Any Secrets To Getting Dye Or Stain Even

[snubbyfan]

My two main methods depends on the type of dye. Mostly I use Fiebing's Professional oil dye and apply it with a dauber. I can generally tell when enough dye has saturated into the leather.

With spirit based dye, I'll apply it with a damp sponge.

[club49]

I noticed when I airbrushed one of my belts light brown. The natural color was coming through at the fold by the buckle. I only did one coat, I think I am going to do a few more coats and check it out. I do cut my dye 50-50 Fibbing's oil.

Nice work Snubbyfan.

Jim

[Boriqua]

I noticed when I airbrushed one of my belts light brown. The natural color was coming through at the fold by the buckle. I only did one coat, I think I am going to do a few more coats and check it out. I do cut my dye 50-50 Fibbing's oil.

Nice work Snubbyfan.

Jim

Hey Jim

Its just that your learning a new tool and new technique. The rules of how much to saturate are the same as you always did you are just having to learn how to achieve it with the air brush. If I do something like a belt or even a holster I make my pass and then go back and make my pass again and often I change the direction of the piece in relationship to the sprayer. On a black holster I may make 5-6 passes.

Its not unlike when you do it with a dauber in that you wouldnt sit and saturate an area before moving to the next area. I dont know your technique with a dauber but I try and spread it out pretty quickly and evenly over my whole piece my first pass so I dont land up with weird dark spots when it dries. you know the second that dauber hits the leather you get that initial suck. Then I come back in with the dauber and saturate the entire piece again.

Same thing. Treat it like applying any spraypaint. Go left to right with a fluid motion overlapping the passes and then, at least when I do it, I turn the piece and do it again so I am overlapping but criss-crossing my previous passes ... if that makes sense?

I dont know how you applied it but one pass of cut dye doesn’t sound like nearly enough. You use less dye because you kind of avoid that dauber suckage. Your not dealing with the initial heavy draw of dye and then the thinning out. With the airbrush you can evenly saturate the leather which uses less material ... but you still have to saturate it.

I hope that was helpful. I'm originally from NY. If you promise to bring Bagels you are welcome to come out to the 80 degree temperatures and we can go make a mess in the shed with the airbrushes.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Boriqua

[Boriqua]

If I remember correctly the saddle tan on this piece had about 5 passes and I think it pretty even.

[bob21804]

Interesting thread for me. I just bought my first inexpensive HF airbrush set up, and poking around the forums looking for info and opinions. I have about 20 minutes of airbrushing experience (including setup and cleanup. ), but I liked the way the Eco-Flo Saddle Tan looked on the small scrap piece I did. I think, with some learning and experience I'll have better control of the dying results I get versus rubbing dye in with a sponge or a dauber. But perhaps, the technique I use will depend on the project and desired results. <<< Newbie speaking. No doubt I'll be starting a thread to pick the brains and learn from the experienced airbrush people here.