Is There A Way To Lighten The Color Of Leather?

[Buddahcjcc]

I know a few ways to darken it but none to lighten it. Are there any?

The leather my relatives got for me is too dark for my original idea and was wondering if there was a way to lighten that leather so that I could still go with my original plan.

[Red Cent]

The only way I know is Oxalic acid. Used to remove certain spots from leather and ready the surface for the dye. I would guess it won't do the job for a whole piece.

[WyomingSlick]

do a google search on "bleaching leather" and you will find a multitude of advice and products to do just that,

just keep in mind that such products and techniques will remove some, or all, of the oils, resins, tannins, etc that are introduced into the leather during the processing that makes leather from raw hides

if you remove all of those, then you are back to the start, which is of course rawhide

Suggest you do sample runs and tests and see what will work for you, that is - what will lighten the leather to where you want it, and still keep it suitable for whatever purpose you have in mind

[Buddahcjcc]

Sorry Ive been sick, but the right side is the color Id like to work with, the left is that in baked with the blue coloring in the scale (the rest would be black) the middle is a piece of wax boiled leather (I wanted to experiment - will that ever come out lighter than that?) and the large roll in the back is the leather im looking to lighten

though now that I look at it its not that much darker

I think I was still sick when I was thinking of lightening it; or I was thinking of the wax hardened stuff

Edited September 16, 2014 by Buddahcjcc

[Grumpy Coyote]

Waxed leather will never come out light. Beeswax will always darken a piece several shades. If I need a light piece of waxed leather, I leave it natural and it comes up a medium-light brown at the lightest.

It looks like you are going for Cuir Bouilli - which will always be darker than the original material. I'd say go for it. The hassle of bleaching isn't worth it, and a darker brown on black finished piece could be cool too.

[billybopp]

If you really need lighter, you may have to buy it. But extra leathers is a lot like leftovers in the fridge. Keep 'em around. They'll turn up in something! (to paraphrase George Carlin)

Bill

[Buddahcjcc]

Can you wax one side of the leather ( say the inside, by brushing it on, will it affect the other side's color? Can you brush it to get stability and NOT affect the other side? The leather I have is amazingly supple and Id like to get the slaces top have a bit of strength to them (so they wont way, ripple in the wind)