Zelikovitz Leathers has been helping leather craftsmen produce the finest products since 1890. You can find all the products I talk about in this guide in our store.

Using Antique Finishes.

Antique products do one common thing, they color a leathercrafters project while giving a color contrast between the tooled portions and the rest of the project. The first thing to consider when adding the antique effect is whether one should use Antique finish or Acrylic Antique Leather Stain.
This usually depends on the type of project at hand. Acrylic Leather Stain is excellent for large projects. Because it is in liquid form, it is easier to apply than Antique finish, which is in paste form. The ease in application helps control the amount of streaking that some people encounter with the paste. The drawback to using liquid stain is that the resulting color will not have the richness you can achieve with the paste.

To achieve the best results when using Antique finish, there are a few small tips that may help.

1. Prepare the leather to accept the Antique Finish by opening up the pores and grain of the leather. This can be done by lightly spraying the leather with water.
2. Cover the whole project with the Antique Finish in a circular motion with a dauber or a sponge. This will help minimize streaking.
3. If one does not want the entire project to be colored by the Antique Finish, one can seal off parts of the project with one of out top coats. These can also be used to protect previously dyed areas.
4. Without allowing the finish to dry, work it into the cuts and grooves of the project.

After approximately 2-5 minutes wipe off the excess with a damp sponge. After waiting for close to a half-hour for the project to dry, buff the article for a semi-gloss shine. Using a piece sheepwool works best.

One trick that many experienced craftsmen use is to dilute Antique Finish with Tan-Kote. Making a mixture of 20 percent Tan-Kote to 80 percent Antique Finish will prevent streaking and make it easier to buff, however the final outcome will have a slightly different look to it.

Hope this guide helps you.
Happy crafting.

Zelikovitz Leathers ...... Jamie Melamed