Needing Some Help With Dyeing

[Gamefreak2291]

I've been dabbling with leather working here and there recently as a means to add pieces into my chainmail work. I'm at the point now where I'm dyeing leather and having some issues.

I started out using Tandy Leather's Eco-Flo All in One dyes which seemed to work great. However they're listed as a sealer, and they certainly do not seal in the dye. Get a bit of water and it'll start to bleed color.

Moved over to Fiebing's dye with the intention of doing a 50/50 Resolene/water mixture over top as a sealer. However the Fiebings dye came out looking a metallic golden as opposed to the black is was supposed to.

Is it alright to use a resolene mixture over top Tandy's Eco-Flo? The Eco-flo gave me the color I was going for, a very nice solid black but its just not sealed in and its likely the pieces I'm making are going to get a bit of rain on them at some point or another.

I'm using Vegetable tanned leather, its not tooled or treated other than being tanned.

I'll try and get pictures of the pieces for clarification if needed.

[TwinOaks]

You can use resolene over the Eco-flo, but it WILL pick up the color.....unless you spray it on with a fine atomizer like an airbrush. For what you're describing, I'd suggest the "Pro-water stain" products. They are a pigmented waxy base and once dry are pretty water resistant and colorfast. They still need to be sealed, but are much better than the standard Eco-flo colors. They also have almost no odor, so can be applied inside - just use a damp sponge, and wear gloves of some sort to avoid colored fingers.

[Gamefreak2291]

I'll take a look at the Pro-water stain, but its going to be a while before I can get my hands on any of it so right now I'm stuck with the Fiebings Black and Tandy Leather Eco-Flo Midnight Black. Does anyone have experience using Fiebing's Liquid Leather Sheen on vegetable tanned leather and know how well it'll work? Additionally does anyone know why the Fiebings dye created a metallic gold look instead of a deep black?

On the topic of Resolene, should I get Neutral or Black. I would think Neutral will work on any color of dye I want to use, but since I haven't tried it before I don't know.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Gamefreak2291

[ENC]

The metallic gold look may be from using to much dye and having excess pigment sitting on top of the leather. How many coats did you use and did you buff it out after it dried? You could try wiping it down with a little denatured alcohol on a rag to remove the excess dye.

Ray

[Gamefreak2291]

I did two coats, it got darker with the second coat. Though after it totally dried it didn't look nearly as metallic but it's still there. I have buffed it as well, didn't seem to do too much.

Something I read elsewhere makes it sound like the color comes from the natural color of the tanned leather mixing with the black dye.

[texback]

I use the black Fiebings but never have had a metallic look. I usually get a light hazy look on the black but after buffing well and applying a light coat of neatsfoot oil it turns a nice deep black. Test it on some scraps from other hides if you have some to see if you get the same result.

[Gamefreak2291]

I thankfully did test it on some scraps and not something that would be a final product. I don't have any neatsfoot oil and can't get any easily enough to do a test this week using it but I'll see what I can manage.