Dip Dye Method

[TomG]

I have been dip dyeing my collars, belts and leashes for a while now.

But I sometimes have erratic results.

I am using a "drag" technique because soaking seems to over-color the straps.

But if I dilute the dye more, can I just do a short soak and a quick wipe down as I pull it out and get more even and consistent results.

I guess the real questions are - How do you do it

AND... will the leather reach a saturation in a given dilution of dye and not get darker past a certain point? Say.. Will Saddle Tan become a brown if I leave it in say 3 minutes?

Thanks

[Dwight]

Tom, . . . I am no expert on this, . . . bu it is the process I use, . . . and from experience I can answer some of it.

I simply "dunk" my hosters, . . . knife sheaths, . . . cell phone cases, . . . trying for about a 3 or 4 second submerged time, . . . but it doesn't always work out perfectly because of the shape, etc.

Belts, . . . I drop one end in the tank and snake the rest through, . . . again trying for a 3 to 4 second duration in the tank. I use cake pans, . . . 2 x 9 x 14 or thereabouts, . . . I dump in about a qt of dye, . . . because I never have more than that fixed up at any time.

Yes, . . . my experience is that the longer it stays in, . . . the darker it gets.

I also cut my dye 50/50 with Feibings thinner, . . . all of em. I tried for a while to do a bunch of shades, . . . gave it up. I do 3 shades for sure, . . . 2 browns and a black, . . .

One thing I can tell you for sure about, . . . lay it down flat for the first 30 minutes of drying time. Belts go for 10 minutes on the bottom edge, . . . then flipped for the next 20 on the top edge, . . . then I hang em up.

If you hang any piece that has any length, . . . too soon, . . . dye will migrate to the bottom, . . . making a lighter / darker piece from top to bottom. It can really ruin your whole day, . . . and I can factually attest that it DOES do that.

May God bless,

Dwight

[TomG]

Hi Dwight.

Yup. I learned early on not to hang a wet strap. You drag procedure sounds identical, except I have begun pulling through in about 2 seconds of submersion and then back the other way for 2 seconds....Then wipe off the excess as quickly as I can.

I haven't done the belt flip. Will have to try that. I have coiled it loosely and gotten the one-way fade. what I have been doing now is using an 8 foot piece of wood moulding/trim left over from a remodel job. The back side has a shallow flat channel that holds up to a 1" or so wide strap perfectly flat.

I have some Rubbermaid 1 quart rectangular tubs I found at Walmart that I use. I like them because they actually seal air-tight, so I can leave the dye in them all the time.

I'll try a slower drag and see how that works.

[TomG]

Just saw my post created 2 entries.. Weird.

Just dyed 2 more straps and they still look blotchy. My dye tubs are in the garage and cold. Hmm.. I wonder how temp affects the dye. Cold dye - warm leather??

[club49]

I purchased a plastic 2 inch X 12 container from home depot used for joint compound. It will be in the painting section. It works great for belts, being it is very narrow on the bottom  2" and top is about 4" you don't have to put a lot of dye in it.

 

Jim

[JLSleather]

I got some kind of rubbermaid thing.. or whatever they's callin' food containers.  Resealable, locking lids.  Pour half a gallon of dye in it... dip what you need to... lock the lid on and put it on the shelf for next time.  No evaporation, no fumes, no trouble.  UNLESS you knock it off a shelf about 5 feet above the floor, and then you just call the opposite wall "custom"

 

[billybopp]

36 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

I got some kind of rubbermaid thing.. or whatever they's callin' food containers.  Resealable, locking lids.  Pour half a gallon of dye in it... dip what you need to... lock the lid on and put it on the shelf for next time.  No evaporation, no fumes, no trouble.  UNLESS you knock it off a shelf about 5 feet above the floor, and then you just call the opposite wall "custom"

 

The voice of experience, I take it?

[glamb]

I use a new 5 gallon bucket with some gamma lid

( that's a screw on lid.) I leave it loose. Gets low add another gallon of vinegar and steel wool. Keep it under my bench which is living temp of the house. When do you guys rinse and neutralize the conversion dip?