How Do I Get This Color?

[Dorado]

I'm making a gunbelt and holsters and I'm having a hard time figuring out the color. What I'm trying to do is get something similar to this:

I found it here http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=47343

In it he said that he used Eco-flo Range Tan and Dark Mahogany in a 50/50 mix. I've been trying that on scraps but I can't seem to get a color similar to what I see in the picture. What I'm getting is purple. I don't know if it's something that I'm doing or what. Can y'all help me?

What I've tried is wetting the leather as if I'm tooling I'll then mix the dyes in a small container and apply with a Q-tip. I've tried thinning the dye with water but I'm still getting a purple color. I've let it dry and buffed, applied a thin coat of neatsfoot oil, and finish with SnoSeal. I cannot get that red color.

This is my first real project that I'm dyeing, up til now I've just treated with neatsfoot oil and sealed with SnoSeal.

I chose eco-flo as I heard that it doesn't fade as fast in the sun. I am planning on applying with an aerosol sprayer. I don't have any other dyes to use and I can't really afford more at this time.

[Colt W Knight]

I get something similar by applying a thin coat of Fiebings mohogany and following with ecoflow saddle tan gel antique. Colors on leather are tough because all hides take dye differently, and don't discount colors seen in pictures appear different than real life.

Really like using mohogany dye because I like that reddish color it has.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Colt W Knight

[Dorado]

I know that different leathers take colors differently but where he got a red color I'm getting a purple. Perhaps I should try thinning the dye more? I tried 5ml of Range Tan and Dark Mahogany and about 10 drops of water to thin. Should I go for a more 50/50 dye/water mix? I've tried on a couple of different leathers.

[Red Cent]

Go to The High Road and look for CraigC.

[Thor]

Not knowing what kind of leather you're using, I would use a scrap piece of leather, clean it with oxalic acid first, oil it lightly and dye then with a moistened sponge.

[buzzardbait]

Fiebings British Tan

[Dorado]

Go to The High Road and look for CraigC.

Is that the same guy?

Not knowing what kind of leather you're using, I would use a scrap piece of leather, clean it with oxalic acid first, oil it lightly and dye then with a moistened sponge.

I'm using the remnants of a 9oz Craftsman shoulder I got from Tandy's. What is Oxalic acid?

I'll try oiling a scrap lightly first and try that. I tried on a cased scrap and it came out even just purple.

I've had some leathers come out that color with just "medium brown" from Fiebings, others are much more brown. You'll have to play some to get exactly what you want, and even then it will vary from leather to leather and possibly with each batch of dye.

I wish I had the money to play around and try different mixes. I only have the two colors.

Fiebings British Tan

I can't afford more dye at this point. I'll have to wait.

I do have some wood stain that might work. Would that be an option? I imagine that it'd dry the leather out more but that's what neatsfoot oil is for.

[Dorado]

I didn't mean go out and buy a lot of different dyes, I just mean that if you want something exact- playing around is really the only option. Look for a color that's more or less in the range of what you'd be happy with.

Oh I know what you were saying. Perhaps I can put this on the back burner and wait until I can get a multipack color sample.

I did try something different today. I have a few wood stains. I tried a sample of a few woodstains and found that Old Masters Red Mahogany gave a nice color. It wasn't as red as I wanted but I think that may come with finishing. I'm waiting for it to dry completely before I try finishing. I'd like to finish with SnoSeal as I can reapply it as needed and that it's flexible and waterproof.

[Dorado]

I got it dyed. I think I like the color I came out with. It's not as red as what I wanted but still looks great. I took a couple of pictures of what I have so far. I still need to line my holsters so I don't have them sewn together but I'll have that done as soon as I get the leather in.

Once I get the liner in and get them sewn together I can sand the edges and fix that roughness.

So, what do y'all think?

[Wild Bill46]

Looks like a great start, and a nice color at that !

As long as your happy with it, Its good, because you are the maker !

Still, keep on experimenting with colors on scrap, that might be worthy for you in the future.

And Antiqueing is also an alternative you might explore when money isen't as tight !

Airbrush might just turn your head too, --- Wild Bill46

[Ole South]

Try Gel Antique over Fiebings Mahogany

(sorry Colt.. I missed your post regarding these colors)

Edited January 29, 2016 by Ole South

[seabee]

Hey, I also liked that color, and used D. Brown and added a drops of Purple until i got the color I wanted.

I also made test samples after adding each drop for future use. I started by adding 2 drops than 1 drop until I got the color I wanted. Another member suggested I use this process awhile back, and I start making my own colors.

Howard

[Dorado]

Well I'm stuck waiting for more leather. I need the liner leather before I can sew this together. I don't want the liner dyed the same as the outside so I'm trying to figure out a different color. The outer layer is dyed with Old Masters Red Mahogany wood dye, then it's sealed to hell and back. I'd like something in the light brown area. The local Hobby Lobby has some Fiebings dye. I think I'll give that a try.

[rickdroid]

Im not sure if this link will help achieve exactly the color you are after but it does contain some good information on your subject.

rick

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=66220

[wlg190861]

What I would do is take and get your leather wet wet, dip a small sponge in water, apply your mahogany dye full strength to the sponge, go to your leather an just put small dabs all over, let that dry without wiping, for about five minutes ( this will give u the darker Antique highlights. After the five minutes take an get your sponge wet again an apply your dye to sponge, pat some of the dye off on a piece of paper towel then dye your leather, continues wiping until you get the desired look. It will give you that antique look you are looking for an pretty well match your first picture. Like others say every hide dyes differently, but you can control the color with a wet sponge on wet leather. Do not dilute the dye. the wet sponge will do the job.

[wlg190861]

What I would do is take and get your leather wet wet, dip a small sponge in water, apply your mahogany dye full strength to the sponge, go to your leather an just put small dabs all over, let that dry without wiping, for about five minutes ( this will give u the darker Antique highlights. After the five minutes take an get your sponge wet again an apply your dye to sponge, pat some of the dye off on a piece of paper towel then dye your leather, continues wiping until you get the desired look. It will give you that antique look you are looking for an pretty well match your first picture. Like others say every hide dyes differently, but you can control the color with a wet sponge on wet leather. Do not dilute the dye. the wet sponge will do the job.

If all else fails use dark brown dye, you would be surprised all the different colors you can achieve with this one color

[Dorado]

Thanks for the advice. I've got the outside colored now and I actually like the color I got. I'll keep that in mind next time I make a holster. However I think my next western one will be black and I'll use that Fiebings USMC dye.

[Ole South]

How do you keep USMC Black from greying or going chalky?

[Colt W Knight]

How do you keep USMC Black from greying or going chalky?

Clean the leather with saddle soap prior to dying. The natural oils from your hands and stuff from the tanning process leaves the leather greasy and the alcohol from the dye pools all that grease on the surface. I clean my leather with saddle soap during the casing process. Cleans the leather and keeps it nice and supple

[Craig44]

Sorry for the late response. I don't get here much and only found it by accident.

If it's purple, it's too much of the dark mahogany. What you'd need to do is add more of the range tan and experiment on scrap until you get the color you want. Range tan is a very light color so there's no need to add water. You might end up with as much as 70-80% to get the desired result. I never measured and had to make adjustments every time I changed hides. I've since switched to the professional waterstain and alcohol/oil dyes from Fiebings.