Yet Another Few Questions On Vinegaroon

[Windrider30]

Ok been reading the forums and getting as much info as I can on the mystic vinegaroon chemcial changing of the leather to black (as it technicly is not a dye) so here are the questions as I am getting ready to make my first batch...which has to be done in the garage as the wife refuses to have the house smell of vinegar for some reason lol

A: have read about actually heating the vinegar first, does this make it work better or faster or has no effect?

B: The baking soda bath how long do you leave it in right after dipping into the vinegaroon as I have read several things about " soda burn" to the leather

C: Oil...will olive oil work after the backing soda bath?

D: which is better let the stuff sit for 2 weeks or a month before starting to use it?

Thanks all.

[mlapaglia]

A: I have never seen a difference with heating the vinegar or not.

B: I use 1 TBL baking soda to 1 quart water. I wait about 5 minutes after dipping the vinegaroon then dip the leather in the Baking Soda water for about 10 second. Let it sit 3 minutes and then rinse it well under running water. I am sure you will get other ways to do it. This works for me.

C: Yes Olive oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil(EVOO) or Neats foot oil will all work. I find that it really improves the color. I dont use the EVOO as I get the same results with regular olive oil and its cheaper. Normally I use Neats Foot oil.

D: Hard to say on this one. Stored temp makes a difference. the gauge of your steel wool, and the acidity of your vinegar all affect the time it takes. Its done when it stops eating the steel wool. In Denver it takes about 2 weeks and then I let it settle for a few days and pour off the liquid through a filter. YMMV

Michael

[Red Cent]

A. Most say cook it in the sun. Never have. And mine does not take two weeks. I use #000 wool.

B. I figure if I soak it in vinagroon for xx minutes, I will let it set in the BS bath just as long and it goes onto the BS bath immediately after the soaking in vinagroon. There are some who say that it needs to be neutralized all the way in the leather. Might be a waste of time.

[Windrider30]

Thanks

[Red Bear Haraldsson]

http://www.iron-powder.com/iron-dye-ink-and-stain/

http://shop.chemicalstore.com/navigation/detail.asp?id=Iron100#

Grr, crazy link button has not been cooperating today. I've been wanting to try and make a batch and I found these two sites that might be helpful for someone.

Cheers

[Oldtoolsniper]

Some of the steel wool of lesser quality has some sort of oil or something on it to keep it from rusting. I rinsed mine in thinner just in case,I got some from horrible freight that was nicely coated with something that the vinegar could not cut through. It was next to impossible to get it to rust. Good quality steel wool is about a dollar more and not rust proof. Buy the oooo or extra fine or super fine and it will rust in days.

[Windrider30]

Ok just set the vinegaroon up today...kind of cool to see it start to bubble by mid day.. but stupid question or at least major noob question. Once I am ready to strain the mix into another bottle do I simply was the old one out before I start another batch or jyst stuff it full of steel wool and go again?

[mlapaglia]

I wash mine out before I start another batch, but I would guess you do not have to.