Dip Dying With Fiebings

[medsar]

Ok, I have a quick question for those who dip dye their veg-tanned leather using fiebings oil dye. I have done a search and come up empty.

I am strongly considering dip dying my leather because I have found that daubers, sponges, cotton, cloth, etc all give blotchy results on large pieces of leather. The recommendation that has been given to me is to either spray dye the leather with a spray gun or dip dye the leather. I don't have the space for a spray setup, so I am diving into dip dying the leather. I am experimenting with using 5-gallon buckets vs large surface area vats (so I don't have to bend the leather on large pieces).

My question: How long do you leave the leather in the dye? I am assuming that if you leave the leather in the dye long enough, you won't get any runs when you pull it out.

Thanks a ton.

[Dwight]

I use the dip dye process for my holsters, knife sheaths, belts, mag carriers, phone holders, billfolds, etc.

I use 2 each, 9 inch by 14 inch by 2 inch deep, . . . cake pans. One is for browns, . . . the other is for black.

I pour basically a quart of dye into the pan, . . . and roll it all around down in the pan until I know it has all been covered. Probably no part of the item stays in the pan for more than 5 or 6 seconds.

Belt are the easiest, . . . I just start the buckle end through and snake it along in the pan until it is all dyed.

One caution, . . . if you are doing big pieces, . . . don't hang them right away. I did a batch of belts a couple of years ago, . . . not thinking, I just pulled them out of the dye, . . . up on the hangers. WRONG !!!!! The blacks and dark browns weren't that much affected, . . . but there were 2 or 3 shades of difference in color in the lighter browns. The dye gravitated to the "down" end, . . . making that end much darker than the other end.

I was able to salvage them, . . . but now I just lay them on edge for the first hour of drying time.

May God bless,

Dwight

[humperdingle]

I've only dip-dyed small items like veg tan bracelets... Certainly much easier than the alternative!

[electrathon]

Use a flat pan. Dip them in for a couple seconds, pull them out and pat dry with a towell. Let them dry.

Aaron