Dip Dying With Water Based Dyes

[Huginn]

Does dip dying work with water based dyes?

[grmnsplx]

I don't see why not. Give it a try.

My issue with the "water" dyes is that they are not very colour-fast. You can buff them for hours and still get transfer onto your cloth.

[keplerts]

Using Tandy's Water stain I don't seem to get ANY color transfer. I really like them. They come in lots of nice colors. I am starting to use them more and more over regular dyes.

[Harry Marinakis]

If you're working with lighter colors (i.e., other than black) then be sure to dip the entire piece at once. If you try to dip half, then flip it over and dip the other half, you might end up with a "high water mark."

[grmnsplx]

FWIW, "water stains" and "water dyes" are completely different.

[electrathon]

FWIW, "water stains" and "water dyes" are completely different.

This comes up every so often that stain and dye are not the same thing. Water stain is a Tandy rename for feniche (spelling?) water dye. The difference is nothing other than semantics.

[grmnsplx]

This comes up every so often that stain and dye are not the same thing. Water stain is a Tandy rename for feniche (spelling?) water dye. The difference is nothing other than semantics.

I don't agree. Or, at least, the semantics are important.

The waterstains are an acrylic pigment. They do not penetrate. The water dyes are more standard dye compounds in an alcohol/water solution. These are intended to penetrate the leather.

The acrylic dyes / "waterstains" are closer to a paint than a dye.

It's funny. Fiebings has an "Acrylic Dye" and a "Leather Stain". These are roughly equivalent to Tandy's Eco-Flo "Waterstain" (made by Fenice) and water based "Leather Dye" (made by Fiebings).

Note that Fiebing's description of their "Acylic Dye" is "Quick drying, long lasting leather paint for color coating smooth leather surfaces. Flexible and water resistant. Makes for a great edge finish too."

Tandy's water based dye: "Eco-Flo Leather Dye is a water based, low V.O.C., penetrating leather dye for use on natural veg-tanned tooling leather. It's great for overall solid color dyeing or background dyeing. Also use for floral, figure and pictorial coloring."

Fiebing's water based dye ("leather stain"): "Non-flammable, penetrating dye that provides long lasting, lustrous color. Can be applied with a wool dauber, spray gun or dipped. Can be blended together to create even more varieties. "

I've used the Eco-flo waterstains and the "water based" dyes and they are completely different. The water stain goes on super even, super flat, does not penetrate and leave your piece pretty stiff and inflexible. The dyes are harder to get even, they penetrate and are not very colour-fast. The piece takes a while to dry and it will be a bit stiff afterwards.

Given a choice, I would use an "oil"/spirit dye over either.

[electrathon]

I don't agree. Or, at least, the semantics are important.

The waterstains are an acrylic pigment. They do not penetrate. The water dyes are more standard dye compounds in an alcohol/water solution. These are intended to penetrate the leather.

The acrylic dyes / "waterstains" are closer to a paint than a dye.

It's funny. Fiebings has an "Acrylic Dye" and a "Leather Stain". These are roughly equivalent to Tandy's Eco-Flo "Waterstain" (made by Fenice) and water based "Leather Dye" (made by Fiebings).

Note that Fiebing's description of their "Acylic Dye" is "Quick drying, long lasting leather paint for color coating smooth leather surfaces. Flexible and water resistant. Makes for a great edge finish too."

Tandy's water based dye: "Eco-Flo Leather Dye is a water based, low V.O.C., penetrating leather dye for use on natural veg-tanned tooling leather. It's great for overall solid color dyeing or background dyeing. Also use for floral, figure and pictorial coloring."

Fiebing's water based dye ("leather stain"): "Non-flammable, penetrating dye that provides long lasting, lustrous color. Can be applied with a wool dauber, spray gun or dipped. Can be blended together to create even more varieties. "

I've used the Eco-flo waterstains and the "water based" dyes and they are completely different. The water stain goes on super even, super flat, does not penetrate and leave your piece pretty stiff and inflexible. The dyes are harder to get even, they penetrate and are not very colour-fast. The piece takes a while to dry and it will be a bit stiff afterwards.

Given a choice, I would use an "oil"/spirit dye over either.

http://shop3992.hstatic.dk/upload_dir/shop/waterstain-farve.png

I am fully aware that there are different brands of paint or dye on the market, of varying qualities. My comment revolved around the fact that waterstain (the common product that most leatherworkers know as a waterbased stain) is labeled by the manufacture as a dye. I believe I even saw the new Tandy label the other day and it is listed as a dye on it too. As to penetration, no water based product will suck into the leather like a solvent based product will, very true. Bottom line is that eco flo waterstain is totally and completely a water based dye. Even the manufacture says it is.

[grmnsplx]

Ok semantics like you say. For me the labels are confusing (and confused).

My point here is that there are two "water based" products. One with acrylic pigments and one with metal complexes. These have entirely different physical properties and produce different results.

[wayner]

well im going to chime in here and i am no expert i have dip dyed with oil base feibings Black  straight out of the bottle and never had any problems as of yet . well i just dip dyed a small holster  in the Tandy e waterstain Bordeaux color diped one ende  then the other end the 2 ends matched up ok but im not sure its going to dry ok after 20 mins it is still wet to the touch and it was only in the dye for may 3 seconds. more to follow as it drys

 

Wayne

[wayner]

well i didnt think i was going to like the results because it dried alot different , However the end result seems to be the same now to finish it and see how it wears . 

[Huginn]

I have been using Fiebing's leather colors. It seems to work great.