KnotHead Report post Posted March 29, 2011 (edited) For those of you who are familiar with my works, you know that I pretty much work with just Kangaroo Hides. But last night I got an itch. I have been staring at the Argentine works for the longest time. I decided to take some of the horse hide lace I have here and dye it using two different methods, or techniques. Rusty Nails in a can. Coffee Mud mixed in a can. I have inserted a photo of the 2nd one because it worked much, much faster than the 1st method did. As a matter of fact the lace in the first method is still soaking after 4 days with not much notable difference. I think I like the coffee mud much better. I feel though that if I had left that lace in there much longer it would have turned black. LOL... Here's the photo of the second method used. In the photo above you can see the difference between the undyed horse hide and the dyed. Very noticeable. Thanks for letting me share my findings. B... Edited March 29, 2011 by KnotHead Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlatHats Report post Posted March 29, 2011 For those of you who are familiar with my works, you know that I pretty much work with just Kangaroo Hides. But last night I got an itch. I have been staring at the Argentine works for the longest time. I decided to take some of the horse hide lace I have here and dye it using two different methods, or techniques. Rusty Nails in a can. Coffee Mud mixed in a can. I have inserted a photo of the 2nd one because it worked much, much faster than the 1st method did. As a matter of fact the lace in the first method is still soaking after 4 days with not much notable difference. I think I like the coffee mud much better. I feel though that if I had left that lace in there much longer it would have turned black. LOL... Here's the photo of the second method used. In the photo above you can see the difference between the undyed horse hide and the dyed. Very noticeable. Thanks for letting me share my findings. B... Useful info...Thinkin about contrasing alternating buttons on a project.... Thanks, Trav Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted March 29, 2011 No prob. B... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted March 30, 2011 (edited) The final results are now known for me anyway on the 2 techniques used. In the inserted photo. From left to right, 1. Coffee Color. 2. Natural - The way it came. 3. Soaked for 4 days in a bucket of Rusty nails. The next technique to try is Tea with Pecans. Suggested by a colleague Enrique Capone. B... Edited March 30, 2011 by KnotHead Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spence Report post Posted March 30, 2011 Great info Brian. Since I drink a pot of coffee daily, how about sharing how you mix up the mud? Is it as simple as using old grounds? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted March 30, 2011 knothead...did you use anything else in the water with the rusty nails? im thinking about trying the vinegaroon to get some black rawhide. i would also like to try the beets to get a nice red like i have seen in the argentine rawhide needlework. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted March 30, 2011 (edited) Great info Brian. Since I drink a pot of coffee daily, how about sharing how you mix up the mud? Is it as simple as using old grounds? I did not use old coffee grounds. I used some stale coffee grounds that had been sittin around since last year. I did not like the coffee much and left it settin. LOL... This is how I mixed the mud. I have a 1lb coffee can. Either metal or the plastic ones, makes no difference. I ran my water from the facet till it got hot and fill my can up about a 1/4 full. Then I added the coffee grounds to the water until I got a muddy type consistency. Then I put my lace in the can with the mud and let it set over night. That's all there is to it. knothead...did you use anything else in the water with the rusty nails? im thinking about trying the vinegaroon to get some black rawhide. i would also like to try the beets to get a nice red like i have seen in the argentine rawhide needlework. I did not use anything else in the rusty nail dye. Just rusty nails. Even rivets work really well for making rust. It's just the water and the metal and that's it. I am going to try out a metal type scratch pad that is used in a kitchen next to make some rust. Some one said that it makes a good rust and does it quick. I never thought of beets to make a red dye. I will have to try that out also. I would like to get a good red also. Thanks for all the kind comments also. B... Edited March 30, 2011 by KnotHead Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted March 30, 2011 dang....i wish i drank coffee so i could try that...may have to buy some just so i can...thats a really nice color. .can i ask where you got the horse rawhide? i would love to try some.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted March 30, 2011 (edited) My friend Jorge got it from a guy not too far from where I live. He only has a phone number that I know of. I will have to ask Jorge again what the name of this persons business is so I can get the phone number. There's also a place called Centralia Fur and Hide. Just give that name a google and their site should come up in the list. They have horse hide also. Centralia Fur and Hide - These guys are about 2hrs drive south for me. So they are pretty much a local store. I do not know how well their quality is. The hide I am using was bought at the place that is closer to me. You don't have to drink coffee to make the mud. Just buy a half pound of it somewhere dirt cheap and then make your mud. LOL... B... Edited March 30, 2011 by KnotHead Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8KCAB Report post Posted March 30, 2011 I am going to try dying with a skid-row merlot when I get to that piont. I figured the old Californios must've had some vino from the Padres. