View Full Version : Homemade leather dye
Is there a way to make homemade leather dye that has good staying power and is unlikely to rub off on your clothes?
mick miller
02-02-2009, 13:18
John Fenna mentioned that wire wool placed in a jar of vinegar and left made a good, dark dye. I haven't tried it myself though.
w00dsmoke
02-02-2009, 13:32
I would imagine an oil based paint would do it if you made it thinner so it stains rather than paints. This is what I'm going to try next. Toddy is the person to ask though.
John Fenna mentioned that wire wool placed in a jar of vinegar and left made a good, dark dye. I haven't tried it myself though.
Yup is called 'vinagaroon' - is not really a dye as such - It is a chemical reaction between the ferric acetates and the tannins causes the leather to turn black. It permanently changes the leather structure all the way through a grey / black colour - when you add a wax or oil it brings out the colour;)
It seems to work best with rusty wire wool however any rusty steel should work...
Would it be worth rusting some steel wool especially to try this out?
Not sure when I'll have a chance to do some leatherwork, but if it's a good method I might have a pop at it.
Any pictures of leather that's been done that way?
Any pictures of leather that's been done that way?
Sorry, no can't seem to find any however I have a batch of wool rusting to make a new batch at this very moment! ;) - I'll post a pic once it is done!
Great - I look forward to it.
Any suggested way to speed along the rusting? Just water? Salt water? Something else altogether?
clcuckow
02-02-2009, 16:53
I have used 00000 wirewool and vinegar before and it was the best, most intence black I have ever got and as Graham said it a chemical reaction so does not rub off. It's quite quick (about a week from memory) if you use the finest wool you can get (down with the french polish stuff at your DIY shop). The only problem was that I could not get rid of the smell of the vinegar!
wasteoid
02-02-2009, 16:56
Try "van dyke" crystals (ebay for a couple of quid). I have dyed several belts and sheaths with it, it gives a subtle light brown, and with persistance, you can darken it up with boot polish. I mainly use it on edges of sheaths and such.
Chris
I have used the vinegar/steel wool, on a veg tan leather sheath.It did produce a very dark, grey colour, rather than pure black, but, afterwards, I used some black shoe polish on it, and it did give a nice colour. The vinegary smell does eventually dissappear! The colour does not come off at all, as its a chemical reaction that darken the leather.
John Fenna
02-02-2009, 23:08
Mine is so dark that black boot polish makes it black, dark tan polish - a very dark brown!
If you use it on knife sheathes neutralise any acid with a filling of bicarbonate of soda before storing a knife in it......:)
Walnuts that are right off the tree soaked in water for about a month. Makes a brown through almost black dye.
Jon R.
trail2...
In or out of shells?
wasteoid
02-02-2009, 23:57
van dyke crystals "apparantly" are walnut shells. Used in french polishing.
Chris
BigShot
Get them while they still have the green outer skin on the shells. Thats what makes the dye. Best picked up as soon as they fall from the tree.
Jon R.
So just pick them up, stick them in water and wait?
Sounds simple enough. :)
Thats all it takes. You can step on them to crush the skin. That speeds up the processes. Don't get any on your hands as it does not wash off. You will have stained fingers until it wears off. :eek:
Jon R.
Haha - sounds fun.
One could get up to some real mischief with that knowledge if they were so inclined.
clcuckow
03-02-2009, 09:17
I must have been lucky because once I had hot dipped my iron/vinegar dyed leather it was jet black. I did not need any boot polish at all.
If you use it on knife sheathes neutralise any acid with a filling of bicarbonate of soda before storing a knife in it......
I learned that one the hard way...;)
John Fenna
03-02-2009, 12:07
Me too......:)
leatherstitcher
26-03-2010, 00:21
when i colour leather,i use equal amounts of shoe polish and leather conditioner(the kind used on sofas and car seats) mixed,then rubbed on to clean leather.Let dry,and buff.Repeat for liked darkness.