Newbie Just Can't Get It Right.

[caedenspa]

I'm new to this whole leatherworking thing, but having a blast so far. I started out just stitching some holsters for personal use, and they turned out better than I would've ever expected. So I figured I'd try my hand at tooling them.

I've been taking a "class" at my local Tandy store, and I'm pretty happy with my carving - mostly figure carving, not so much into the Sheridan type stuff (yet!). So I want to dye the pieces.

This I'm not enjoying so much. Maybe it has to do with not being able to hit things with a mallet....

I'm just experimenting with the water-based dye that came in Tandy's little intro kit. Plain brown dye, some eco-sheen or whatever they call it, and the hi-liter.

I can't seem to get the dye to actually do much of anything. It was suggested that I could vary my shades by using different amounts of water with the straight dye, so I mixed up a 2:1 batch, a 1:1 batch, and just straight. Here's the problem: when I "paint" those on to my design, I can't tell the difference in the shades. Then when I apply the highlighter at the end, everything seems to disappear except the areas where I put the straight (uncut) dye.

What am I doing wrong? Are there other dyes I should be working with? Any sort of preparation I should be doing to the leather? I'm just working with some belly scraps I had at the house. I'd prefer if any recommended products be something I can get at Tandy - the store is about 10 minutes from my house.

Thanks in advance - any help is appreciated.

[jbird]

Howdy there.

It's my opionion that the water base dyes are hard to change the depth of the color but what I would do is use your dye a lighter color that apply a resist several coats then apply a highlight dye you will like the control much better. In any case I use oil dye much more and it's because I have tryed the exoflow a lot find I don't like it as well.

Josh

[abn]

It takes some practice to get used to any type of dye. I rarely "cut" any of the Eco-Flo dyes since they're available in 16 different shades. Look for the color that's closest to what you want to achieve, and then you can experiment from there.

To slightly alter your color, you can mix two dyes together (for example, adding Dark Mahogany to a brown dye gives you a more reddish tone). You can condition the finished product with neatsfoot oil to darken the color. You can also try applying the dye to damp leather for a lighter color. Always add several light coats until you get to your desired color. You can apply with woolen daubers, an airbrush, or T-shirt scraps. The idea here is not to give up... Keep playing around and you'll figure out what works for you.

In the end, if you decide Eco-Flo is not for you (and some people do), Tandy stocks a full complement of Fiebing's spirit-based leather dyes. But again, there's a learning curve.

Good luck!

[Nobody]

Re: the OP

Like you, I am relatively new to the craft and am using the Eco-flo products almost exclusively. Mind you, I am searching fairly frantically for other methods to get better control over the process, as the idea of using water soluble products to color leather makes me cringe a little for some reason. Still, I've had some good results with a little experimentation.

For what I am trying to achieve (fairly antiqued appearance) it's been necessary to apply several coats of the color STAIN, more or less as they describe, followed by a short drying period after which I selectively modify the tone using a SLIGHTLY damp sponge and soft cloth or paper towel. That varies somewhat from the instructions provided by Tandy, but it works for me. It usually takes 2 or more applications for the effects I have been after and the short (5 minutes or longer) drying time has seemed essential to prevent too much inadvertent loss of pigmentation when I go back over the piece to remove excesses. I'm absolutely NOT trying to produce a perfectly uniform pigmentation over the piece!

The Eco-Flo antiquing gel or "cosmic snot" has been a real PITA. To simply apply it over the stain and rub as in the video simply produces a streaky snotballed mess for me! Once again, the solution has been to throw on a heavy opaque coat, let it dry thoroughly and remove selectively, allowing it to dry thoroughly before sealing. The results thusfar have been described as "incredible" by relatively dispassionate observers. (Of course, it may have been their astonishment that "I" managed to create anything even halfway decent in appearance. lol) The results have been quite gratifying, if slow to materialize.

All other methods tried have resulted in pure frustration, with the exception of the Eco-Flo dye, which gave a fine result and Fiebings USMC Black dye which has been OUTSTANDING! Too bad I am into producing intricate work that benefits from color contrast. If I wanted solid colors, I would go Fiebings all the way based on experience thusfar.

Incidentally, you will need to use the stain if you want to manupulate contrast if I am not mistaken. Rereading your post I saw you are using the dye. It doesn't seem possible to change that much after it goes on.

Edited May 1, 2010 by Nobody