mixing pro- dye w/ oil dye

[pete]

I saw a post recently where a saddle maker (Randy Cornelius?) said that he always mixes pro- dye to his oil. I too ( Tandy pro) dye the oil but the last batch or so has had a sludge in the bottom of the dye bottle. When I mix it with the oil it doesn't break down- it stays a sludge.

Have any of you seen this happen? did I get I an old bottle, did they change the recipe, should shake it more to mix it?

[bruce johnson]

Pete,

I use the Pro-Dye/oil combo. I have not had the pigment sludging you describe. I am still using the spirit dyes. One thing I have had people tell me with spirit dyes is that they are a saturated solution. If the lid is left off very long, solvent will evaporate, and excess pigment will settle to the bottom. If you shake them they will suspend, but not go back into solution and settle, be darker, or be blotchy. I use dye in quarts, and they are only opened a few times to dump 6-8 oz out. Evaporation probably is not a concern with mine. Even so, once you mix it with the oil the solvent probably evaporates off, and all you have is pigment. It seems to stay mixed pretty well. I give the jug a shake or two and pour it into the paint roller tray.

The new dye formulas are different. They are mostly water based, and so probably won't mix. I'll find the substitute when I start running low.