CitizenKate Report post Posted February 6, 2010 *sigh* I send along care instructions with all my "big" items, like game boards and chair seats, that include the line: - Avoid exposing the game board to prolonged periods of direct sunlight. This guy only had this board 3 months, the emailed me asking, "I keep my game board sitting out with my Chess set on it. How come it's getting dark circles where the pieces are?" I replied, "Has it been sitting in direct sunlight?" No answer, until about 3 weeks later, when he asked me how much I would charge to re-dye the green squares. I sent a quote and he sent the board back. This is what can happen, boys and girls, when people leave dyed leather in direct sunlight too long. I've had to re-do dye jobs before, and I wasn't looking forward to this. There's no telling how the color turns out after stripping and re-applying everything... and this one turned out rather nicely the first time. I decided to just try stripping the green squares, and leave the rest of the board as much intact as possible. It's taking more time to surgically remove the sealing finish and antique from just the green squares, but it seems to be working out pretty well so far. I'll post more, as I progress with the restoration. Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RWB Report post Posted February 6, 2010 I'm curious what type of dye it is that you use. Why do you have to strip it off before you can re-apply it? Can't you simply go over the top to even it all out? Ross Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted February 6, 2010 I use different types of dyes, depending on the project, but in this case, I used spirit dyes (Angelus). All the dyes I've used will fade with enough exposure to direct sunlight, some more than others, and greens and blues are especially prone to fading. A sealing finish helps to slow that process, but there is nothing that I know of that can totally prevent it. *AHEM* Attention: dye manufacturers... do you think you could develop dyes that are more light-fast? Please? The reason I strip the leather before attempting to re-applying dye is that the dye does not absorb as easily into the leather over a finish. Here are some test samples to show you what I mean... Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 6, 2010 Had my experience with this ... and THEN started printing out the "warning". Made a painting for this girl ... lake scene in the mountains, fall colors in the trees, reflected in the lake. Nice, even from my worst critic (me). I carved it in 5 oz leather (18x24) and set it a couple inches deep in a beveled, cove-cut oak frame. TOLD her to her face ... not in direct sunlight. A year later I saw it ... on a display easel in front of the window (uggggghhhhh). Apparently the frame had been broken, so she did this instead. Fiebing's spirit dye had faded to basically nothing. Told her I'd repaint it, but the leather itself had darkened considerably. I offered to make her a new one, with the understanding that she won't do that again. But, since the thing was originally ordered for her as a gift she didn't want to replace it. Ordinarily, I probably wouldn't be quite that outgoing, but this is a girl who is always paying me (just called yesterday to say her boyfriend needs a new belt). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RWB Report post Posted February 6, 2010 (edited) The reason I strip the leather before attempting to re-applying dye is that the dye does not absorb as easily into the leather over a finish. Here are some test samples to show you what I mean... Kate Interesting. What do you use for a top coat? I've notice that the alcohol dyes take longer to soak thru Neat-lac or Tan-kote, but I've never had that problem of them barely soaking in. Maybe I put my colors on to heavy. Intriguing. Not that it matters, you have a system that works for you. I was just curious. You do some cool stuff, Kate. Ross Edited February 6, 2010 by RWB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted February 7, 2010 I use either a wax or lacquer finish (as shown in the samples). I add Tan-Kote to the antique. Now I'm curious, Ross... do you normally put your dye on over your sealer? Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted February 8, 2010 Whew! Well, my idea worked. The new dye went on perfectly, and the board is now good as new again. It's just waiting for the new finish to dry... Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RWB Report post Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) I use either a wax or lacquer finish (as shown in the samples). I add Tan-Kote to the antique. Now I'm curious, Ross... do you normally put your dye on over your sealer? Kate No. Not normally. There have just been a few occasions that I've had to touch something up after my antique and top coat are dry. Like I said the dye will soak through Neat-lac, but it takes some time. Again, out of curiosity, how do you charge for a redo like that? Is it based solely on time or do you have a set price. Ross Edited February 8, 2010 by RWB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted February 8, 2010 Again, out of curiosity, how do you charge for a redo like that? Is it based solely on time or do you have a set price. I have a "shop rate" I use to estimate the cost of everything I make, in addition to materials. I based the fee on the amount of time I think it will take, times the shop rate, plus I factored in a little more for all the tape, cotton balls, acetone, denatured alcohol, and about 36mL of dye I used on the job. On the materials, I don't know the exact amount of each I used, not worth the trouble to actually measure and track them, since they are just expensed anyway... just took a wild guess. LOL Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClayB Report post Posted February 8, 2010 That turned out great Kate! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 27, 2010 Apparently, there's a handbag coming back. That's if the girl can be bothered to show up with it. This one was ordered for a Mother's Day present couple months ago, and I didn't know what the problem was because I heard it from the wife, who heard it from the girl, who heard it from her mother.... Saw the girl who ordered it this morning, asked if she was bringing it back. Figured worst comes to worst, I'll just make her a new one and replace it. But the girl says it has "dulled" and "ain't as shiny" and the purple (orchids) have faded. This SOUNDS like direct sunlight issue to me, so I'm putting this in this older discussion in case someone else has had this issue. Girl said my wife "hounded" her again yesterday to bring the handbag (since she was at her mother's house all day). Nothing yet, but I'm thinking we might just use this as an opportunity for us all to gain something. As in maybe I'll try to fix it with something I haven't used before, and let it be the "guinea pig" - then just replace it when it doesn't work Oh, yeah ... here's what the bag looked like when it left the first time. Note that 3 other bags I made that same time are just fine, all using the same hide and the same Fiebing's spirit dyes (in fact, one was out of the same "purple" mixture. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
