Black background

[Taber]

I'm making a motorcycle seat and I would like to have the design in color and the background and the rest of the seat black.  In previous projects I used echo Flo cova colors,  used super shene to cover them and then a brown stain for the rest,  but I am thinking a black stain won't look good for the seat and was thinking a dye would be better. Any tips on doing the background without getting any on the design? Any way to do a resist and then go over it all or do I need to paint around it. 

Thanks in advance!

[Colt W Knight]

If the design is carved, you can easily dye around it. Get yourself some Fiebings Pro Oil black dye and a couple good fine point painting brushes. Load the brush up with dye, and bring it over to the leather and daub the brush onto the leather. The dye will flow from the brush and flow onto the leather stopping at the cut marks on the tooling. Be careful not to flick the brush or go over top the design with the brush so nothing drips onto the design.

[billybopp]

I'd add to what Colt said .. When your brush is fully loaded with dye, use it more away from the cut marks and as it dries out a little move toward the edges.  That will help to prevent "dye creep".

 

Bill

[Taber]

Alright I will try that,  I did a belt that way, but I used a brush around the designs and a dauber for the rest and you could tell what was used where,  was that something I did wrong or was it because of the dye? I used  fiebings usmc black for that.

[Colt W Knight]

You probably just didn't use enough dye on the areas you brushed if you could tell a difference. A daubers really lays the dye on heavy.

Whenever you use alcohol based dye like Fiebings, I would strongly recommend giving the leather a good cleaning with water and saddle soap to remove stray oils from the tanning and handling process. The alcohol based dye will reveal all that left over oil spots with oil slick discolorations. 

[Taber]

Ah I got ya, thanks for the tip, I will let you know how it turns out.  Should I clean the leather with the saddle soap with the oil based black as well or is it more important with alcohol.

[Colt W Knight]

I don't know why Fiebings calls it pro oil dye, because its alcohol based too. I would clean the leather before using any dye, water based or alcohol.

 

[Taber]

Alright will do,  thanks again

[Taber]

Should I use white or yellow saddle soap? Does it matter?

[Colt W Knight]

I don't think it matters, I have always used the yellow Fienbings saddle soap