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.