GEmanuel

I am not sure what nasty stuff might be in hair dye as all of them requiring rinsing after setting for the correct time. Some can actually burn the hair also. I doubt they will work satisfactorily for leather. But, stains made for wood will likely get you some very interesting colors and the variety is as endless as any leather dye. They might also be a lot cheaper. CAUTION: Try wood stains on a scrap first. Make sure they dry properly and note how long it takes. Insure that they will also accept your other finishes. Not sure where you are located, but UPS comes right to my door with anything I want. Be careful buying liquids in the winter as many can freeze in transit and arrive useless.

I agree, it is likely one color I do something similar to that look, but mine has a finer mottling. I use a sponge with any of Tandys Gel Antique dyes and blot the dye on. This will leave areas of dark and light as in the picture. Sheep wool, a dauber, rag, paper towel etc would likely yield different textural dimensions and c.ould be quite interesting as well.

In the Navy we had this problem with our shoes. The cure was to rub them down with a raw potato and then wipe them off with a damp cloth. We also kept them shined but the potato has something in it that salt just didn't like very much. Once in awhile with the potato rub and we had nice black leather again. Please make sure the potato is raw if you try this as rubbing French fries on your jacket may smell nice, but it will only make you hungry and do nothing for the stains.

I sand 99% on the long axis of the edge. (with the grain) The only time I would go on the short axis (across the grain) is in rounding a corner, after which I hand sand again going with the grain. Going back and forth with the grain has a tendency to raise as many fibers as it lays down. I sand (or stroke) in one direction only, which raises less fibers. I also rough sand and finish with a finer grit, usually on a dremel tool at low speed with minimal pressure. You will likely find that stroking in one direction will work better than single stroking in the opposite direction also. If you think about petting your dog, for example, stroking along his back from head to tail is a smoother experience than starting at the tail and stroking toward his head. Both are long axis, but only one is really 'with' the grain.

Ingenious and stealthy, Neat

Welcome Back! You will very likely be amazed at how quickly you will pick this up again. Axe sheath, hmmmm...... so this is how the shoemakers kids get shoes. Cool!