I Dyed A Snake Skin And It Curled, Can I Use Glycerin? Crosspost From Reptiles

[Tiara]

I'm a newbie but did use the search function before dyeing the skin. Skin was whipsnake with white background and black patterns. I used a deglazer and dyed from both sides. I pegged it on cardboard and let it dry overnight. Came out flat and still quite supple.

The dried dye came out the color I wanted but was bleeding off even after quite bit of buffing. Running a damp cloth over it was still giving a lot of bleed off. This is short piece I'm using as a test. I ran cold water over it until it came clear and repegged it to the cardboard. As it dried this time, it pulled out the tacks and curled. The color had shifted lighter but not too far off.

Some more use of the search function turned up suggestions to use neatsfoot oil, let dry, then mop n glo, and buff, then use a clear shoe polish at the end. I did see that the neatsfoot oil would darken the color. As the color was a bit lighter than I'd hoped for after the last drying. The neatsfoot did make it more supple again but came out darker than I wanted for my main project. I can still use this shorter piece elsewhere. But a few spots on the sides where the belly scales had been--skin had been descaled, had not gotten as much dye, As that is near the edge and uneven, I'd planned on trimming that off. But those lighter colored bits came out closer to the color I wanted and the neatsfoot added a depth or glow that is lovely. I may try for that with dyeing another test bit with diluted dye lighter than what I want and hoping neatsfoot will take it near my target and add that depth.

However, would glycerin have been a good alternate choice with less color changing effect? It would be easier to get the color I want and not have to guesstimate. But there is one more problem that may be a factor long term on this project. It's going on the rim of a drum and I want to put a durable sealer on top of the leather. If glycerin pulls water back in and then I seal the top and glue it to the wood, could it rot since it won't get any air exchange? I could glue it to a fabric backing with some porosity or another thin leather. That might be a better choice as I could use velcro to make it removable.

Any suggestions?

[Tree Reaper]

Tiara

The skin won't rot if it's been tanned.

Neatsfoot normally will lighten a little as it dries and glycerin shouldn't hurt as it is used in preserving reptile hides.

[mikesmith648]

show pictures please?

[Tiara]

Thanks Reaper,

I'll give the neatsfoot a few days more to dry before the next steps then to see what the color does. With glycerin pulling more water in, I didn't want to trap too much moisture and have it degrade quickly.

[mikesmith648]

You can also use olive oil and it might not darken it as much.....worth a try anyway.........Works well from what I have been told by others

[Tiara]

show pictures please?

I'll get a pic of the snake skin and load it shortly. The drum I want these dyed skins to go on has a pic on this post. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=43118&hl= the black and red one is the one I eventually want the big skins to use to trim. It won't be on the front but the wood rim similar to the other photo. I plan on covering all the wood with dyed to match skins as well as make some 1.5 inch 'drum bands' to go on a couple of other drums.

With this style of drum, a conditioner of some sort is often used on the outer side but the back is left untreated so that it will change with humidity and temperature. If not allowed to breath the drum may detune and sag to the point it has to be reset. If a drum head tends to get too dry, some skins may get a light treatment with glycerin to pull in what water there is in the air. The skins vary from raw hides that may still have hair to ones with secret formulas but are not tanned the same way most leather is or like one of mine has the collagen cooked out and is the same as those used on tympani kettle drums. Sorry if that is giving info to leather workers who drum but as most drums now don't have real skin heads, even a leather worker might have been unaware of their care and feeding.

You can also use olive oil and it might not darken it as much.....worth a try anyway.........Works well from what I have been told by others

I'll try that also. thanks!