Hey All,
I'm hoping to get some answers on a dyeing problem I'm having. I've browsed back on this thread and read posts with similar problems, which have helped a lot, but also lead to more questions.
I'm making some hip quivers and two that I've dyed (using Fiebling's "Light Brown" alcohol dye) have both turned out to have patchy areas where the dye will not absorb well or at all. Weirdly enough both areas on both quivers are on the upper part of the quiver, and I've never had this problem before. I'm leaning towards there's something on the leather that's blocking the dye penetration. Or, does dye have a shelf life? I haven't used this colour in a few years.
Anyhow, through reading other messages I've discovered "denatured alcohol" or rubbing alcohol for "deglazing", great! But now I've got questions….
- Are denatured alcohol and rubbing alcohol the same thing? If not which is better?
- How much do I apply on the leather for it to do its job?
- This will also work as a dye thinner correct? (I use the "preval" spray system sold through the Leather Factory for dyeing)
- I'm thinking of using the deglazer on the quiver I just dyed last night to try and repair the area that's not taking in dye, should I apply the deglazer to the whole piece or can I apply it to the general area, then re-dye it?
- How long should I wait between de-glazing and dyeing?
- Because I water harden the leather before dying (so it'll maintain a stiff cylindrical shape) should I deglaze before I water harden, or after wards just before I dye it? I really soak the hell out of the quivers to get them the proper shape, (warm water) and I'm wondering if this is bringing oils etc to the surface which has affected the dyeing process. But I've made quivers before the same way and I've never had this problem. But if I apply the deglazer after water hardening, and it needs to be a heavy application I'm worried that will affect the stiffness/shape.
Any and all help/advice on the above would be greatly appreciated!
I'm loving this site and am glad I found it, I've already learned a lot browsing through past threads and am inspired.
Cat Balou
Eddited to add one more question, will the deglazer work on oil dyes as well as alcohol based ones?