Vinegaroon To Blacken A Saddle

[Sempiternal]

I have a very nice, but old, Passier english saddle that is brown (Passier uses exclusively vegetable tanned leather for their products). I'm thinking about using vinegaroon to blacken the saddle and had a few questions (total newbie).

1. Passier states that don't use any artificial finish. Now since this isn't a dye, do I still need to strip/use a deglazer for the oil in the leather from past conditionings?

2. Would it be ok to "paint on" the baking soda/water mix since I won't be able to literally soak the saddle (size and it has wool flocking)?

3. How long does the color typically last (on the saddle)?

[thekid77]

You've got to find Chuck Burrows on this forum, I think he goes by the name "WildRose"...he is the foremost authority on vinegaroon that I know of.

[Sempiternal]

Thank you!

I sent him a pm and his username is ChuckBurrows.

[Kristen82]

Hi! I would really like to know the answers to your questions too.. I have a really nice German saddle with Napa seat that I, unfortunately, left in my car, in the sun, long enough for it to lose it's "pitch" blackness. What did you find out?

Edited December 1, 2013 by Kristen82

[Sempiternal]

I made some and tried it on my saddle. The saddle ended up being to well conditioned/oiled and the solution just beaded up instead of soaking into the leather. If your saddle is drier it may work.

I did try it on a black english hackamore with success. The black color had rubbed off the edges of the hackamore and the vinegaroon reacted nicely and turned them black.