New To Leather. How Do I Replicate This Effect?

[memper]

Hello,

I'm new here and new to leatherwork. I am working on a motorcycle seat with brand new professional leather. Two pieces (one for each side of the seat pan) of distressed 5/6 oz.

I dont plan on tooling, I think I will leave that for another project. For now I want to focus on dyeing.

I would like to know how to replicate the streaky two toned effect in the attached picture. Thanks in advance.

M

[abn]

First of all, welcome to LW.net. We're glad you found us.

Regarding your question, I've never produced a dye job of that type. But I'll give you some pointers on how I might go about trying, and let's hope that someone with more experience chimes in.

The first thing you'll need is plenty of scrap leather to try this out on. You never, ever, ever want to experiment on your final project. Ask me how I know this. I have a trash can full of "great" last-minute ideas.

Next, you'll need tan dye and black dye. I think my first try would be to dye the entire project tan, and use a wool dauber and the black dye to darken the edges. Then I'd use a very lightly-loaded dauber to produce the black streaks.

Maybe another way to accomplish this is to selectively apply a resist (like Satin Shene) to keep some areas lighter than others. I'm not very knowledgable in that area, so I'll leave it to someone else to expand upon that idea.

The most important thing is to get the two dyes and start experimenting on scrap. You may not be able to replicate that exact dye job, but who knows -- you may stumble onto something that looks even better to you.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

[jbird]

Howdy and welcome.

I have a laundry list of ways to get this effect in fact a devoted a hole time perfecting this effect.

First off ABN is real close a few miner changes I would make. If you have air brush we are talking a hole new ball game but let's talck other methods and asume you don't have a airbrush. To get this look you need at least four steps.

Step one: apply a light color I use tan mixed with a slight yellow color ( please use acholl dye) mix half achool half dye and apply.

Step two: use the same color but no achool and apply work from the edges to the middle this is a done by a loaded dauber on the edges and a all but dry as you reach the middle.

Step three: lightly oil the piece.

Step four: apply black to the edges and work in use a white Cotten rag for this very lightly loaded Start applying and work in, in tell you are happy with the finish.

Step five: buff well.

Step six : spray on a finish very important! Or if you can't let dry for 48 hours Len apply a finish but not recamend.

Sorry to say but this finish is a bit tricky.

Good luck

Josh

Edited March 22, 2010 by jbird

[memper]

ok. Thanks.

Do I need to case the leather before dyeing?

Would the use of a sponge or an old ruined paintbrush get the streaking effect? To me the effect in my picture looks like wood grain.

Perhaps there is a "wood grain" technique yall know about?

ALso, you mention mixing half dye and half alcohol. Doesn't Fiebings have premixed ready to use jars? Im looking to order Fiebings spirit based Tan and Dark Brown

Edited March 22, 2010 by memper

[jbird]

Yes they have pre mixed that's what I am talking about but. I think you should try abn's way.

[memper]

Yes they have pre mixed that's what I am talking about but. I think you should try abn's way.

I have been advised by a friend to use oil based stain rather than alcohol dye. He said that the oil stain will age and wear better with use. Can I use ABN's way with oil based stains?

[jbird]

I have been advised by a friend to use oil based stain rather than alcohol dye. He said that the oil stain will age and wear better with use. Can I use ABN's way with oil based stains?

Yes you can! How ever I common mistake is that oil dye is oil? Ha not at all try thining it with a oil thinner it's a higher grade achool base dye.

Josh

[MADMAX22]

I have done this on a wallet before and it turned out pretty cool. I used a light tan under coat, then dyed the motorcycle design a orange color (harley insignia with wings). Then I went over it with a black similer to that style.

What I did was take a portion of cotton shirt, stuff the center with cotton balls and cinch it up nice and tight so you have a round over sized dauper made out of a shirt. Load this with the black dye and then run it on some paper towels to take some of it off. Now ever so slightly run this over the project and apply slightly more pressure where you want more black.

I liked the overall finish but one thing to mention is that since its a wallet that gets used daily the dye will come off on areas. The guy I did it for likes it because it makes it have a real rustic look. I wish I had a pic of it but I dont. I may try and get one in the next couple of days if I can get away with it.

[memper]

I have done this on a wallet before and it turned out pretty cool. I used a light tan under coat, then dyed the motorcycle design a orange color (harley insignia with wings). Then I went over it with a black similer to that style.

What I did was take a portion of cotton shirt, stuff the center with cotton balls and cinch it up nice and tight so you have a round over sized dauper made out of a shirt. Load this with the black dye and then run it on some paper towels to take some of it off. Now ever so slightly run this over the project and apply slightly more pressure where you want more black.

I liked the overall finish but one thing to mention is that since its a wallet that gets used daily the dye will come off on areas. The guy I did it for likes it because it makes it have a real rustic look. I wish I had a pic of it but I dont. I may try and get one in the next couple of days if I can get away with it.

ok. Thanks for the tips.

