tan kote to seal acrylic paint?

[@3mcherr]

Love the vids. I have a question. How do you decide the length on covers i.e. journal covers, wallet outside panels, etc. Thanks in advance. Get the vids coming learning so much

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Mark, I tend to set my stitch line in 1/8” in from the edge and will then add about 1/4" to accommodate most thicknesses of covers. So, about 3/8” (each side) from the measurement of the journal. For the length, I may go 1/2" each side. That gives us a little room for error. If the cover comes out too small it’s an issue, but, if it’s a 1/4” wider or longer it won’t be noticeable and will actually give it a bit of room to move without stretching the spine too tight.

[@thomasbradley9012]

Can you still condition the leather with these top coats, as well with acrylic finish?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

If you add a top coat, you won't be able to condition right away, no. The top coat will add a barrier, but once the item has been used and/or worn for a bit you'll be able to clean and condition it.

[@WickBeavers]

Hey Chuck! You said 2 but made 6 passes! How bout saddle soap? Would that work?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi there, Saddle soap can be used as an edge slicking agent but I wouldn't use it as a sealer for a top coat.

[@gc1370]

air brushing finishes is the way to go. i found that if you use fenice high gloss in an air brush, you can control the sheen by the amount you apply to an incredible degree. so much so that I rarely need to use other finishes. the only time I change it up is if I want a very flat matte.

[@TheDarkestOne37]

Always great videos when I hear it start with "Hi. I'm Chuck Dorsett with Weaver Leathercraft..." I was wondering how would you line a strap or belt (60" or more) if your lining is only 48 inches? I can't seem to find suede to line my strap that is longer than that and I am trying to figure out how to line and still have it look good. Thanks!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

The full length would be best, but without it, there is really only one way to go. As long as the edges are sewn and the liner is glued in with a good adhesive a butted splice, somewhere around the center, wouldn’t be a bad way to go. This would make the meet flush and the durability would be pretty good with some contact cement. If I’m not overstepping here, I would cut two straps of suede, wider than the belt strap and cut a good square edge on one end of each. When you drop the two ends together on the belt strap you could get them butted really cleanly. Trim the over-cut suede to the belt and the seam will be almost invisible. See if this helps?

[@TheDarkestOne37]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply Thank you! That is what I was thinking, but wasn't sure if there was a better way. That sounds like the way to go and I will try it. Thanks again! I appreciate the reply.

[@shirleymalar2773]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply Sounds like a new video subject to me!