Old Question, New at Dyeing

[Locknut]

I'm sure this has been asked a 1000 times, but I've missed the answer somehow. I've got the gold in the lettering, and I have some more tooling to do on the wallet cover. The problem is, every time I try to dye a practice piece I end up coloring the gold too. I've used cotton daubers, light strokes with a paint brush, rags wrapped around wood blocks, among other things. The material for the wallet is pretty thin so I cant go much deeper with the stamps. Can someone please help? I'm still pretty new at this. Thanks very much!

[Rawhide]

I'm sure this has been asked a 1000 times, but I've missed the answer somehow. I've got the gold in the lettering, and I have some more tooling to do on the wallet cover. The problem is, every time I try to dye a practice piece I end up coloring the gold too. I've used cotton daubers, light strokes with a paint brush, rags wrapped around wood blocks, among other things. The material for the wallet is pretty thin so I cant go much deeper with the stamps. Can someone please help? I'm still pretty new at this. Thanks very much!

Use a small detail paint brush and coat the letters with something like NeatLac or supershene. (I would use at least two coats.) This will act as a resist and then you can use the stain to color the rest of your piece. This will still tint the gold a little, but the effect should be pleasing. I would test it on some scrap first so you get what you're looking for.

Marlon

[tashabear]

Next time, reverse the order. Dye first, then add the gold. I use either Treasure Gold, which I apply by dipping a dauber in paint thinner and then into the pot of wax, or Liquid Leaf.

[wadeh]

Still very new to this myself, but I was told to make sure the leather was damp before applying the dye or stain so it would not wick it into an area you did not want it to go.

[Locknut]

Thanks for the tips, guys! I'm going to try all three. I,ll put up a pic as soon as it's finished. Thanks again