How To Get This Color Dye Shade

[NewYorkerInSydney]

Hi friends, can anyone tell me what color dye would get me this nice shade in the attached photo? Its such a nice warm color. Can I buy a dye that already looks like that? Thanks for your help.

Edited February 11, 2010 by NewYorkerInSydney

[Storm]

Check with Tandy or take the piece into the shop. But it appears as though they laid down a base color and then theyused an airbrush to slightly darken the edges. Also keep in mind that not all leathers dye in the same manner. I have even seen color variations in the same side of leather. For an All-In-One maybe like a Desert Tan or Prairie Tan.

Hope that helps,

Storm

[whinewine]

But it appears as though they laid down a base color and then they used an airbrush to slightly darken the edges.

Storm

Or, one could use an almost dry dye cloth wrapped around a sponge or block & lightly go over the edge. Same thing, but with a dauber instead of the block.

russ

[JLSleather]

Fiebing's dark brown will do that. The photo attached was dyed with it [only]. Nothing else done with it except a coat of Tan-Kote. Lots of "colors" just by varying the application. If it helps, the outside of the design was matted, the inside of the leaves are ribbed, and the outside of the leaves is smooth shaded (probably best for comparing your smooth surface). For what it's worth ...

[Timd]

The color itself looks like Feibing's saddle tan, which is my favorite color, with the edges treated like the others have said.

[NewYorkerInSydney]

HI there, unfortunately I am nowhere near a Tandy as I am in Sydney and I dont know of anyone anywhere near me that sells this stuff which is why I resort to asking people online. I wish I had one here. Sounds like a fun place.

Oooh these are all really good replies. Thanks so much for the help. PS. How would a airbrush make the dying look different than applying with say, a dauber? Thanks all so much.

[particle]

HI there, unfortunately I am nowhere near a Tandy as I am in Sydney and I dont know of anyone anywhere near me that sells this stuff which is why I resort to asking people online. I wish I had one here. Sounds like a fun place.

Oooh these are all really good replies. Thanks so much for the help. PS. How would a airbrush make the dying look different than applying with say, a dauber? Thanks all so much.

To me, it looks like Fiebings oil dye in Light Brown, followed with Neatsfoot oil. Here is a holster I recently did with it. The dark edges could simply be from burnishing the leather (notice the edge of the reinforcement piece on my holster), or perhaps hitting the edge with Dark Brown, or even Black oil dye, which has a tendency to flow a little into the leather, darkening the edges. Could also be the neatsfoot penetrating the leather more around the edges, darkening it in those areas. That's my guess...

Regarding the difference between the airbrush and the dauber - the dauber is going to go on much thicker, and is very difficult to apply without getting streaks. If you're doing a small piece, and have a large dauber, probably not a big deal - but the color is going to be very dark and saturated. I like using an airbrush because I can more easily control the intensity of the dye, and it's easier to achieve a smooth, consistent coloring on the whole piece.

[JLSleather]

How would a airbrush make the dying look different than applying with say, a dauber? Thanks all so much.

That's why I say I think it's one color ... the outside is just applied heavier. Easy to do if you airbrush the "body" of the piece, then run a dauber down the edges with the same shade.

Probably irrelevant if you don't have access to it right now, but the Fiebing's dark brown has this slight reddish tint, which is more obvious the more you thin it. Certainly could be the British Tan, or even the mahogony, as they can look much alike if you apply them ... and don't let me get started on that but the finish applied can change the ball game, too.

... a tint, which if I remember is added to balance the yellow/green tint from the leather itself and the tanning chemicals.

[TroyS]

Personally, it looks like Feibing's Light Tan or Beige Alcohol dye then, the maker burnished the edge with bees wax. The edge doesn't look like it was intentionally stained a different color.

Troy

[builderofstuff]

To me, it looks like Fiebings oil dye in Light Brown, followed with Neatsfoot oil. Here is a holster I recently did with it. The dark edges could simply be from burnishing the leather (notice the edge of the reinforcement piece on my holster), or perhaps hitting the edge with Dark Brown, or even Black oil dye, which has a tendency to flow a little into the leather, darkening the edges. Could also be the neatsfoot penetrating the leather more around the edges, darkening it in those areas. That's my guess...

I've watched your videos on youtube and I would like to try airbrushing finishes onto my projects. Can the ecoflo all in one dyes be airbrushed?

Thanks,

Chris

[CitizenKate]

...I would like to try airbrushing finishes onto my projects. Can the ecoflo all in one dyes be airbrushed?

The eco flo water-based dyes can be airbrushed. All-in-one, however, is not a dye, but a combination of stain and finish. It's more of a heavy gel that gets wiped on over the dye.

Kate