Freaking Out

[freak]

Hello my peeps, what's shakin ?

Now dig this, last week or so i grabbed a bag of scrapes at TLF that where mostly coaster. I was thinking they're small and i can tool something fairly fast and get a little practice in, it's been awhile since i've done something and i'm itching too tool. But,,, mostly i wanted to do some dye samples for myself and for when someone wants me to mess some leather up for them, we'll know what color is what. So i did 6 or so and marked them and decided to do more.

Well Friday i stop by TLF to get somemore dye rite . Things have been moved around a little i notice. There's this new stuff "eco - Flo" . So i ask

Anyway i pick up 7 diff bottles , cause now i gotta make new samples. I figure i'm really just getting started in this ( one year this month, whoohoo ) so i might as well start using this stuff now. No one at TLF had any idea what any of the new named colors looked like.

I did some sample pieces tonite and if it's not raining tomorrow i'll take some pics outside for true color and post them so others can get some idea of what they're getting. Mi samples is su samples

I used a lightly damped piece of sponge to dye with. Fisrt off i noiticed that it starts to lather up lightly, wierd. That goes away really fast though. The All-in-One i used was way diff, thick, almost like a thined paste. I liked it.

Anyway i'll share my tale when i add pictures. Just wondering if anyone else has tried them yet and might have some does and don't or maybe a next time i'll try it like this or that.

Holla !

[CitizenKate]

Can't wait to see the results, freak.

Kate

[ClayB]

On Saturday, Jim Linnell, his wife (sorry, I'm terrible with names) Kathy Flannagan and I had a quick 3 hour lunch (really long, sort of funny story) in Sheridan. Jim was telling us about the new finishes and glues Tandy is working on. They are all water based and eco friendly. Water based dyes sounds strange, but Jim says they seem to work very well. He says the colors are more vibrant and consistant, they absorb like spirit dye, not like acrylics. Tony Laier was wearing a belt colored with the new dyes and it looked really nice. Jim said he hoped people would give them a chance, try them and see how they work. In talking with Jim, I felt that Tandy really is working on some of the problems people have with Tandy. There will be some changes in the Craftool stamps in the future. Jim is working with 4-H for a new teaching curriculum. He is a busy man, and working hard to ensure the future of leather work.

I am slowly getting my Sheridan report typed up. Hope to have it done by the end of the week. Also tried to load my disk full of pictures, but that didn't go so well. I am mailing a CD of them to Johanna today so she can do her thing with them. I can say that I had a great time, met up with a bunch of old friends and made some new ones, and gave out the address to Leatherworker.net to a pile of people. Wish I would have made up some cards.

Gotta run, busy week.

Clay

[abn]

Thanks for the updates. Does anyone know if any other manufacturers (namely Fiebings) plan to introduce eco-friendly dyes?

[Art]

The spirit dyes aren't too bad ecologically, they could be reformulated a little to be somewhat better. The finishes are another point and proceeding toward water based formulations could have a lot of benefit. The dye manufacturers like Fiebing can do it and probably already have. Getting the industry to change is another story. Leathercrafters are a small part of the overall finishing business and may be a good testbed. I don't know for sure, but could the eco-friendly dyes be a rollout of a Fiebing's product?

Art

Thanks for the updates. Does anyone know if any other manufacturers (namely Fiebings) plan to introduce eco-friendly dyes?

[freak]

No pics as of yet. I tried to take a few in the house but with a flash or just house lighting the pics don't come out anywhere near true color.

This are the colors i'll be posting. CANYON TAN , RANGE TAN, JAVA BROWN, TIMBER BROWN (I like this color), BISON BROWN, LT MAHOGANY and All-In-One CHOCOLATE CHERRY (which i really like). If i have time i'm gonna stop and grab a few more colors tomorrow.

I did 2 piece of each color. One, a piece of untooled scrap applied with a slightly damp sponge and the other, a piece of tooled scrap applied with a wool dauber.

