barehandcustoms Report post Posted June 24, 2014 Over the last year I have rarely worked with the same leather from the same company. I have always tried new companies and new kinds of leather to get a feel for what was out there. I have found some I really liked and others that are so bad it is just sitting on my shop floor collecting dust. Lately I have been using 8 to 11oz Hermann Oak that is drum dyed and I just love the stuff. I won't turn this into a Hermann Oak praise thread but I just can't get over how much better it is than everything else I've worked with. It really got me questioning whether its worth the time and mess associated with dying everything myself. Plus my bench is covered by this ever growing abstract art piece I call "Spilled Fieblings". So a few questions... Do you prefer to use drum dyed leather? Do you feel it is worth the extra cost? What do you consider the draw backs of using drum dyed leather versus just doing it yourself? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted June 24, 2014 I use both, I'm not overly thrilled with the color selections on drum dyed and I do a lot of Antiquing so the drum dyed there is a drawback. I use drum dyed mostly for utility items with no tooling or carving, although the drum dyed will tool, it just never seems quite right to me. Just my personal choice, I've got a side of drum dyed (Havanna Colored) on hand and the rest is sides and shoulders of natural. I mix dyes a lot to get the color I want and that isn't available with drum dyed. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 24, 2014 You're limited on the colors, but if your project is going to be one solid color, and that color is available - then why not use it. Saves time AND labor, so cost difference should be made up just on that. Long as you're getting leather that works. Personally, I don't like to store more than I need to, so I'd have to have an order for a BUNCH of items in that color to make it worth my time (and money). Having said that, I don''t use much (rarely, though I do get some). I don't make much that is one solid color. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
George B Report post Posted June 24, 2014 I've done and will continue to do both, but I do a lot less dying these days. The cost difference is not enough to make me want to coat everything in the shop with dye overspray on a cold or rainy day. Drum dyed however, for my show items allows me to spend more time making and less time dying. For me that's extra time to make more items to sell at the shows. And almost all of the stocking items I have are single color, drum dyed black, dark brown and brown. And I find for me the drum dyed molds and details better in less time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barehandcustoms Report post Posted June 25, 2014 Thanks for the replies everyone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BDAZ Report post Posted June 25, 2014 I have switched to drum dyed veg tan for all my production items. These items appear in the catalogs of my vendors so it's critical that the colors of an item I make next year is identical to the ones in the catalog. To that end I have limited my offerings to Black, brown and natural. The time and cost savings, in both dying and final finishing makes it well worth it. They tool and stamp beautifully. Cya! Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Troy Burch Report post Posted June 25, 2014 I have switched to drum dyed veg tan for all my production items. These items appear in the catalogs of my vendors so it's critical that the colors of an item I make next year is identical to the ones in the catalog. To that end I have limited my offerings to Black, brown and natural. The time and cost savings, in both dying and final finishing makes it well worth it. They tool and stamp beautifully. Cya! Bob Hi Bob, Does the tooling burnish well? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BDAZ Report post Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) I have been primarily using black although I will be staring some brown items tomorrow, Her's a pic I just took of an item I am working on. Not sure what you mean by burnishing? Cya! Bob Edited June 25, 2014 by BDAZ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Troy Burch Report post Posted June 26, 2014 I have been primarily using black although I will be staring some brown items tomorrow, Her's a pic I just took of an item I am working on. Not sure what you mean by burnishing? Cya! Bob Bob, I mean the darkening of the leather when you bevel or pear shade on natural leather. After looking at your picture I'm guessing you wouldn't want it to. Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BDAZ Report post Posted June 26, 2014 (edited) Not going to happen on the black but here's a test I just did on the medium Brown. Cya! Bob Edited June 26, 2014 by BDAZ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 27, 2014 Tough to note the burnishing with a single stamp on dark leather, but ya gotta admit that's a nice crisp impression! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
