Leather Dye Getting On Natural Thread, Ways To Prevent? Fix?

[ericluther]

I made a black guitar strap dyed it with USMC black, buffed it really well and aussied it.

Then I machine sewed on the backing with natural colored thread. I saw a few spots that were dingy, but when I tried to clean it it made the dye come off and darken it worse.

Any advice on how to prevent or fix it?

Thanks so much!

Eric

Edited June 2, 2012 by ericluther

[TwinOaks]

Do all your dyeing, conditioning, and buffing............and let it dry before you stitch it.

Probably the most common error with this craft is rushing the process. Certain steps take time, and while some of them can be "hurried along", others just need the time. For example: When I first started, I decided that spraying the leather with water/casing solution was just as good as proper casing of the leather.....which takes a good bit of time. After some less than satisfactory results, I tried the time tested and proven method of casing the leather. It was a big difference, and I could have saved quite a few dollars worth of scrap carvings if I had followed the prescribed methods.

[ericluther]

Do all your dyeing, conditioning, and buffing............and let it dry before you stitch it.

Probably the most common error with this craft is rushing the process. Certain steps take time, and while some of them can be "hurried along", others just need the time. For example: When I first started, I decided that spraying the leather with water/casing solution was just as good as proper casing of the leather.....which takes a good bit of time. After some less than satisfactory results, I tried the time tested and proven method of casing the leather. It was a big difference, and I could have saved quite a few dollars worth of scrap carvings if I had followed the prescribed methods.

thanks so much! I am pretty sure I let it sit for 24 hours, would using resolene or leather sheen to seal it help as well?

[Northmount]

would using resolene or leather sheen to seal it help as well?

Anything you use to seal the leather is just on the surface, not inside the leather. So unless you can stitch without puncturing the surface seal, I don't see sealing the leather as being a solution. You have to leave it long enough after dyeing it that it won't weep into the thread as you pull it through (machine or hand). The thicker the leather, and how much it was saturated with dye will change the required drying time. I think it is time to do a couple tests to see if 24 or 48 hours is enough, or more. The tests need to be the same material, same thickness, same dyeing process.

I think I recall something in another thread here some time ago about some thread types being more sensitive to picking up dye, but can't recall just what it was. Maybe a search for thread and dye would find something useful.

CTG

[ericluther]

Anything you use to seal the leather is just on the surface, not inside the leather. So unless you can stitch without puncturing the surface seal, I don't see sealing the leather as being a solution. You have to leave it long enough after dyeing it that it won't weep into the thread as you pull it through (machine or hand). The thicker the leather, and how much it was saturated with dye will change the required drying time. I think it is time to do a couple tests to see if 24 or 48 hours is enough, or more. The tests need to be the same material, same thickness, same dyeing process.

I think I recall something in another thread here some time ago about some thread types being more sensitive to picking up dye, but can't recall just what it was. Maybe a search for thread and dye would find something useful.

CTG

Thank you so much, I will definitely do this test, I really appreciate the help form you guys!

[TwinOaks]

Sitting for 24 hrs might have left the dye dry, but when you applied the conditioner, you effectively re-wet it, because the conditioner will soak into the pores of the leather. If there's any dye particles that haven't attached themselves.....they're free to leave on whatever they can rub against, whether that's your pants, your shirt, or your thread. I've gotten far better results since I started airbrushing the dye, but even with that method of application, I still get additional rub off after conditioning.....not a lot, but it's there. And USMC Black has a reputation for significant rub off.

Dye, dry, buff, buff, buff,......... condition, buff, buff, buff, buff, dry, buff again to see if you've still got any loose dye particles, and if not, then stitch.

Yes, once the conditioning has completely been absorbed, you can seal the leather and it'll help prevent rub off.....but only if you've got 99+% of the dye particles buffed off. The sealer is to protect the leather, not to glue down loose dye particles.

[ericluther]

Sitting for 24 hrs might have left the dye dry, but when you applied the conditioner, you effectively re-wet it, because the conditioner will soak into the pores of the leather. If there's any dye particles that haven't attached themselves.....they're free to leave on whatever they can rub against, whether that's your pants, your shirt, or your thread. I've gotten far better results since I started airbrushing the dye, but even with that method of application, I still get additional rub off after conditioning.....not a lot, but it's there. And USMC Black has a reputation for significant rub off.

Dye, dry, buff, buff, buff,......... condition, buff, buff, buff, buff, dry, buff again to see if you've still got any loose dye particles, and if not, then stitch.

Yes, once the conditioning has completely been absorbed, you can seal the leather and it'll help prevent rub off.....but only if you've got 99+% of the dye particles buffed off. The sealer is to protect the leather, not to glue down loose dye particles.

that makes sense, thanks so much for all the help! that may be exactly what happened

[frmntx]

Do all your dyeing, conditioning, and buffing............and let it dry before you stitch it.

Probably the most common error with this craft is rushing the process. Certain steps take time, and while some of them can be "hurried along", others just need the time. For example: When I first started, I decided that spraying the leather with water/casing solution was just as good as proper casing of the leather.....which takes a good bit of time. After some less than satisfactory results, I tried the time tested and proven method of casing the leather. It was a big difference, and I could have saved quite a few dollars worth of scrap carvings if I had followed the prescribed methods.

The red sentence above is probably the most understated...and most important statement anyone can tell you on here. I am still trying to overpower my ADHD and impatience!

Good Luck!

[Glendon]

My personal experience has been, and others have said the same thing, that the USMC black is particularly bad about rub off. It's the only black I use now because it does look great, but you do have to buff the holy heck out of it each time it gets wet. There is just something about that formula that leaves a lot of dye partials on top of the leather. I just bought a rotary tool to use with a set of burnishers I have on order. On my next use of the USMC dye, I'm going to try a buffing wheel in the rotary tool and see how that goes.

Edited July 22, 2012 by Glendon