Need Help! Saddle Tan Dye Issues

[HorseGirl98]

Several things:

I picked up a bottle of saddle tan last weekend, I have a new saddle I was hoping I could dye the flank cinch and billets I'm making for it to match...

Latigo turned out like this (watered down Saddle Tan, put on with a paintbrush on dry veg tan leather):

Crown piece for a headstall (pure saddle tan put on leather I soaked in water for a few minutes, applied with a paintbrush)

I'm trying to dye the leather to match this:

I have saddle tan, mahogany dye, neatsfoot and leather ph conditioner - I can buy another dye if I need to... I do have a wool dauber I can use, didn't think of that last night:wacko:

AND I discovered, anywhere that leather PH oil has been, and you put watered down saddle tan on it, turns black

weird.

Also, my new saddle has this one one side (only one side, the other is normal looking) Could I apply some neatsfoot to fix it? I don't want to mess it up any worse than it already is.

Any help would be great!

[dirtclod]

In the first picture it looks like where it's messed you started putting the dye on and it puddled. I never have put dye on wet leather. I don't put anything on the leather before i start like oil or water. When i dye i use a piece of trimed sheep wool most of the time. I hold the wool over the end of the bottle and tilt it over to get dye on the wool and then rake it across the top of the bottle to get excess dye off. Then going in a circle motion, some times i need to do two coats. Wear some gloves to if you don't want funny colored fingers. Good luck.

[HorseGirl98]

In the first picture it looks like where it's messed you started putting the dye on and it puddled. I never have put dye on wet leather. I don't put anything on the leather before i start like oil or water. When i dye i use a piece of trimed sheep wool most of the time. I hold the wool over the end of the bottle and tilt it over to get dye on the wool and then rake it across the top of the bottle to get excess dye off. Then going in a circle motion, some times i need to do two coats. Wear some gloves to if you don't want funny colored fingers. Good luck.

I applied it with a paintbrush, about 1" wide. I fixed it by using a 2" wide foam brush dipped in super strong coffee, let that soak in a few minutes and applied a few more coats. Then I liberally applied neatsfoot oil to the front and back while it was still wet. Looks much better, although still not the shade I want. I did the same thing to fix the crown piece.

I am going to try to cut the Saddle Tan with a thinner, it's waaaay to dark by itself. Almost mahogany.

[HorseGirl98]

I think I have it all figured out. Alcahol thinned out the saddle tan to a lighter shade. I ended up using veggie oil, it's still drying but I think my backgirth will end up the right shade with veggie oil alone.

[dirtclod]

I'm glad to hear that ya got it figured out. That's great news !!

[Bakerleather]

Sounds like I'm a bit late to be of any help to you but to me it looks like part of the problem might be that there is still some clear finish on the saddle that is preventing the dye from penetrating.