Dye the hideous gold deer hide ?

[BillinOregon]

I have some hunks of deer, moose and elk hide that is the usual commercial chrome-tanned golden yellow. I'd like to put it to use and not have it advertise greenhorn from 200 yards off. Has anyone dyed this stuff a less obnoxious color? What did you use?

 

[rabjr]

Sure, I use a mix of of stains or dyes from Tandy leather. Either from Fiebing's or I have been using the newer Eco-Flo stains lately with very good results.

 

[blacksmithman64]

Rough up the grain side with a power sander or a wire brush if your into the elbow grease thing. soak it a few days in some powerful walnut dye.It should then look dirty tan after its dried.This works for me when I have the unfortunate luck to run into the ugly stuff! :thumbsup:

 

[LaBonte]

1) Get some RIT dye remover and use it first
2) Then dye with walnut hulls, logwood, strong coffee, or even Rit Dye itself - with any of the above add a cup or so of vinegar to set the dye. Let air in the sun and wind.
If you'd like to make if look more like braintan stetch it as TIGHT as possible smooth side up on a piece of board. Use an orbital sander with 220 grit - if that doesn't do it use 150 grit. Just go slow and keep the sander moving. Do this before anything else.


While the reenacting community at large considers yellow to be the mark of a greenhorn there are in fact plenty of original 19th Century NDN gear dyed in a bright yellow - in particular So Plains clothes ie. So Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Comanche - they are of course braintan rather than smooth side commercial hides.........

 

[pichou]

Rough up the grain side with a power sander or a wire brush if your into the elbow grease thing. soak it a few days in some powerful walnut dye.It should then look dirty tan after its dried.This works for me when I have the unfortunate luck to run into the ugly stuff! :thumbsup:

Roughing up the hair side works good.

Then go over the flesh side with a brass BBQ brush. Changing the texture will tone down the color. If it comes out light enough, you can then smoke it a bit.

 

[omarick1948]

Stretch it out flat and hang it towards the interior top of a Tipi with a low smokey fire or just staple into an envelope with the botton end open. Hang on a tri-pod with smoke underneith it to smoke and then turn hide inside out and do the other side. That way you can control the deepness of color you want! I like to smoke hides with rotten punky Cottonwood from deadfalls.

Rick

 

[flm_shooter]

Middle one was Fiebings black dye toned down a bit. Left and right were lots of old tea bags that I boiled to heck and back. Middle and left were from same piece of yellow leather. One was rough side out, one smooth. Right one was a thicker strap from a different piece.

(edit: yes, I like recycling pictures)

 

[blacksmithman64]

proof positive that theres help fer gold leather! :thumbsup: