Wet Molding

[tboyce]

I've never done wet molding before. Is there any reason why you can't wet mold AFTER you dye the leather?

[Dwight]

In a one word answer, . . . no, . . . but your results will not be as good.

There actually is a chemical process that takes place when you wet a piece of veggie tan leather and then allow it to dry. I cannot describe it because I don't know all the "terms" that make it up.

But I do know for certain, . . . the first time you wet it and it dries, . . . if it is done with water only (maybe just a few drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid), . . . that is when and how you will get the best results.

If you dye it first and allow it to dry, . . . when you then wet it with water to mold it, . . . it just does not come out as good.

Personally I mold many of mine, . . . then finish the gluing / sewing / edging / burnishing before I dye it, . . . and then use the wetting of the dye to allow me to "touch up" some of the molding that didn't work to suit me the first go around.

That process is the best I have found for me.

May God bless,

Dwight

[jackd942]

Sometimes you have to dye before molding...like if you're going to use dark dye and white thread. I'm pretty new to all this, but all the holsters and mag pouches I've made so far have been done this way and I think they turned out really good. I've been using Fiebing's spirit dye. Not sure if there's a difference between using a water based dye vs a spirit dye or not, but if Dwight or anyone else have any opinions, they may want to weigh in here.

Jack