Vinegaroon progress

[mikeymoto]

I'm mixing up my first batch of vinegaroon and have been making samples on successive days to see how the process is coming along. I'm past 10 days now and the surface of the leather is still not turning very black but I will continue waiting and testing. Once it seems like it's not getting any darker then I'll try using it on a project.

Here are the first 9 days of samples. I sure like the blue-gray from day 6. The day 9 sample was oiled and sealed.

[TwinOaks]

ummm, did you remember to oil the leather after applying the vinegaroon?

[rdb]

Tthe red cider vinegar gives me a blacker color, than the white distilled. Couldn't tell you if that's scientific or not, but for me it does.

I use ungalvanized nails, cause I have a million of them. It's ready in a bout a week.

[mikeymoto]

ummm, did you remember to oil the leather after applying the vinegaroon?

Only the top-most sample in that photo was oiled with neatsfoot, then sealed with carnauba cream.

I'm using a gallon of distilled white vinegar and 6 pieces of new, fine steel wool.

To make the samples above I held in the vinegaroon for at least 60 seconds, then swished around in a baking soda and water mix, then rinsed and let dry.

EDIT: Oh yeah, at first I was keeping it in my garage which is not heated. After the 3rd day I brought it inside and set it near a heater vent and I think that helped a good bit. It's mostly sitting inside now except when I take it out for testing.

Edited March 22, 2009 by mikeymoto

[carr52]

What are the nails and steel wool for? Do you put them in the vinegar? I've never done this before. But sounds like it could be handy to know.

Tom

[MADMAX22]

What are the nails and steel wool for? Do you put them in the vinegar? I've never done this before. But sounds like it could be handy to know.

Tom

Yep just put them in and leave it for a while. I just used about 3 of the steele wools and they totally desolved in the gallon of vineger I have. Works like a charm usually. Some leather will take it differently.

For the original op did you give it a good baking soda wash after words or just leave it how it is.

[Leather Bum]

Are the test strips from the same piece of leather?

L'Bum

Edited March 23, 2009 by Leather Bum

[mikeymoto]

Are the test strips from the same piece of leather?

Sadly no, so my method is not perfectly scientific. Not the same hide, nor the same thickness. The two darkest test pieces got a baking soda and water wash, but not the earlier ones.

Edited March 24, 2009 by mikeymoto

[ChuckBurrows]

I held in the vinegaroon for at least 60 seconds

1) Leave it in longer - this is a chemical reaction not a dye amd it sound like your not letting it soak long enough for the reaction to occur. Let dry and re-dip if need be

2) Dip in a brew of strong black tea first to increase your tannins.......

As noted heat helps.........

[Bree]

What are the nails and steel wool for? Do you put them in the vinegar? I've never done this before. But sounds like it could be handy to know.

Tom

The black comes from iron... the iron comes from the nails/steel wool etc. The acetic acid in the vinegar reacts with the iron in the steel and forms ferric acetate (iron acetate). That reacts with the tannins in the leather (from the tanning process) setting the dye and the result of that reaction is blackness.

[BearMan]

Mikey, Before you put the steel wool in the vinegar, did you clean it really good with laquer thinner, or brake clean first? Steel wool come from the factory with a bit of anti-rust agent applied. That has to be removed, otherwise, it will take 3 weeks or so for the vinegar to disolve it completely. Also I've found that by using 2 or more steel sources, ie. steel wool, old rusty bolts, rusty nails,,,, ect. works better as well. I hope this is of some help. Ed

The black comes from iron... the iron comes from the nails/steel wool etc. The acetic acid in the vinegar reacts with the iron in the steel and forms ferric acetate (iron acetate). That reacts with the tannins in the leather (from the tanning process) setting the dye and the result of that reaction is blackness.

[BearMan]

Tom, This is an old time way to create a very deep dark black, that doesn't rub off onto clothing, like regular black dye will do. It is VERY permanate, to anything pourous! It's used to create an overall black color, it doesn't work well for dying just a background, or parts of an item, as it's a chemical reaction, & it will overshadow, other "Dyed" colors. I hope this helps,,, Ed

What are the nails and steel wool for? Do you put them in the vinegar? I've never done this before. But sounds like it could be handy to know.

Tom

[Scary Leatherworks]

here's the top of a motorcycle that I vinegarooned. I made mine from a quart of white vinegar, a 3" piece of rusty re-bar and some old used steel wool. I only wiped mine on with paper towel and it soaked in just fine. I did'nt want to soak it and possibly ruin my tooling. then I applied 3 separate coats of neatsfoot oil and finished with leather balm. After the finish was applied is when it really blackened up. I will also add that after I laced my seat side on and wet it to wet form it to the seat that the vinegarooned top repelled the water

before finish and ........after finish

Scott

[Rayban]

I thought mine was working pretty good until I put the knife into this sheath....turns out my leather looks blue next to the black rubber handle of this knife.

Guess I need to let it soak longer...I was in too much of a hurry to git r done....

[MADMAX22]

Did you oil it again?

Thats the big issue with this stuff is that depending on the leather it varies how well it takes. I have had some stuff that works like a charm, and other stuff no matter what I do and it is bluish.

[Rayban]

Did you oil it again?

Thats the big issue with this stuff is that depending on the leather it varies how well it takes. I have had some stuff that works like a charm, and other stuff no matter what I do and it is bluish.

I'll work on it some mo....thanks!!

[JohnD]

I did'nt want to soak it and possibly ruin my tooling.

Just out of curiosity, Has anyone ever tried using the vinegaroon and then the baking soda/water bath before tooling, as a casing? I was just wondering how that might work out?

John

[Spinner]

I'm new to leatherworking, but this is the same process that is known in woodworking as "Ebonizing" oak and such. The main difference is that the wood is not soaked in the solution. A mostly sealed box (fume box) is made and the vinegar/iron mixture is put together and once the metal is broken down to create the solution, the wood piece(s) are sealed in the box for a few days and the react is achieved just using the fumes.

Not sure if it would work with leather, but for those folks having trouble getting darker colors with the simple soak method, would not a fume box work here as well? I'm not sure if leather reacts the same way as wood does to just the fumes, but soaking and then fuming may achieve an even darker color than just one method by itself...