Paint to use on Leather

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I have a Pendragon Leather Celtic Knot Bodice.  It is older than dirt, but the suede is still in great condition.  However, the celtic circles are fading & flaking off.  Rather than take it back to faire and send it to California (somebody from Pendragon at Rendezvous in Texas told me that's what I'd have to do to have them repaint it), my husband is very talented and creative, and he says that he could paint it for me.  His whole family has an artistic strain, me - I can't hold a pencil!

It really doesn't look too hard, because the circles are flat with well-defined grooves to separate the paint from the plain black leather.   Also, it is a kind of rust, and I thought maybe I'd go for a different color and paint on the top of the remaining rust color.

Can any of the leather workers suggest a brand of paint that he could use to do this that wouldn't rub off when I'm wearing it?  And where to buy it?

Thanks for your help.

[Nighthawk]

Paints will always rub off! There's nothing that I have seen that you can do about that. What I would suggest is Fiebing's Leather Dye.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/2100-114.aspx?feature=Product_2&kw=dye
Dyes work so much better, if applied properly. One thing you will have to also think about is using a good deglazer to remove the original finish. Otherwise, the dye won't take as well, if at all. Fiebing makes a deglazer. I have it, but have yet to use. I have a belt that needs refinishing that I've been really lazy about.   Make sure your husband does his homework, though, before he starts this project. Leather is very unforgiving of mistakes.

[lady serena]

Tandy Leather Factory also sells the paint that you asked about for painting the Bodice. Here is a link for it.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/department/Liquids-N/Eco-Flo-Products-N/2602-132.aspx?feature=Product_10

But as Nighthawk stated you need to clean the leather before appling a new coat. Then you also nee to seal the paint so it wont flake or rub off, and this is what I use.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/department/Liquids-N/Eco-Flo-Products-N/2610-136.aspx?feature=Product_2

Every leatherworker uses different products as some dont like paints and others do, so you choose what you feel comfortable using.

[Nighthawk]

Tandy Leather Factory also sells the paint that you asked about for painting the Bodice. Here is a link for it.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/department/Liquids-N/Eco-Flo-Products-N/2602-132.aspx?feature=Product_10

But as Nighthawk stated you need to clean the leather before appling a new coat. Then you also nee to seal the paint so it wont flake or rub off, and this is what I use.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/home/department/Liquids-N/Eco-Flo-Products-N/2610-136.aspx?feature=Product_2

Every leatherworker uses different products as some dont like paints and others do, so you choose what you feel comfortable using.

I will echo the Eco Flo products. The paints and dyes are great; the stains, I have had difficulty using, only because they don't thin well. I used the Eco Flo paints on this:



As to the Super Sheen, that is also something I've had good results with- especially when antiquing, because you can burnish it really easily. But if you're actually going with the paint, and not with a stain, I would recomend the Fiebing's Leather Sheen. It uses a wax based sealer, and in the case of paints, it seems to work better as a protectent.

***EDIT*** A word of advice... Don't EVER spill a half bottle of Feibing's USMC black all over yourself! I just did that... This crap is going to take a week to go away!!