Iron sulphate to colour leather black

[ScottEnglish]

A member of these forums has used a solution of iron sulphate powder and water to colour leather black. Does anyone else use iron sulphate? Would you recommend it?

I'm learning to make a simple boot. I'm concerned as to whether the solution will weaken the polyester thread I use for stitching and damage the natural crepe rubber sole if I immerse a boot in a solution of iron sulphate and water once it's assembled.

Thanks.

Edited January 27, 2023 by ScottEnglish

[ScottEnglish]

Apparently, vinegaroon/vinegar black waterproofs leather so if you wish to mould it you need to do this before immersing the leather item in to the vinegaroon. Would the same hold true for a solution of iron sulphate powder and water?

Thanks.

[TomE]

I don't think iron sulfate is very reactive.  It is unlikely to damage polyester thread. Hasluck ("Harness Making" 1904) describes making black dye. "The dye or stain is made by boiling together for half an hour 1 lb logwood chips, 4 oz crushed nutgalls, 1/2 lb copperas, a little gum arabic, and 5 qt of water.  Keep a little in an old bottle hung near the bench.  The dye is applied with a stick having a piece of felt attached to its end.  The ink can be thinned by the addition of water."

[Tugadude]

1 hour ago, ScottEnglish said:

Apparently, vinegaroon/vinegar black waterproofs leather so if you wish to mould it you need to do this before immersing the leather item in to the vinegaroon. Would the same hold true for a solution of iron sulphate powder and water?

Thanks.

Where did you see this?  Personally, I would tend to doubt that it "waterproofs" at all.   Waterproofing tends to be either an impenetrable coating such as a sealer or an integral treatment such as oil, wax, etc.   

[Dwight]

39 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

Where did you see this?  Personally, I would tend to doubt that it "waterproofs" at all.   Waterproofing tends to be either an impenetrable coating such as a sealer or an integral treatment such as oil, wax, etc.   

I'm gonna get in here . . . simply because Tandy seems to have done away with their oil base dye . . . nothing but USMC black . . . which I'm going to throw away.   WAYYYY to much buffing needed to make it work . . . 

Need someone to school me on vinegaroon  . . . how is is made . . . how is it kept . . . how to apply it . . . what extra steps are necessary to make it work and not damage my leather????

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, ScottEnglish said:

Apparently, vinegaroon/vinegar black waterproofs leather so if you wish to mould it you need to do this before immersing the leather item in to the vinegaroon. Would the same hold true for a solution of iron sulphate powder and water?

Thanks.

so far I haven't found anything that truly water proofs leather. Vinegar sure doesn't do it it is 96% water. i use the roon all the time.

[chuck123wapati]

8 minutes ago, Dwight said:

I'm gonna get in here . . . simply because Tandy seems to have done away with their oil base dye . . . nothing but USMC black . . . which I'm going to throw away.   WAYYYY to much buffing needed to make it work . . . 

Need someone to school me on vinegaroon  . . . how is is made . . . how is it kept . . . how to apply it . . . what extra steps are necessary to make it work and not damage my leather????

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

put vineagar and clean steel wool, or any clean iron, in a glass jar until the wool is gone or a week or so at least, apply it just as any dye. You can stain wood with it also just paint your wood with tea then apply the roon, the black color comes from the chemical reaction between the iron and tannic acid that leather is tanned with. tea also has tannic acid. then folks neutralize the vinegar with baking soda water mix. 

 

[MarlinDave]

Won’t rot thread. Very weak acid. Can neutralize it with baking soda and water. Don’t really matter how much. Makes leather harden a bit for me, more than wet molding. Leather will stink for about 2  weeks. Sealer covers the smell mostly. Will freeze and break your jars, otherwise seems stable. I do 2 coats to get a deep black. Looks kinda gray till you oil it. 

[ScottEnglish]

Thanks everyone for your replies. For those who asked about my source regarding vinegaroon waterproofing leather here it is: https://www.adamsleatherworks.com/post/vinegaroon-a-k-a-vinegar-black See under subheading Worth mentioning. They actually say vinegaroon makes leather more water resistant. I was incorrect in saying waterproof.

 

 

[Tugadude]

7 minutes ago, ScottEnglish said:

Thanks everyone for your replies. For those who asked about my source regarding vinegaroon waterproofing leather here it is: https://www.adamsleatherworks.com/post/vinegaroon-a-k-a-vinegar-black See under subheading Worth mentioning. They actually say vinegaroon makes leather more water resistant. I was incorrect in saying waterproof.

 

 

Thanks for that!  And thanks for not getting defensive!  We're all trying to learn here and I have much to learn from the rest of you.