[CitizenKate]

If they do come up with some really decent water-based dyes, I for one will not miss the fumes from the alchohol-based dyes, and all the safety precautions I have to take when using them. And if they include UV inhibitors (so they don't fade so easily over time), that will be a major plus.

Jeez... I hope they don't just come in 50 shades of brown. How about "kelly green" or "oxblood", or just yellow, blue, turquoise, etc.?

Kate

No pics as of yet. I tried to take a few in the house but with a flash or just house lighting the pics don't come out anywhere near true color.

This are the colors i'll be posting. CANYON TAN , RANGE TAN, JAVA BROWN, TIMBER BROWN (I like this color), BISON BROWN, LT MAHOGANY and All-In-One CHOCOLATE CHERRY (which i really like). If i have time i'm gonna stop and grab a few more colors tomorrow.

I did 2 piece of each color. One, a piece of untooled scrap applied with a slightly damp sponge and the other, a piece of tooled scrap applied with a wool dauber.

Edited May 25, 2007 by CitizenKate

[Clay]

The new ECO-FLO dyes and finishes are in my opinion going to be very good and fun to work with. We have been making some color samples with them and the colors are very nice and there is a wide range to chose from. Each Tandy store is now starting to stock them as they become available. Check with your store and you can ask for the pamplet on the new ECO-FLO dyes and finishes.

Clay M.

[freak]

Kate i'm not sure about those colors. They make a "Leather Dye" . "All-In-One" and a " Hi-Lite". Now the all n ones and hi lites, i've seen in colors like sky blue and something red and so on. The all-in-one look like a stain to me . I have not yet tried the HI-Lites which have some wild looking colors. I couldn't tell from outside the bottle what they are. I kept thinking they must be paint but ,all the bottles read "eco-wise, water based product for leather", "Hi-Lite ( add color here) ".

Anyway i'm having a heck of a time getting a picture to come out in true color. Lastnite , i think it was ClayB that suggested scanning them. We moved almost 2 monthes ago and i've yet to hook up the scanner. I'm so lazy. LOL ! The rain finaily stopped, so i just grabbed the coaster and walked out in the back and just held them in my hand to snaped a few shots.

This is pretty freakin close. Also with it being water based you can "lightlin" it up really easy. The second picture is a case i just did for my sis-n-law. I used a dry brush on the border and a wet one on the rest of it. All done in Timber Brown. All the coasters in the pic are done with a dauber.

Sorry this is getting long here. I just really like to hear myself type. Also i hope my attachment is not to big.

[Regis]

So, where are you buying the eco-dyes to test with? I'd like to try them but, don't see in anyone's catalog.

thanks,

Regis

[Clay]

So, where are you buying the eco-dyes to test with? I'd like to try them but, don't see in anyone's catalog.

thanks,

Regis

Regis,

The ECO- FLO dyes and finishes are a new environmentaly friendly product from Tandy Leather Factory. They were just introduced a couple of weeks ago.

Clay M.

[Regis]

Clay,

I'll try calling tomorrow and ordering from one of the Tandys (Georgia or Alabama are one day shipping from me).

Have you tried dipping?

Thanks,

Regis

[Clay]

Clay,

I'll try calling tomorrow and ordering from one of the Tandys (Georgia or Alabama are one day shipping from me).

Have you tried dipping?

Thanks,

Regis

Regis,

Do you mean dipping the leather into the dyes or do you mean dipping snuff as in Skoal or Copenhagen chewing tobacco?? LOL

No I have not tried dipping the leather into the dye if that is what you mean.

Clay M.

[CitizenKate]

I decided to check and see if Fiebings had released their version of an "environmentally friendly" leather dye product, and they have. Here's the info I found on thier site:

"LEATHERCOLORSâ„¢ is a low VOC leather dye formulation that works as easily and effectively as traditional penetrating leather dyes. By emitting less Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the air LEATHERCOLORSâ„¢ is better for the environment and complies with CA VOC regulation title 17CCR94507-94517 that limits VOCs in certain consumer products. LEATHERCOLORSâ„¢ is available in 12 vibrant colors that can be used on shoes, boots, saddles and all of your favorite Leathercraft projects.

