JustPeachy Report post Posted May 26, 2014 Hello, I wonder if someone could help.. I am busy making leather belts, usually I use bovine vegetable tanned leather and do it using a spray machine. This time though, I decided to dye by hand. First attempt I forgot to wet the leather and it turned out quite blotchy, so I soaked them in water for about a minute hoping that would remove some of the dye and then I let it dry over the weekend. Today i noticed they were very light and still quite uneven so i dyed them again, this time dip dying to try and get them more even. they have been drying for a while and now some of the strips have a white powdery substance on them, is this normal? Some of the strips are buffalo leather, maybe it is a more pourous leather? it seems to be getting worse. I have attached a pic of the belts. thanks Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted May 26, 2014 Maybe something in the water, have you tried distilled water. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LTC Report post Posted May 26, 2014 http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=55940 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CTaylorJr Report post Posted May 26, 2014 Interesting. That looks a lot like salt drying out on the surface. Doubt it is, but I'm going with what the Chief said, something in the water or the stain more than likely. Do you know how the sides were treated and stored prior to purchase? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BDAZ Report post Posted May 26, 2014 (edited) Howzit! Here in Arizona, it's a bit like the Karoo and the water has a lot of minerals. I only use distilled water for wet forming carving and stamping. If your white stuff is only on one of the typesof leathers, say the buffalo, then it may be salts from the tanning process leaching out. Are you using water based or solvent based dyes? Do you have these issues with your spray gun? BTW I was a lecturer at Michaelis for many years, originally from Joeys. Cheers! Bob Edited May 26, 2014 by BDAZ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustPeachy Report post Posted May 27, 2014 Interesting. That looks a lot like salt drying out on the surface. Doubt it is, but I'm going with what the Chief said, something in the water or the stain more than likely. Do you know how the sides were treated and stored prior to purchase? I spoke to the supplier and they said it's a new product that have just imported and they aren't sure about the storage and treatment method etc. think you're right, must be something to do with this because the bovine never does this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustPeachy Report post Posted May 27, 2014 Howzit! Here in Arizona, it's a bit like the Karoo and the water has a lot of minerals. I only use distilled water for wet forming carving and stamping. If your white stuff is only on one of the typesof leathers, say the buffalo, then it may be salts from the tanning process leaching out. Are you using water based or solvent based dyes? Do you have these issues with your spray gun? BTW I was a lecturer at Michaelis for many years, originally from Joeys. Cheers! Bob Hello! yeah this is the buffalo leather thats the problem, apparently it's imported. i use solvent based dyes and never have a problem with this and the gun. i will try a few more with the spray gun and some distilled water and see how it goes. Oh awesome, I live in somerset west (western cape) nice to 'meet' you Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustPeachy Report post Posted May 27, 2014 http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=55940 thank you for the link, could be cheap leather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BDAZ Report post Posted May 27, 2014 There's another chappie from Paarl on the forum as well. Dip dye some buffalo scraps and see if the white stuff appears. Then it's probably not salt which is not soluble in solvents Then dip in water. Either way I wouldn't trust it! Totsiens! Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnv474 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 (edited) Thia could also be wax that has migrated to the surface. Somw new leather will have a waxy coating, eg in shoe repair, because it protects the leather until the final cleaning and buffing. A shoeshine brush or a soft cloth may be enough to remove it through buffing, or use a leather cleaner. That looks just like what I found on a lot of bulk leather/suede we bought (including on Horween and expensive English suedes, not low-quality materials). It was removed with little effort. A car polisher with a soft bonnet on it could save some elbow grease. Edited May 30, 2014 by johnv474 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted May 30, 2014 Do a test, see if warming up the leather melts the white residue. If it does, it is wax. Warming it up and buffing it will remove the excess wax. Do a search, there are other threads about wax rising to the surface. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
needles Report post Posted June 3, 2014 it might be leather spew, which happens when the tallow or fat liqours which are (used to replace the lost leather fats whilst it was worked in the tannery, making it supple again) these can distabalise and rise to the surface, they feel slightly greasy and are difficultto remove and keep down, if it is spew you need to apply a stabalisng solution, then it will be back to normal. thats is of course if it is spew Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
