Making A Batch Of Vinegaroon

[Bobby hdflame]

I'd been wanting to try making some Vinegaroon ever since reading a "How-To" on here. I thought I'd share the progress as I went, thereby getting any tips from experienced people as I go.

I added 2 SOS pads to a quart plastic jar with plastic lid. Figured that would be better than having a metal lid that would rust and leak later on. One of the pads had been used for doing dishes, the soap was depleted. I was going to wait till I used up another one but decided not to wait. I took the second one and washed the soap out with warm water and rinsed thoroughly. I filled the jar up with cider vinegar and put the lid on loosely.

Here's pics of day one....any suggestions so far?

Before I could finish this post, the steel wool had already collected enough bubbles in it to float to the top of the jar!

For those of you that use vinegaroon on a regular basis, how much do you make at a time? Can I just use a sponge to apply it to the leather or does it really need to be completely submerged, if so, for how long? I saw a video where the guy submerged a gun holster in what he called "The Rust Barrell". I'll have to go back and watch, but I think all he had in it was metal and water.

Bobby

Edited March 20, 2011 by Bobby hdflame

[TwinOaks]

I make up a 2 quart jar at a time, and wipe it on with a paper towel. You don't have to totally submerge it. Remember, it's a chemical reaction, so the strength of the 'roon is the determining factor.

[Bobby hdflame]

I make up a 2 quart jar at a time, and wipe it on with a paper towel. You don't have to totally submerge it. Remember, it's a chemical reaction, so the strength of the 'roon is the determining factor.

What kind of metal do you use? Does the two steel wool pads I used sound like enough for one quart? From what I've read, it sounds like you want to take the solution to the point of saturation. If all of the metal dissolves, then you want to add more, is that correct? I read that by taking it to where all of the metal won't dissolve, that it lessens the smell of the vinegar.

I think that next time I'll go buy some 0000 steel wool. I'm thinking the finer wool will make the process a lot quicker.

Bobby

[jeeperaz]

I think that next time I'll go buy some 0000 steel wool. I'm thinking the finer wool will make the process a lot quicker.

Absolutely. I'm currently making a new batch of v'groon using course steel wool and it is going so much slower than the times I've used finer wool.

[Bobby hdflame]

My vinegaroon is finished and I dyed my first piece of leather with it. It is BLACK!

I wound up using a third piece of steel wool. When it was almost completely dissolved you could see through the jar. Every day or two I'd shake it up,

then it would clear back up as it settled out.

After I added the third piece of steel wool, and it was almost dissolved

I shook it up one more time. But this time it didn't clear back up.

I figured that meant that it was saturated with the steel wool and it was finished. I used coffee filters and filtered it twice. It was still very dark in the jar, but more of a dark vinegar look in the top of the lid...

I used a brush and dyed a piece of leather that had basketweave on it. Took two coats front and back, but it got really dark black.

I read in another thread that someone had dyed a belt for a friend and that when they sweated, some of the black came off on them. I remember someone else saying that the 'roon wouldn't turn your skin black because it only reacted with the tannins in the leather, well...... as I was dyeing the leather some of the black turned the paper towel black....

...and got just a tinge on my fingers. I tried taking a picture of my fingers, but you can hardly see it.

I'm not sure what it'll do after it completely dries, but just wanted you to know that it is possible for some of the black to transfer from the leather to other items. Sweat could possibly transfer it to your skin. Not sure how it will react after it thoroughly dries and is sealed with a top finish.

It took about two weeks total for it to completely dissolve 3 pieces of steel wool.

Can anyone else share their experiences?

Edited April 14, 2011 by Bobby hdflame

[ramrod]

i've used my batch even though all of the steel wool didn't dissolve. i'm just going to add more vinegar.

all of my leather pieces have turned a beautiful black - awesome looking when it's wet. a real nice matte finish. anyway, when it is all neutralized and fully dried, the piece turns more of a titanium gray than black. i've actually touched it up with some eco flo just to help it along.

i'll continue using it, but i'm not 100% satisfied with the results.

i've not had any transfer to any skin or clothing. i can't see how it transfer being a chemical reaction to the leather and all.

[drphil]

Ramrod, if you add neatsfoot oil to the item it will get darker. The leather dries out quite a bit after the process and turns a (sometimes streaked) gray color. I then add neatsfoot oil generously and it helps restore the darker black color. I had to put a cup or so on a belt I made over the weekend. I have also heard of some special resolene made for black leather that will help seal it in with a deep solid black color. I haven't tried any "black resolene" but others on the forum have recommended it.

One question that I have about the whole 'roon process is what will happen if I neutralize the acid in the 'roon jar before applying it to the item to be "stained". Anyway, just a few thoughts.

[Bobby hdflame]

I'll add some more pics of the project I'm working on later. I just wanted to add that I forgot to give it the baking soda neutralizer wash until after it was completely dry, so I just skipped it. I'll see what happens. Has anyone not done a wash? How did it affect the leather, if any?

I put a couple of good coats of neats foot oil on both side. It seemed to soak it up pretty good. Do you reach a point of adding too much neats foot oil? Especially if you're putting an acrylic sealer over it? I have just about soaked leather items with neats foot oil in the past, like horse tack and I would think that would affect the application of a top coat. Tack items were just oiled so I haven't anything to compare to.

BTW, the 'roon did a good thorough job of dyeing all the way through the leather. I had to trim a piece and it was solid black all the way.

[azrider]

I have done a few vinagroon things without the baking soda bath. The smell took a little while to go away, but no adverse affects. I use olive oil on mine. I did a belt yesterday that was grey, and it soaked up almost 1/2 cup of olive oil before it looked good and black. I do light coats, and wipe off what ever isn't absorbed in about 2 min. After I have done several coats, I will let it soak overnight, which evens out the black.

[ramrod]

thanks for the tip, drphil. i will try that with the neatsfoot oil. could i still use atom wax as a finisher over the neatsfoot oil?

interesting thought about using a neutralized solution. you could give it a try on some scrap and see what happens.