Denster Posted March 25, 2009 Report Posted March 25, 2009 I suppose you could you'd just have to be carefull how you applied it. Quote
Bree Posted March 25, 2009 Report Posted March 25, 2009 Be careful with your brew. If you drip some on oak furniture for example what do you think will happen?? Black Oak furntiture!! Here is an MSDS for the main ingredient of vinegaroon http://www.alfa.com/content/msds/USA/31140.pdf Handle it properly for your own safety. Here is a fascinating link for you dyeaholics... http://www.knaw.nl/ECPA/ink/index.html Quote Ride Safe! Bree 2003 Dyna Wide Glide Memberships: Iron Butt Association, Niagara Falls HOG, Wild Fire HOG NRA, Niagara County Sportsman's Association
Members Xothique Posted July 9, 2009 Members Report Posted July 9, 2009 I'm fascinated by this topic as it would seem to solve the eternal problem of light-fast dye. So my question is - can you treat the leather this way and then wet-mould it once it's changed colour? Quote See more of my work at Xothique Designs.
Members SOSHorses Posted July 9, 2009 Members Report Posted July 9, 2009 (edited) I have made a batch of "roon" and have been using it with good results. However I do not get the black color until it is oiled. Before the oil I get the a very deep shade of royal blue (slight purple cast), so I have not been using the baking soda rinse because I am never sure if it will still turn black when it is oiled. Anyone have any input on this? I will try to get some photos of some stuff later for comparison. Has anyone tried the other mordants like tin, alum? Edited July 9, 2009 by SOSHorses Quote SOSHorses SOS Leatherworks
Bree Posted July 9, 2009 Report Posted July 9, 2009 I have made a batch of "roon" and have been using it with good results. However I do not get the black color until it is oiled. Before the oil I get the a very deep shade of royal blue (slight purple cast), so I have not been using the baking soda rinse because I am never sure if it will still turn black when it is oiled.Anyone have any input on this? I will try to get some photos of some stuff later for comparison. Has anyone tried the other mordants like tin, alum? I wanted to make a new holster for my Keltec P3AT. I wanted a wider Nemesis style to prevent the gun from falling over sideways in my jeans pocket. So I decided to vinegaroon it. I took some bullhide and gave it a 7 minute soak in some Quebracho Bark tea (1 tablespoon bark to a pot of boiling water then let cool) and then let it set in my somewhat filtered vinegaroon brew for a couple of hours. I say somewhat filtered since there was still a lot of goop in there. I washed the bullhide and let it set in some sodium bicarbonate solution for a few mins to neutralize the acid. I let it dry and then cased it to do some stamping. Right now it is black as a coal yard at midnight with no finsh whatsoever. Once I get the edges sanded and get the sewing done, I will post some final product PIX. Here some PIX of the ebonization of this piece of leather. Raw bullhide After the Quebracho soak Soaking in the neutralizer Wet neutralized leather Flesh side drying Stamped but still cased Close up of the stamped leather The stamped PIX are overly lit up because it is very hard to photograph the darn thing it is so black! Quote Ride Safe! Bree 2003 Dyna Wide Glide Memberships: Iron Butt Association, Niagara Falls HOG, Wild Fire HOG NRA, Niagara County Sportsman's Association
MADMAX22 Posted July 10, 2009 Report Posted July 10, 2009 Looks great, Did you play with the vinegaroon with and without the bark mixture to see what your results would be? Just wondering. Quote
Bree Posted July 10, 2009 Report Posted July 10, 2009 Looks great, Did you play with the vinegaroon with and without the bark mixture to see what your results would be? Just wondering. I didn't test the bullhide because I don't have a lot of scrap to test it on. I tried it on some other veg-tan without the bark tan and most of the time it was black or that deep grey with bluish cast that blackens with finishing. I didn't want to have to cut another holster pattern so I just dunked it in the bark tan tea. We'll see how the depth is when I sand the edges as I will have to sand off a good bit on part of the piece as the stamping splayed out the leather somewhat. I will probably do that this weekend. Quote Ride Safe! Bree 2003 Dyna Wide Glide Memberships: Iron Butt Association, Niagara Falls HOG, Wild Fire HOG NRA, Niagara County Sportsman's Association
Members ChuckBurrows Posted July 10, 2009 Members Report Posted July 10, 2009 have not been using the baking soda rinse because I am never sure if it will still turn black when it is oiled.Anyone have any input on this? I will try to get some photos of some stuff later for comparison. The baking soda rinse is an aid to turning it black - The "neutralizing" aspect is more for any residual odor than it is for acid reduction. If it is not black enough even after doing the baking soda dip (a quick one minute dip is all that is really needed - soak too long and you can get alkali burn which will damage the leather - ignore the bubbles) just repeat the entire procedure, but do it before the oil although I have successfully done it after oiling, but IMO it's better before since it's one less thing to go wrong, it's the reason I've never depended solely on the oil - for me the oil is to rejuvenate the leather not to turn it black, albeit that's a nice addition...... Has anyone tried the other mordants like tin, alum? AGAIN........vinegaroon aka vinegar black is a technically a chemical reagent - it is NOT a true dye so NO MORDANTS are necessary - it is the reaction with the tannins in the leather that turns the leather black - the plus side is unlike true dyes there should be no ruboff and color fastness is good when done right. For instance Bree increased the tannin content with the bark pre-bath which increases the chemical reaction, thus you get a "better" initial black. You can also increase the reaction by adding tannins after the vinegar - it doesn't matter when it's applied, although in either case, before or after, the tannins and the vinegar black should be applied within a short while of each other. If you have a piece that did not turn a good black to begin with apply more tannins - I've used a plain ole STRONG black tea when needed - it's cheap and is available at your local super market - apply the tannins "tea", let it air dry for a moment the leather to rid itself of excess surface moisture, and then reapply the vinegar black or vice versa...... can you treat the leather this way and then wet-mould it once it's changed colour? As Bree showed - yes you can - I usually dye after, but have cased the leather with the vinegar black and then tooled - just make sure to clean you tools afterwards....... Quote Wild Rose Trading Company Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
Members SOSHorses Posted July 11, 2009 Members Report Posted July 11, 2009 so what is the baking soda to water ratio for the after bath? Quote SOSHorses SOS Leatherworks
Members ChuckBurrows Posted July 11, 2009 Members Report Posted July 11, 2009 so what is the baking soda to water ratio for the after bath? I never measure but 2-3 tablespoons to a quart of warm water - use warm water so it disolves. Quote Wild Rose Trading Company Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.