Help With Leather Dying

[Old Noober]

I'm working on making armor for my wife, I use veggie tanned leather specifically side skirt, because it's about 12 oz. I'm trying to dye her armor purple, but it's coming out as a bronze looking color with a lot of shine. I'm using Fiebing's purple dye, and I tried 3 methods, first was, wet the leather then swab. Then I tried on dry leather, and lastly I went with alcohol wetting.

The best result as far as I got was the dry method, it looked as close to purple as the other two. I run about 2 or 3 coats, and from certain lighting, it looks bronze and shiny or reflective. Is there a way to do a matte finish with this dye, or is it oil causing the shiny reflectiveness, also what am I doing wrong when I try applying it on wet leather that's giving me the bronze shiny finish?

To sum it up, side skirt leather, wool dauber, Fiebing's purple dye. I tried straight and circular strokes. Straight one coat still looks like purple on dry leather, others, look bronze and also uneven.

Left is wet, middle is alcohol, right is dry

Edited June 22, 2013 by Old Noober

[benlilly1]

It's the dye particle's left from the evaporation of the solvent. You're supposed to be able to buff it away with sheep's skin...not sure how briskly. I wonder if diluting the dye before will help? Just a thought.

[lightingale]

While the bronze effect wasn't intended, I think it looks quite nice, actually! I'd be sealing it on to keep the effect, but that's just me!

You could try diluting the dye with rubbing alcohol. Layer it on until you get the effect you want (an airbrush is best for this so you don't get streaks from the dauber). Buffing should help as well.

Or use a different dye. The Angelus ones look great.

[Old Noober]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try diluting it, then see about air brushing it. I did try to buff it after letting it dry over night, I was hoping it'd only look like that because it was wet, but buffing it made it more shiny ironically. I used a wool rag and cotton to see if it made any difference.

[Glendon]

Leather dye is pretty much never to be used full strength. I think everyone who is self taught learns that lesson the hard way. Out of the bottle it's way too much. And darker dyes especally need to be buffed after application. I've heard sheeps wool, rabbet skins, but if you're just starting out a couple paper towels will work. I've even done that with USMC black, and that stuff is awful about dye rub off.

[Matt S]

T shirt material works well.

[Jwalker]

you've already gotten good advice...i agree...dilute to taste...then airbrush...a light buff to get any loose dye stuffs....leather should be dry before dying...and as the dye dries it will leach out some of the fat liquors...so ya might consider a light oiling before dying...let yur oil set for 24hrs

Edited June 23, 2013 by Jwalker

[oltoot]

On the middle piece you have those little streaks of purple on the edges of the piece, that and the flesh side of the first piece looks purple. These should tell you something? One thought, most skirting is finished with a little bit of dye. That may be reacting with the purple to produce a mixed color. If it is something like that, try first something called deglazing fluid. Apply and buff off while still wet then dye. But be aware that will dry out your leather so you may want to incorporate a little Lexol nf in your finishing program to replace lost moisture.

[Old Noober]

Would the deglazing cause the leather to crack if it dries it out, and wouldn't the oil change the properties or color of the dye as well?

I still have a lot to learn about leather dying, and what would be a good consistency of alcohol to dye, I'm going to do another dye attempt this weekend and was planing on going with 2 parts dye to 1 part alcohol, unless you guys out there recommend 1:1?

[oltoot]

Deglazing fluid has never done that for me, another thought would be to clean with oxalic acid and see if that helps. Lexol nf after dye shouldn't change things but try a little piece to be sure.

[Northmount]

Add some red dye, or blue dye, see which gives the colour you a trying for.

Tom

Edited June 25, 2013 by northmount

[Old Noober]

Thanks again everyone for your tips and advice. Gonna try multiple methods on some scrap to get the color right.

Oh and Oltoot, that piece in the middle with the purple happened when I was doing circular motions with the dauber, I guess some dye just brushed it during the application, it's pretty much the color I was hoping for. The edge is going to be black in the finished product.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Old Noober