Dyeing Techniques??

[SpottedBull]

I hope I am not pushing it here but I want to help new leather workers and also learn as much as I can to make my stuff better.

One of the MAIN problems I have with leather working is how to get that nice even color on stuff like shooting bags and the like. I can get it really dark by putting a lot of dye on the item, but I want to get a nice even light tone to the color. I am using a mahogany Fiebings dye that looks good thinly applied, but I am afraid I will have streaks...

So how do you do it? And your favorite and/or tried and true aging tips as well PLEASE!!!!!

 

[Macon Due]

Spotted
Are you wetting the leather before you apply the dye? The best way I have found to ensure even [no streaking] coverage is to lightly dampen the leather prior to applying the dye.You can then also use a damp sponge if needed to even it out a bit.
Macon

 

[SpottedBull]

I may have it too damp actually. I usually wet it with a little bleach in the water to remove the glaze.

What do you use to apply the dye?

Haven't thought of the sponge to even it out...

 

[Macon Due]

Spotted
Just 'damp' is fine, I never used bleach...? I use a sponge or cottom swab to apply the dye.
Macon

 

[BrownBear]

What do you use to apply the dye?

For larger expanses of leather I always had the best results with an air brush. When mine died I tried on of these as a cheap and temporary alternative. A couple of years later I haven't bothered to replace the air brush. They pay for themselves in short order in dye savings alone, compared to brushing, daubing or sponging in my experience.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

For larger expanses of leather I always had the best results with an air brush.

:hatsoff:

Thanks, nice tip.

Do you still moisten the leather.

 

[BrownBear]

For larger expanses of leather I always had the best results with an air brush.

:hatsoff:

Thanks, nice tip.

Do you still moisten the leather.

I've only been doing that recently, and it's the best tip I've ever found here on the forum, bar none. I've tried it now when daubing, sponging and airbrushing leather, and it is terrific with all of them. I'll never dye another piece of leather without dampening first. It completely solves my blotchy leather problems, which can occur even with an air brush on dry leather.

BTW- In some of my non-muzzleloading leather projects I need to get lighter colors. That was always a tough row to hoe while avoiding blotches with dry leather. By the time I got the color nice and uniform, it was darker than I wanted. Not an issue with slightly damp leather now.

One more BTW- I'm using Fiebings Dye Reducer to lighten the dye before applying. Talk about a way to stretch expensive dye! It also makes it possible to lightly tint leather if that's all the color you want. Just did a leather briefcase with mahogany cut 10:1 and came up with this faint "glow" of color to the leather while keeping it light. Really nice, and I'd say impossible if I hadn't dampened the leather first.

 

[LaBonte]

I almost always dip dye and except in certain circumstances such as having an inlay of a different material/color or a lining I dye upon completion of the project. Otherwise I dampen and apply with those cheap foam brushes or a sponge wrapped in cloth. I keep my dye bottled, but use one of those plastic "sweater" type storage containers to dye in.
If an inlay or lining is called for a pre-dye all parts using the dip method. Again first dampening the leather whihc opens the "pores" and allows penetration.
I've never used a spray gun, but have done repairs on a lot of pieces dyed that way and for my taste the gun applied dye just doesn't penetrate enough. I have used those cheap pump bottle sprayers sold in the cleaning sections, but only when I wanted a light mist on such things as botas or clothing or to spot darken areas when aging - for this I pre-sparay with alcohol, spray with dye, and re-spray with alcohol to make a "stain" that looks natural.

As for thinning your dye - yep, start out light and go darker if need be - most times a second application of the same strength dye will do it. An even cheaper source of thinner is plain rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol.

 

[BrownBear]

Good feedback LaBonte. I never dip-dye because of the difficulty and expense of getting alcohol based dyes shipped up here. I really appreciate the suggestion of cheaper thinners, too! Maybe with the savings on "reducer" I can afford to ship in larger lots of dye! :grin:

 

[LaBonte]

FWIW - I never buy dye in large lots and a quart alone is plenty for most dipping - I just swish it around until covered, then pour it back into the bottle to keep down evaporation.