Brown dye from household materials

[Nowandagain]

Trailblazer, thanks. Sadly no access to pistachio hulls or acorns either, but there’s lots of red wine here. (Sadly I had to give up alcohol this year for medical reasons, but they still sell it.)

Does it matter whether you use dry or (ugh!) sweet wine? Have you had better luck with any particular type of grape?
When you have used it, do you concentrate the wine first in anyway, or just use it straight from the bottle? Soak it, or swab it on? any tips you can give me would be great! 

[Trailblazer87]

I haven't used it on leather intentionally, but I do know it stains. Experimentation is probably in order, the grape must (the solids left over from wine making) will possibly make for a good base, though it has a strong odor.  Take those solids and make a strong tea from it.

 

If I were to use wine, I would probably want to reduce it down to remove the alcohol and some water, might darken it up as well.

 

As someone else mentioned above, a wood stain may be the most consistent way to get the color you want. Most hardware stores carry it.

[SUP]

Rust water stains clothes brown. Might work for leather as well. 

[AlZilla]

2 hours ago, Trailblazer87 said:

I haven't used it on leather intentionally, but I do know it stains. Experimentation is probably in order, the grape must (the solids left over from wine making) will possibly make for a good base, though it has a strong odor.  Take those solids and make a strong tea from it.

 

If I were to use wine, I would probably want to reduce it down to remove the alcohol and some water, might darken it up as well.

 

As someone else mentioned above, a wood stain may be the most consistent way to get the color you want. Most hardware stores carry it.

I'm not sure how you'd reduce it down, but if you're thinking to simmer it in order to evaporate the alcohol, be warned that the alcohol vapors are dangerously flammable and heavier than air. In other words, don't do it on a gas stove.

Though I hear tell there's some kind of fancy cooker gadget that'll do the job.

[Trailblazer87]

Nowandagain, 

 

Would you have access to Henna? That has been used to dye leather.

[SUP]

Henna you can get at any store selling South Asian groceries. You will probably get a reddish color with that. Like Mahogany maybe?

[jcuk]

Maybe you could try Beet Root juice mixed with a weak coffee or tea might give you a burgundy tan its just a thought, and at the very least the Beet Root is a vegetable. 

Many years ago i went to a Tannery (sadly no longer with us) to pick up some Bridle backs was going to get Dark Havana and Black then i saw this burgundy tanned one had to have that too, and to this day i am convinced Beet Root play a part in the colour could be wrong though, but i will say i think its the Best Bridle leather i have ever worked with.

 

Hope this helps

JCUK

Edited September 5, 2024 by jcuk

[1961Mike]

Hi

So, my latest batch of Pecan Hull Brown Dye, was less that brown.  In fact, the color that came out after more than 10 hours was a light tan.  The leather got MUCH darker with a coat of Neets foot oil and a day on the dashboard in the sun dammit.  My new plans include a new batch of Pecan dye and a seven minute soak in strong coffee instead of a 2 to 7 hour soak in strong coffee.  What I got after 2 hours was dark dark (add more darks) brown chip of some sort.  EVOO did NOTHING to it.

Later

 

[Yellowhousejake]

Two suggestions.

To use vinegaroon (disolved iron in vinegar) you must first degrease the steel wool, 30 minutes in acetone and then completely rinsed with clear water. Once done it needs to seep in the vinegar for several weeks. When it stops reacting you need to filter it through a coffee filter. When it is done it will dye leather black almost immediately. You will not have to wait to see if it works. Degreasing is key, the oil they put on steel wool to stop it rusting will make a mess of things.

Fabric dye. In the US it is sold as Rit Dye and is available in most grocery stores. Does a fine job if you first wet the leather and then dunk it in warmed dye solution.

I hope that helps.

DAve

[1961Mike]

Hi

I have a quart of beet juice to try and make a dye from.  it MIGHT make Burgundy, I mean its sort of a dark purple in the jug.

Later