Vinegroon

[robertmeco]

What is Vinergroom what does it do how do i make it I have seen several posts on it but dont know what or how it is used

Thank you for any info

Robert

Edited June 21, 2012 by robertmeco

[katsass]

What is Vinergroom what does it do how do i make it I have seen several posts on it but dont know what or how it is used

Thank you for any info

Robert

From the Grump: Vinegaroon is nothing more than mild ferrous or ferric acetate (I can never remember which). It's made by dissolving as much ferrous metal in vinegar (4-5% acetic acid) as it will hold. To make, I get a gallon of the cheapest vinegar I can find, chop up three or four pads of fine steel wool and stuff it in the jug. Cover, but punch a hole in the cap to vent off fumes (good idea is to do it someplace other than Ma's kitchen) Wait a couple of weeks, and if the steel wool is all gone, stuff some more in and wait some more. Draw off, or siphon off and filter the stuff, so as to keep any of the nasty crud from the bottom of the vinegar jug out of your finished product. To use,, dump you leather down in the vinegaroon for a minute of so, rinse in a mild solution of baking soda and water for a little bit then rinse well in clear water. When dry, give it a light coat of neatsfoot oil to bring out the color. Wear rubber gloves so that your hands don't turn a funny color --- and stay that way for a week or two. The stuff is NOT a dye, it chemically reacts on the tannins in the leather and turns the leather black --- all the way through. Tannin may be increased in a piece of leather by soaking first in STRONG tea. This stuff is also called vinegar black, and has been used since (at least) the 1600s to blacken leather. Mike

Edited June 21, 2012 by katsass

[robertmeco]

From the Grump: Vinegaroon is nothing more than mild ferrous or ferric acetate (I can never remember which). It's made by dissolving as much ferrous metal in vinegar (4-5% acetic acid) as it will hold. To make, I get a gallon of the cheapest vinegar I can find, chop up three or four pads of fine steel wool and stuff it in the jug. Cover, but punch a hole in the cap to vent off fumes (good idea is to do it someplace other than Ma's kitchen) Wait a couple of weeks, and if the steel wool is all gone, stuff some more in and wait some more. Draw off, or siphon off and filter the stuff, so as to keep any of the nasty crud from the bottom of the vinegar jug out of your finished product. To use,, dump you leather down in the vinegaroon for a minute of so, rinse in a mild solution of baking soda and water for a little bit then rinse well in clear water. When dry, give it a light coat of neatsfoot oil to bring out the color. Wear rubber gloves so that your hands don't turn a funny color --- and stay that way for a week or two. The stuff is NOT a dye, it chemically reacts on the tannins in the leather and turns the leather black --- all the way through. Tannin may be increased in a piece of leather by soaking first in STRONG tea. This stuff is also called vinegar black, and has been used since (at least) the 1600s to blacken leather. Mike

Thank you

Robert

[chiefjason]

IMO, one of the keys to good color is the baking soda solution. Not sure why, but it just seems blacker with a good solution. I keep a bucket of it around to dip pieces in and replace it regularly. If it's older there is more of a grey tint. With fresh solution it is a very deep black. I use 1/4 C baking soda and a gallon of water.

[SooperJake]

Mike, which step in the holster making process do you use vinegaroon? Are you pre-dying the leather at the start? Also, please define "a mild solution" if you would. Is that a box of baking soda to a 5 gallon bucket or? I just tested my batch and the color is awesome. A deep rich black . I was pleased to see a deliberate line I made on my test piece go away after total submersion. ( dipped half the test piece only, then the whole thing)

Thanks!

Jake

From the Grump: Vinegaroon is nothing more than mild ferrous or ferric acetate (I can never remember which). It's made by dissolving as much ferrous metal in vinegar (4-5% acetic acid) as it will hold. To make, I get a gallon of the cheapest vinegar I can find, chop up three or four pads of fine steel wool and stuff it in the jug. Cover, but punch a hole in the cap to vent off fumes (good idea is to do it someplace other than Ma's kitchen) Wait a couple of weeks, and if the steel wool is all gone, stuff some more in and wait some more. Draw off, or siphon off and filter the stuff, so as to keep any of the nasty crud from the bottom of the vinegar jug out of your finished product. To use,, dump you leather down in the vinegaroon for a minute of so, rinse in a mild solution of baking soda and water for a little bit then rinse well in clear water. When dry, give it a light coat of neatsfoot oil to bring out the color. Wear rubber gloves so that your hands don't turn a funny color --- and stay that way for a week or two. The stuff is NOT a dye, it chemically reacts on the tannins in the leather and turns the leather black --- all the way through. Tannin may be increased in a piece of leather by soaking first in STRONG tea. This stuff is also called vinegar black, and has been used since (at least) the 1600s to blacken leather. Mike

[Northmount]

There are lots of posts on vinegaroon under several spellings. Search for vinegar and you will be more successful. Lots of comments, lots of examples, lots of testing has been done by several posters here.

CTG

[TwinOaks]

When I use it, I do all of my steps, including molding, before application of the brew. Then I do the heat set. You CAN wet form vinegarooned leather, but I recommend placing the gun in a plastic bag. Remember, it's mildly acidic which could damage the finish. Once the 'roon reacts with the leather, you'll notice that it's more difficult to wet the leather to form it. This is because the process tends to push the oils and fats to the surface of the leather......which is why oiling or conditioning after the treatment is so important. You NEED to get those oils and waxes back into the leather. Instead of oil, I have also used Aussie conditioner and the effects are the same.

You can also brush the stuff on (I use a cheap 1 inch paintbrush), but if you do so, you don't get the through and through color (well, not all the time). I've found it works well to apply the conditioner while the leather is still hot as it helps to melt it, and helps absorption.

Additional notes: If you drip some 'roon into a stainless steel sink, rinse immediately with water or it WILL stain the metal. The after effects are commonly cold shoulders, furious scowls, and even being banned from playing mad scientist in the kitchen.

[renegadelizard]

Mike, which step in the holster making process do you use vinegaroon? Are you pre-dying the leather at the start? Also, please define "a mild solution" if you would. Is that a box of baking soda to a 5 gallon bucket or? I just tested my batch and the color is awesome. A deep rich black . I was pleased to see a deliberate line I made on my test piece go away after total submersion. ( dipped half the test piece only, then the whole thing)

Thanks!

Jake

I do mine right before wet molding..the vinegaroon soaks it, then the backing soda and fresh water rinse...let it dry for a bit, then mold...im sure there are other ways, but it kind of flows this way for me...also, after i mold and bake it, when it is still damp, ill go aheah and do my edges then..after the vinegaroon has dried, its hard for me to get good edges