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted March 30, 2011 Hmmm. Now that would be interesting to try out. But the only prob is not drinkin the dye. LOL... B... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted April 10, 2011 (edited) Okay folks. Here's the results from using canned beets as a dye on horse hide. See the attached photos. From left to right; Still Wet to Dry. The coloration went straight through the hide. I think that the coloration ended up real nice for dying in beets. So the name Beet Red. LMAO!!! What do you all think? B... Edited April 10, 2011 by KnotHead Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted April 10, 2011 that did come out nice...did you do anything to the beets? mash them or anything? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted April 10, 2011 Didn't do a thing to them. Emptied one can all the way out and let the beets set at the bottom and 3 cans is all I used @ .99 a can. I really don't care for beets, nor the smell of them. But it does dye really nice. 3 cans of beets Emptied 1 can all the way. The other 2 I just poured the juice into a container with the first one. That's all there is to it. B... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningad Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Have you tested how well the dye is retained by the leather? I have been thinking of trying some coffee to dye leather, but have been wondering if there would be any problems with the colour leaching out and rubbing off on clothes (i'm thinking of using it for staining pouches) adam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sovran81 Report post Posted January 30, 2012 My questions also. I like the idea but worry about transfer. Let us know how that test out please. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted January 30, 2012 I have not tested on leather. Brian... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ecapone Report post Posted March 6, 2012 Brian, Long time ago I tried the formula to give a black color to the rawhide that is indicated in the Argentinean book "Trenzas Gauchas". You have to put in a can some rusty nails but also the used herbs that are left after you drink mate. Then you have to wait for several days until the water turns black and then put your laces on. Mate is an Argentinean, Paraguayan, Uruguayan and brazilean tea. I bring it from argentina but I can also buy it in some stores around here (Like Fiesta for example). They also sale "Yerba Mate" in teabags. You can use that too. I have seen the Mate teabags in the "Central Maket" and also in the Whole Food store. As the yerba mate gives a green color to the water, I guess that probably green tea might also work. What I remember is that I obtained a solid black rawhide. Cheers, Enrique Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted March 6, 2012 Thanks Enrique. I'll have to remember that when I get some goat raw hide and some raw hide next time. Brian... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted March 6, 2012 bruce grant mentioned the yerba mate dye in his encyclopedia....tea residue and rusty iron he also mentioned easter egg dyes in one of his books and they do work pretty good and penetrate through the hide. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
got2rope Report post Posted November 14, 2012 I use RIT laundry dye with phenomenal results. I mix it one part dye and 1/2 part water, and then place dry strings in and let it soak for 24 hours. Then pull the strings out, wipe off the excess and let the strings fully dry. Once they dry out the dye sets and will not bleed when strings are tempered for braiding. Best method i have found. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLD Report post Posted November 15, 2012 hi you can use the spice Tumeric , should be able to get the powder in the grocery store. It will give you a nice deep yellow johanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted November 16, 2012 Interesting. I'll have to give that a try out. Thanks for passing that along. B... hi you can use the spice Tumeric , should be able to get the powder in the grocery store. It will give you a nice deep yellow johanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troy Report post Posted November 19, 2012 Have used black hull walnut powder for years - originally got it from braintan.com but it seems these days you can get it from most herb places. I like it as you only have to mix alittle in cold water and a soak of 10 minutes gives you a dark brown colour. Have experimented with various things over this time and found the best results come from items like grass, bark, nettles hulls etc that have only recently been cut before most of the tannins have been washed out - items like the bark and nettles actually made the lace develop a sort of leathery feel after a weeks soaking. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