Available colors: Black, Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brown, Chocolate, Cordovan, Mahogany, Red, Yellow, Green & Royal Blue.

Packaged in 4 ounce plastic bottles."

No word from Tandy or Fiebings about how colorfast their new products are?

Thanks for passing along the info, guys... I can't wait to try the new products from both companies.

Kate

[Regis]

I did mean dipping the leather into dye. I know some folks dip some items in oil dye and just curious if it will work with the eco types. Tried Skoal in about 1958 and it caused an interesting green hue (on my face that is).

thanks,

Regis

Edited May 28, 2007 by Regis

[Regis]

I wrote to Feibling about dipping LeatherColors. Specifically aske if I could spray, paint or dip like their Oil dye and gave example of dipping holster in gallon of opi dye.

Here is reply from Clayton Chase at Feibling

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Thank You for contacting Fiebing!

The application of LeatherColors is the same as Professional Oil Dye. The results are similar too."

---------------------------------------------------

Then gave me phone# to order.

I'm going to give it a try as soon as I can get some in-hand.

Regis

[Chitin]

Hey y'all, been a while since I was on here. Finals and such.

I haven't personally used them yet, but TLF here in Atlanta had swatches of all the new colors and they look really nice. There's also even more variety than there ever was in the spirit dyes, probably as a way of making the transition easier for the naysayers. I'd like to see how they compare in terms of ruboff to the pro oils.

[Regis]

Been testing some with black Eco-Flo. I like the way it paints on straight from the bottle. Needed 2 coats for really good cover (black). I haven't tried spray or dip (not sure dip will be practical). It has little rub-off with Bick 4 and Tandy Super Shene. Leather Balm took off a lot and pretty much left blue.

Fieblings LeatherColors has not arrived yet.

Regis

[abn]

Thanks for the updates. I'd like to try these soon. Like Kate said, I won't miss the fumes of the spirit dyes.

Regis, do these dyes mix with Bick like the spirit dyes do? I like Pete's method of mixing Bick with dye to provide lighter, streak-free colors...

[Roger]

i'ed really like to know about fading and penitration of this stuff.

also how easy is it to control?

can you brush it into small areas and not have it bleed where you don't want it?

[Regis]

All this is with black only.

abn,

It mixes good with Bicks but thins dye out a lot. Haven't found satisfactory combo yet.

Beez,

Control is terrific. Straight from bottle (no thinning) and it lays where you put your brush. Even with pretty loaded brush, there doesn't seem to be much (if any) flow out.

Penetration looks good straight from the bottle. Looks to be close to 1/32 without wetting first to open pores. More testing comming. With Bicks, penitration was poor (very little).

Fading will be the key and time will tell.

Regis

Edited June 2, 2007 by Regis

[pepin1948]

I saw a sample in black at our local Tandy and it was nice and shiny right from the bottle with no top coat/sealant - and NO RUBOFF! What an improvement from the USMC black I was using!

[whinewine]

I just picked up a bottle of black yesterday & am anxious to try it to see how it crocks (hopefully it won't). The literature recommends all the other eco colors be sprayed, with the exception of the black, which should be used with some sort of applicator (dauber or wool piece). I also picked up a colored highliter in purple & a bottle of eco all-in-one in cherry chocolate. My son used the cherry chocolate on a piece of scrap, but i'm not terribly impressed with the first impression. I'll need to play with it some more. The others may or may not be promising: I won't know till I actually do play with them.

[abn]

So, are the spirit dyes expected to go away? Or is this just another option for the folks who live in California?

[Chitin]

So, are the spirit dyes expected to go away? Or is this just another option for the folks who live in California?

They're being phased out, according to the Tandy guy I talked to.