How Deep Should Dye Penetrate?

[mikbau]

Howdy all

I was experimenting with some Fiebings dye this evening...mixed up some colors with alcohol to thin it out. I managed to get the color I was after.

I applied a couple of coats to some vegtan scraps, and let it dry for a bit. On a lark, I was curious as to how deep the dye penetrated the leather. Since I was planning on doing a bit of de stressing (and I didn't have any super fine steel wool handy) I lightly ran some used 1200 grid sandpaper over them, thinking it may just knock the sheen off...I was surprised how easily the surface and color came off.

Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to get the color a bit deeper? I'm not so much worried about the de stressed bits as I am for any other projects I do where I want the finish to last a little better - or at least not show the vegtan through if it gets scraped lightly. I know applying a protective coating will help some.

I'm new at dying (and leather working in general) so forgive me if this seems like a simple question.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice

Michael

[goldenstonebazaar]

You may try (on scraps):

1 - dip dyeing,

2 - repeated application of the dye (twice is usually enough),

3 - abundant application of dye (as by dauber or by saturated by dye piece of sponge).

Then apply finish, let it dry well and then try sanding, even by 120 grit.

Dip dyeing likely will go through the full depth of leather, manual application will leave central part of leather natural, but it will be less dry than after dip dye.

[Matt S]

Oil and let 'dry' before dyeing. What type of Fiebings dye was it?

[mikbau]

Thanks guys...

Matt - when you say "oil" first...what kind of oil?

The Fiebings is just the standard dye, not the industrial or oil based. I've thinned it with isopropyl alcohol

[Matt S]

Matt - when you say "oil" first...what kind of oil?

The Fiebings is just the standard dye, not the industrial or oil based. I've thinned it with isopropyl alcohol

Neetsfoot certainly works but I suspect that any leather oil will work fine; cod liver, veggie...

[mikbau]

Ok - for some reason I thought you put the oil on afterwords...since Neetsfoot blocks water, I thought perhaps it would block dye absorption as well