How To Make Leather Dye Using Coffee ?

[3001234]

Hello, i'm new in leather-working,

Does anyone know about making leather dye using coffee ? how is it made ?

just want to make leather dye in cheaper ways :D

thanks before.

[MakerUnknown]

I've done a tiny bit of experimenting with two different processes. I like to make traditional Mexican Molés where you roast the various dried chills and then soak them in hot water for an half hour or so. The water, which for the most part is thrown away, is a beautifully complex dark brown color and I've dunked leather in it to see what happens. It colors the leather depending upon duration of course on how long you leave it on. The color is not a drastic change at all. I haven't really done extensive testing on it for longevity.

The other process which is instant and I'm thinking permanent is using a mixture of vinegar and steel wool. I make furniture and sometimes I will ebonize the wood. It's an old process of applying a rusted solution of iron to the wood and the tannins in the wood react to the iron and turns the wood black. So I got to thinking that leather has all kinds of tannins in it and did a little test and bingo, the leather went black instantly.

Here's a link to the process for wood but there's information in there about making the iron solution.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/ebonizing_wood

[LTC]

The other process which is instant and I'm thinking permanent is using a mixture of vinegar and steel wool. I make furniture and sometimes I will ebonize the wood. It's an old process of applying a rusted solution of iron to the wood and the tannins in the wood react to the iron and turns the wood black. So I got to thinking that leather has all kinds of tannins in it and did a little test and bingo, the leather went black instantly.

yeah it's called "vinegaroon" lots of threads about it on here

[MakerUnknown]

Now I feel silly...I've passed over those and see now I shouldn't have.

[LTC]

its alright hard to search for it if you don't know what folks on here call the process

[morb]

I'm making a breast collar and used coffee to dye it, it worked really well. I bought a pound of the cheapest dark roast I could find, put it in a big pot and filled the pot about half full of water. I put in a peice of steel wool then brought it to a boil then let it simmer till it was reduced by half.

I then used scraps to experiment with and let them soak for various times. I finally settled with 24 hours, it came out a very dark brown almost black. I realy like the color, next batch I make I'm going to leave out the steel wool and see if it will make a lighter brown.

[3001234]

I'm making a breast collar and used coffee to dye it, it worked really well. I bought a pound of the cheapest dark roast I could find, put it in a big pot and filled the pot about half full of water. I put in a peice of steel wool then brought it to a boil then let it simmer till it was reduced by half.

I then used scraps to experiment with and let them soak for various times. I finally settled with 24 hours, it came out a very dark brown almost black. I realy like the color, next batch I make I'm going to leave out the steel wool and see if it will make a lighter brown.

okay i get it, just put some roasted coffee then boil it in a pot. but what is the function of steel wool ?

[morb]

The steel wool is supposed to make the dye darker, not sure how or why. Like I said, I'm going to try a batch without it and see if it makes a difference.

The batch I'm using now it starting to mold, I read if you put rubbing alchol in it that it will stop the mold then cook it off before you use it again.

I saw a website that discussed coffee and vinagroon but I'n not sure where it was, if I can find it again I'll post the link for you.

[morb]

I found the link, I hope it's ok to post a link to another forum.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=11991.0

Hope it helps

[veedub3]

From what I have been reading, the steel wool in the coffee is to act as a mordant which allows the color to stick to the leather. This perplexes me as I also read that the tannins in vegetable tanned leather is it's own mordant and their is no need for one. (With hides being tanned in so many places with so many different processes, I am skeptical of this last statement, but too unfamiliar with the process to make a definitive decision.)

Morb - you said you were going to try a batch without the steel wool in it to see if there is a difference - have you had a chance to do that yet? From the hours of reading I am thinking it will just be a light staining but I would be interested in hearing your results.

Karina