Help And Tips On Selective Dyeing?

[The Grizzly]

I have a belt order I'm working on, it's my first one. The belt will have a tooled railroad track that goes around it, in the back the track will open to an elipse where the name will be tooled in the center. I did some practicing on the railroad tooling and I'm afraid if I dye the belt all mahogany (the color the customer wants), the tooling will be lost in the darkness of the dye.

So here's an idea that I'm thinking about doing.

After tooling, I'd like to take the mahogany dye and color everything but the tooled areas (both sides of the track to the edge of the belt and possibly the gravel areas between railroad ties). I'd like to leave the tooling natural and let it darken a bit when I oil and finish the belt.

What would be the best way to go about this? Should I paint the dye in with a fine edge artist brush near the tooling and finish it with a dauber/foam brush? Or, should I paint some type of resist on the entire tooled area then dye the belt allowing the resist to block the dye?

Other options to consider?

Thanks in advance!!

[LilRay]

I'd like to know this too.

God Bless, Ray

[The Grizzly]

Perhaps between the 2 of us we can get an answer today

[dirtclod]

Take one of the pieces that you have been practicing with and dye it with brush and see how you like it and how it works out.

[The Grizzly]

Sure, trial and error is the easy part! I was hoping that some of the more experienced craftsman could throw out a few pointers and 'keep in minds' to make it a bit simpler.

[billsreef]

Something like this?

I used a fine tipped brush for the background and edges around the tooled pattern, and wide brush for the open areas of the edges. A couple of coats of die till I got the effect I wanted, followed by buffing after the die dried. A light coat of neatsfoot oil that I allowed to dry overnight, followed by a coat of Neat Lac as a resist before applying the antique and final coats of Neat Lac.

[leatheroo]

I would use a brush as well. A word of caution ....dont try to do this with a cheapo brush. If you own a set of good brushes the job will be easy. I dont mean 'better' quality brushes...i mean 'good'!!! Good quality sable brushes are the only way to go, but be prepared to pay about $25 or more per brush. It will seem alot but WELL worth it.

[LilRay]

Is there anything stiffer than a brush to use? Something that'd work along the lines of an acrylic marker? I wish there were foam brushes the size and stiffness of a marker tip. I'd have much better results faster.

Or am I going to have to tough it out and learn to use a brush?

God Bless, Ray

[The Grizzly]

Something like this?

I used a fine tipped brush for the background and edges around the tooled pattern, and wide brush for the open areas of the edges. A couple of coats of die till I got the effect I wanted, followed by buffing after the die dried. A light coat of neatsfoot oil that I allowed to dry overnight, followed by a coat of Neat Lac as a resist before applying the antique and final coats of Neat Lac.

Thats exactly what I'm talking about, thanks! Also, pertaining to using a resist before antique...what all do you coat with the resist? I'm still very new to all of this and the antiquing process intrigues me.

[billsreef]

Is there anything stiffer than a brush to use? Something that'd work along the lines of an acrylic marker? I wish there were foam brushes the size and stiffness of a marker tip. I'd have much better results faster.

Or am I going to have to tough it out and learn to use a brush?

God Bless, Ray

Like leatheroo mentioned, use a good quality sable brush. They are plenty stiff for this sort of work, and can be had in a very fine point for getting into corners.

Thats exactly what I'm talking about, thanks! Also, pertaining to using a resist before antique...what all do you coat with the resist? I'm still very new to all of this and the antiquing process intrigues me.

I coat the entire piece with the resist. Keeps the antique paste from soaking into the grain of the leather.

[terrymac]

Just a couple of suggestions:

1. Use the wipe on Neatlac (Clearlac), and let dry overnight before applying the antique.

2. Use Fiebing's Antique paste rather than the Eco Flo antique products. You will end up with the ugliest colors in the world.

3. I don't believe the resist will work as a block for the dye very well.

Hope this helps

Terry

[GlenH]

Sounds like what you want to do is block dye it. The tool impressions will still be the natural color. Take care when you finish it though. I did a belt (actually my own belt) and I block dyed it, and it came out great. Then I brushed on super shene, and the super shene picked up the color and filled in the tool impressions. I use the spray on super shene now and that works fine.

[The Grizzly]

Thanks for the suggestions.

As for block dyeing, I don't think my railroad track will sit below the surface of the surrounding leather enough not to get dye on it.

[Nightwolf]

If I read correctly your looking for something like this (only railroad not celtic)

This is a bracelet I made for my wife, the background is all hand dyed by painting with a good quality red sable brush as mentioned above, and the knotwork left the natural color of the leather after neatsfoot oil, you can also leave it in the sun a bit if you want to darken the leather, but you need to do that before you apply the finishes, since the the finish will protect the leather.

Simply follow the basics of leather dying, no magic secrets to speak of.

1. I do case the leather before dying (not wet, but properly cased) I found this helps to the dye to not over spread when painting in those small areas.

2. In this instance I used fiebiengs oil based black dye. Dip the brush about 3/4 of the way into the dye to "load" the brush. NEVER dip the whole brush in the metal part (I think its called the ferrel) should never directly contact the dye.

3. Practice this part!!!! When you first touch the tip of the brush to the leather the dye will flow out into the leather, so its important to start in the middle of an area to be dyed, never near your toolwork!

4. I let the extra ink bleed out from the brush in the center area, then slowly (and very cafrefully) work towards my tooling, bevel line etc. You are only going to get about 1/4 to 1/2 along the toolwork done before you repeat the process. dont rush it, thats how mistakes are made!

If you would like to use a resist, I would actually go ahead and use Tan Kote on the area you want left natural (this also makes it possible if you get a small spot on while doing the background you can just wipe it off if you catch it quickly.

Would love to see a picture of your belt when your done!