Waterproof Leather Dye

[sandanielee]

hi i use Eco flo and what can i do to make it whaterproof? so that the skin dont take any color, and i dont want to use any acrylic finish. are fiebings oil dye waterproof? does any one know that?

thanks folks

[katsass]

FWIW from the grump: Yes, Fiebing's dyes are waterproof, as are others like Angelus. As long as your choice of dye uses a solvent base (like denatured alcohol) It's waterproof. Many do, however dislike these dyes because of the solvent odor they off vent for a little while after application. Personally, It doesn't bother me as long as I use it in a reasonably well ventilated area. Hell, I've smelled stuff a damn site more objectionable than leather dye. Mike

[Northmount]

hi i use Eco flo and what can i do to make it waterproof? so that the skin dont take any color, and i dont want to use any acrylic finish. are fiebings oil dye waterproof? does any one know that?

thanks folks

Moved to "How do I do that"

Tom

[sandanielee]

thanks tom and mike

so i should buy leather dye with alcohol base, anybody know about fiebings oil dye?

[JoeSnuffie]

I've found that airbrushing the dye can leave you with almost no rub-off. You also use a fraction of the dye to get the piece done. Many of the Fiebing's oil dyes don't seem to airbrush well, it's like they want to stay really wet to sink in. Eco Flo and Fiebing's alcohol based dyes work well. I usually mix in alcohol to control the color intensity and come Eco Flo colors, like forest green, require several heavy coats to look right, while crimson plays nice with just a couple normal coats. Fiebing's alcohol dyes go on great every time.

When I'm done, I let the piece dry then rub it down with a piece of old tshirt and often there isn't enough rub-off to even show. I've been carrying around a card wallet that was airbrushed with a 40/60 mix of Fiebing's Chocolate alcohol dye / Isopropyl Alcohol for about a month and it shows no signs of rubbing off or fading on the edges. I didn't seal it, I just finished it off with Kiwi Leather Lotion. Neetsfoot oil will really darken the chocolate colors, sometimes almost to a black, so be careful with oiling.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to start airbrushing, either. I started with a Testors canned air model car kit that I paid less than $20 for at Hobby Lobby.

[katsass]

OK, Fiebings "Oil Dye' doesn't really have an oil base. It DOES have a solvent base. Now, please don't ask why they call it 'Pro Oil Dye' lest I have to delve deep into my weird imagination and try to snow you with a healthy dose of B.S. After application, DO allow the dye to dry thoroughly -- like 24 hours -- then buff and apply your favorite finish. For most colors of Fiebings dye there is very little rub-off EXCEPT 'USMC Black'. It seems to have a great deal more solids than does many other brands and will require a whole pot-load of buffing. Mike

Edited April 24, 2014 by katsass

[sandanielee]

oil dye without oil??? hmmm and today i ordered 2 bottles of them... i will try it and seal with kiwi products, heard many good about them

[alyshae]

Funny, I just emailed Feibings this week about the oil dye, after I accidentally mixed the dark brown oil dye with the medium regular before noticing one was oil dye. They are compatible and can be mixed, happily. They said the dye material ( I guess he meant pigment) is oil based, hence the name, but the solvent is pretty much the same as the regular dye.

[chiefjason]

If you want a non acrylic finish try neatsfoot oil and beeswax mixed 50-50 by weight. Melt that together and let cool. Rub paste on leather and heat with a heat gun until it absorbs. I use 2-3 coats.

I made the mistake of waxing something the other week that I need to wet and bend. It bent, but it did not wet. lol

[rdbsandman]

I used all these coatings  on coasters I've made and when water gets on it and I wipe it stain comes off!!  So what my process is... I stain with feibings  , then seal with eco flo, then use feibings antique gel for highlighting the tooling. then I've used Tan Kote, Resolene, eco flo,Wyo Quik Slik, apart from each other and still same results!! What the heck am I doing wrong? Now keep in mind I'm a beginner! lol    

[stomper4x4]

rd I would consider using a wax based finish.

First off, after dye, buff really well once it's fully dry, using canvas or cotton. Keep at it until no more color comes off.

Then use a resist, and do your antique. Let all that dry real well and buff again.

Lastly go for a wax based finish, such as Obernauffs or Sno Seal or aussie wax. I have pretty good luck with that. My stuff is outdoor gear and it seems to work well.

ATB