[TwinOaks]

I think most of have achieved that effect followed by a long string of adult language......

Think of it like rubbing an eraser across a pencil smudge.....

Dye the base color, let dry.

Apply resist to the areas you want "streaky". Let dry.

Apply the top color coat over the whole thing and then dip a dauber or rag in alcohol and run over the resisted area - BEFORE IT DRIES. Clean/swap daubers and repeat as desired. The solvent should pull the dye off the resist, giving you the streaks you want. In areas you want a little more dark, don't clean the rag. Let dry, apply finish and top coat.

[memper]

I was also advised to use antiquing. I am not tooling the leather but I wish to bring out the distressed look. My leather has many wrinkles and some light scuffs etc. Will antique stain the lighter tan dye? Do I need neatsfoot oil first? Antique first or dye first? Do I need to wet the leather first?

I am clear as to how to get my effects, I am not clear about the steps.

Does it go like this?:

-Neatsfoot oil (let dry for 24hrs.)

-Spray lightly with water

-Antique (removing quickly after applying)

-Tan dye

-Black dye

-Back and forth with the Tan and Black to get good blends and effects

-Leather dressing

Edited March 25, 2010 by memper

[MADMAX22]

Anitque is not a good idea for seats. It can be used but after a little use it will end up on your pants and not on the seat.

There are a few ways to use it. One is as a stain of sorts. This is harder to control in my experience. You would use this after oiling and before sealing.

Normally antique is used after dying and first sealing, then antique, then seal some more.

Generally I finish the item, clean with deglazer or something similer, dye the project let dry and buff. Then oil and let sit over night. Then follow up with a sealer of your choice 1 or 2 coats. This acts as a resist for the antique. Apply the antique then buff depending on type of antique. Then after thats dry seal it again with a your sealer of choice.

However like I said with antique you gotta be careful with things like holsters and seats. Seats take a tremendous amount of abuse just from general use. Take a 250lb guy bouncing around on the thing with a layer of jeans rubbing on it all the time and its gonna put any finish to the test.

[memper]

So it might be a waste of time and money. I guess the small fissures and dents will fill with the dye. Just gotta get it in there I suppose.

Thanks.

[outcast]

Anitque is not a good idea for seats. It can be used but after a little use it will end up on your pants and not on the seat.

There are a few ways to use it. One is as a stain of sorts. This is harder to control in my experience. You would use this after oiling and before sealing.

Normally antique is used after dying and first sealing, then antique, then seal some more.

Generally I finish the item, clean with deglazer or something similer, dye the project let dry and buff. Then oil and let sit over night. Then follow up with a sealer of your choice 1 or 2 coats. This acts as a resist for the antique. Apply the antique then buff depending on type of antique. Then after thats dry seal it again with a your sealer of choice.

However like I said with antique you gotta be careful with things like holsters and seats. Seats take a tremendous amount of abuse just from general use. Take a 250lb guy bouncing around on the thing with a layer of jeans rubbing on it all the time and its gonna put any finish to the test.

If the antique was mixed with tankote wouldn't that help seal the antique into the blemishs & wrinkles? Then after seal with more tankote, or whatever, then pecards, or montana pitch blend to make it water resistant. David Theobald uses antiques all the time on his seats, and does a lot of them. Dave ... you there Dave? (cheesh & chong).

Edited March 26, 2010 by outcast

[MADMAX22]

If the antique was mixed with tankote wouldn't that help seal the antique into the blemishs & wrinkles? Then after seal with more tankote, or whatever, then pecards, or montana pitch blend to make it water resistant. David Theobald uses antiques all the time on his seats, and does a lot of them. Dave ... you there Dave? (cheesh & chong).

That would probably work. Yeah David is the master with seats. If he gives you any advice I would take it. He has helped me when I did mine a while back.

I just didnt realize he ever used antiques though. I could be totally wrong but thought all he did was very nice tooling and dying.

[outcast]

That would probably work. Yeah David is the master with seats. If he gives you any advice I would take it. He has helped me when I did mine a while back.

I just didnt realize he ever used antiques though. I could be totally wrong but thought all he did was very nice tooling and dying.

For sure he does very nice tooling, and dying, but I think he uses Fiebings antique also. Busted Lifter is another seat maker who uses antique. I don't know how they seal it to prevent it from ending up on the seat of denim blue jeans tho.

[David]

I do use antique paste all the time on seats. I only use the alcohol based stains. On this seat I kept working back and forth from dark to light and medium colors. I used black, dark brown, medium brown, sheridan and buckskin dye; all by Fiebings. I show pics of the seat not because I think it is so terrific but to show the results when the dye is applied nearly dry on a cloth. I used sheriday antique paste when I was done to help blend all the colors. A final coat of leather balm with atom wax as the only finish.

Dave

Edited March 26, 2010 by David

[MADMAX22]

My mistake, wish I had a better memory. Thanks for posting David and nice looking seat by the way.