Lacquer, Varnish or What?

I'm redoing all the labels on my suitcase, because they faded after a couple of summers of direct sunlight exposure on some extended trips.
This time, I would like to coat it with something that will protect it from UV and moisture. It has a smooth vinyl coating, that holds up to being cleaned with paint thinner, and I would like something that can be brushed on (I never have luck with sprays) and provide a clear smooth finish on both the flat surfaces and the curved surfaces.
Suggestions?

Cant help you re the applic method .
Spray was invented to eliminate brush strokes .

As far as coating type , dont use any epoxy products ; they will yellow .

Plenty of good exterior rattlecan clears available at most stores
Whats the problem ?
You cant spray rattlecan without runs ?

Best take it to a refinish shop for catalyzed clearcoat .

Varnish has some natural UV blocking, but the more yellow it is the better the UV blocking. Find a tung oil phenolic resin marine varnish (Epifanes Clear Varnish or Wood Finish Gloss Varnish, Interlux Original Superspar Varnish, etc). Avoid urethane based varnish. Also, varnish is normally expected to be sanded and recoated annually to maintain UV protection.

While you can get some urethane or 1 or 2 part polyurethane with UV blockers, it'll be expensive, and I'm not sure how it would hold up on a flexible surface. It might crack and peel and recoating doesn't work too well.

Dave.
It's not runs, but the finish never seems to turn out smooth when I spray something.

That's probably because of using off-the-shelf-mix rattle cans and you end up with varying degrees of orange peel. Guys who mix automotive paints for a living ALWAYS check the spray booth temperature and outside barometric pressure before starting the mix because those two factors make a BIG difference in how you mix the paint to keep it from drying or wetting before it hits the surface to be painted.

I won't say that mixing/spraying automotive/marine paint is a black art, but it's pretty darn close!

What about the wraps that Desi does?
Doug

I thought about the wraps, but I think they go on wet and that might damage labels. What do you think Desi?

Troy ,McCloskeys SuperSpar varnish works pretty well outdoors , is uv resistant and waterproof. Rattle can or brush on . If you spray it the suit case should be masked off so that only the decals get coated, it won't adhere well to the vinyl. If you brush it use a foam brush[eliminates brush marks]. Either method requires three coats and at least three days drying between coats. It will impart an amber cast to anything it's applied to. Regards ,Tom

You can get a flex agent to add to urethane paints its what the yuse on urethane bumpers on cars and dash pads . I have it on my elcamino's leather steering wheel and it has held up very well the last 16 years so that would be a real good product with the UV protecter also.

Troy---where did you find all the great travel stickers?

The slight yellowing only adds to the antique look to me.

This is the one..trust me:

http://valsparglobal.com/val/resident/manowar.jsp

spar varnish. the stuff they use on sailboats, and fishing rods. No way you need to sand and recoat each year. I did one fishing rod when I was 12. For years I used the thing almost daily in salt water, too. Needs redoing just about now. I'm 46.

I think a little yellowing or patina on the case looks good--authentic. That's me though.

Jack.
The picture I posted is about 3 years old. You could barely even tell what the labels were when I took them off last week.

Billy and Ed.
Do you think the Valspar would work over the vinyl surface?

Your fishing rod didn't need constant UV protection to prevent fading. The UV inhibitors chemically break down over time and reapplication is the only way to get it back. And since once you apply the varnish, you'll never get the decals back off, maintaining that UV protection is important. Now you're right, it probably won't need reapplying every year like a boat since it won't spend all its time outside in direct sunlight, but once they start to fade, it's too late.

BTW, that Valspar product is a urethane based varnish.