Do You Have To Oil Dyed Vegetable Tanned Leather?

[lwika16]

Hi,

I am making a leather journal cover out of 6oz Hermann Oak Leather in Angelus' Light Rose for a customer. Usually when I make one of these covers, I dye the leather, oil it with neatsfoot oil, then seal it. However, with the pink, the oil seems to turn the pink into a reddish color which I don't like.

So my question is, is there a different oil that won't turn the pink a different color -or- do I really have to oil the leather? Can I just dye it and seal it?

Thank you,

Lori

[Sjohnsone]

All the oil is going to do is condition and soften it. Try some of the Fiebings Leather Balm I think it's called - it's a white/yellowish liquid that is a beeswax compound of one sort or another. It may darken it a tad as well, but there really is no reason you need to put neatsfoot on it. Also, if you want that added flexibility you may try just a minute amount of it - like next to nothing. A little of that stuff goes a long way. If you're worried about color runoff, just buff the living sh*# out of it with a soft cotton rag for until nothing comes off.

Hope that helps

-Seth

[cgleathercraft]

If you are not dyeing the inside you could always apply the oil from flesh side and it will work its way through. Too much oil will cause the same issue though so light layers would be best with a couple days in between to make sure it is absorbing evenly.

[Sjohnsone]

But the oil could stain the journal pages as well, which was my concern.

[Dwight]

Simple answer, . . . don't oil it.

I almost never oil my products, . . . unless the leather feels extremely dry. Most of the leather I work with is acceptable without the oil.

For something as artistic and delicate as you are doing, . . . as they would say in Joisey, . . . fugeddabouddittt.

May God bless,

Dwight

[lwika16]

Thank you for the replies so far.

I started out not oiling my journals, but sometimes when I folded them over after making them (I make them in the Midori style), the outside of the fold would crack a little bit.

So, do you have any suggestions as to how I could prevent that?

Thank you!

Lori

[Dwight]

You need to determine if it is the leather or the finish that is cracking.

Then, . . . dampen the leather before you dye it, . . . and make the fold, . . let it dry, . . . dye it.

That should take care of the cracking either way.

You didn't say what you use for the final top coat, . . . finish, . . . and since I don't deal with pinks, . . . I have no real suggestion, . . . but you might try out some Resolene, . . . two very light coats, . . . 50/50 mix with water. The only pink I have done lately was a very special pair of spur leathers for a very special little young lady, . . . I used Resolene on them and was satisfied with the result.

May God bless,

Dwight

[lwika16]

Dwight,

I use the Angelus Acrylic Finish Professional Grade finish. It seemed to be the leather that was cracking, as I could see the non-stained leather in the crack (and maybe staining versus dying is a whole different path to troubleshoot). Or would the finish cause this?

I have wetted the leather and then bent it (specifically when making my key fobs) but the problem I ran into there is that they seemed to end up really stiff. Maybe I was using too much water...?

Regards,

Lori

[byggyns]

You could try olive oil on a test piece. I have found olive oil changes the color of the leather less than neatsfoot. Again, use several light coats & allow it to soak in (24 hours) before the next coat. You may find that only one coat gets the results you are after, but sometimes more are required.

I also agree with Dwight about wetting the leather. I've done it both before & after dying to fold over the belt strap portion on a knife sheath, and it works out well - no cracking.

[acigarsmoker]

I have found that both Bee Natural #1 Saddle Oil or Bick 4 Leather Conditioner will darken leather very little to almost not at all. However every piece of leather can and will behave differently from the last sometimes even from the same side of leather and as was posted earlier I have never worked with Pink either but both are worth experimenting with.