Steps To Dyeing Vegtanned Leather?

[Magsley]

So I am making some belts for a costume and they were cut from vegetable tanned leather from Tandy's leather. I didn't really know what I was doing and just applied the dye some pieces that were dry, some that were damp, and some that were wet. When they were dry they were all very stiff and some were very discolored- blotchy and uneven coloring. Some of the belts' edges were slightly curled up too. What are the steps I should take to dye vegtan leather and get a good result? I am using oil-based dye, Fieblings (I think I spelled that wrong). I just would like some clear steps on how to dye my leather and have everything look nice and even! I'm a complete newbie.

[electrathon]

What I would do: Pour the dye in a pan. Dampen the leather, not that wet, like you are going to tool it. Put on gloves and pull the belt through the dye. Pat the leather dry with a rag. Lay it flat to dry.

Aaron

[dirtclod]

If you put some conditioner like Lexol ( not a lot i rub it on using a trimmed piece of wool on sheep skin ) on the pieces you have dyed it should help limber them up.

[Magsley]

What I would do: Pour the dye in a pan. Dampen the leather, not that wet, like you are going to tool it. Put on gloves and pull the belt through the dye. Pat the leather dry with a rag. Lay it flat to dry.

Aaron

Okay, so I don't need to clean the leather or anything before I dye it?

If you put some conditioner like Lexol ( not a lot i rub it on using a trimmed piece of wool on sheep skin ) on the pieces you have dyed it should help limber them up.

Would just using it on a rag work? And is Neatsfoot oil about the same thing?

Last night I applied some more dye to the really unevenly colored pieces to try and even them out and it kind of worked, any tips on fixing the pieces besides just blotting dye where its too light? Thanks for your help so far, I'm glad I got the hide on sale so I don't feel bad wasting pieces

[r lenna]

I've had the same problems, I use the same die and I use Purell "the hand cleaner" when the die is still wet the alcohol will even out the die. It will darken in the areas that you use it some. I think its the water that's in it. I would think you could take just alcohol and do the same thing. Thats what I do.. Rob

[GlenH]

Are you wiping the leather after the dye dries? The "blotchy" looking spots you're talking about could be just pigment that didn't get soaked into the leather. I just take a paper towel and rub it on the leather until it stops picking up the color.

[electrathon]

Okay, so I don't need to clean the leather or anything before I dye it?

In general I don't. You can wipe it with deglazer or alcohol if it needs it.

[RedDragonShoppe]

I do all my dye work dry. When I want a solid color I cut a piece of sheepskin that is as wide and tall as the belt is wide. I then trim the hair down to about a centimeter and use that as my applicator, just rubbing in small circles down the length for the first coat, and then in long passes from tip to end and then end to tip to even it out. I have found that soaking the leather afterwards also evens out the color.

[Bob Blea]

I have found that soaking the leather afterwards also evens out the color.

When you say soaking, do you mean in the dye or with water? I'm assuming water.....

[Magsley]

Thanks for all the tips, I also went back to Tandy's and bought some Neatsfoot oil to combat the stiffness. I've been applying the oil dye on dry leather and it has been working to eaven out the color, except on two stubborn pieces (the only pieces that were tooled). One of the pieces has a bit of a "crackled" look, without actually being cracked...