Saddle Tan and other grumblngs

[JLSleather]

I hate it.  Fiebing's saddle tan dye -- what IS in there?

For like the 4th time, I've trash canned a holster dyed with this stuff.  Not 4 this week, more like 4 (or was it 5) over a year or better.  Dye the leather, everything looks fine.  It stinks ... worse than other colors (nobody ever notice this?).  But when the project is wet-formed, the resultant color is pretty rough.  Blotchy.  Random. But only occasionally.

So, first time my first thought wasn't all teh way dry.. like literally mixing oil and water.  So I made a point of allowing ample dry time between dye and water.  But still the problem.

And the stuff IS smelly, so maybe I got an old bottle, or a bad batch?  So I pitched it out, and bought a new jug.  At some point, same problem.

Maybe something in the water?  I've seen deposits in teh water cause issues (not here, but another place n time).  So, at that point I'm up to using distilled water only, both for carving and for forming.  And allowing 2 days drying time between dye and water (or water and dye, depending).  And using a new bottle of dye (though, who knows how long it's on the shelf before you get it).  Still....

And the WEIRD and AGGRAVATING part is.. it's not every time.  Dye 4 projects from the SAME hide and get 3 that are fine and one that looks like a saddle tan colored hyena (spots n blotches).  And it's not the leather, since it's ONLY the saddle tan color.

I like that color.  Really like it.  But I just don't need that headache, so ... I like this walnut color... you folks tried it?

 

[LumpenDoodle2]

The Walnut is a lovely colour.   Trust me, I'm a short person.

[bikermutt07]

If you can't figure it out, I'm lost.

[JLSleather]

Yeah, I really do NOT "get it".  But, that walnut looks purdy good ... even on the floor

 

[bikermutt07]

Have you tried air brushing the saddle tan?

[JLSleather]

Yep.  About 100 times.  And out of 100, it maybe "worked out" like 97.  WHich is about the same as a dauber or dippin'... about 97% of the time it's fine.  When it's not fine... I got several hours of my time just GONE.  Now, I'm thinkin' if I'm gonna have several hours of my time gone, it should involve less leather in trash cans and more beer in brunettes   Oh, this bein' 2016 and all, lemme just specify that when I say 'beer' I mean bud, and when I say "brunettes' I mean girls [only] ...

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2016 by JLSleather

[Dwight]

I cut my saddle tan 50/50 with thinner, . . . do not have any problem other than occasionally I'll have a hide that had a bit too much color to start with, so it will come out a tad darker than I really wanted, . . .

But that's what happens trying to change the spots on an old dead steer's hide.

I like the color, . . . so I stay with it.

AND, . . . I dip dye everything.

May God bless,

Dwight

[NVLeatherWorx]

I have experienced this issue a couple of times and not just with the Saddle Tan color, pretty much every one of them (aside from the black of course).  I have found that the toning results are different from each grade and/or leather tanner/supplier.  The lesser the grade of leather or the quality of the tanning process the more inconsistent the toning results have been.  For example, if the leather is directly from H.O. and is their "upper class" product then the toning has never been an issue; however, if it is an H.O. product but purchased from another source then the toning results have been known to show some inconsistency (regardless of the grade that it has been advertised as).  I tried this with the Tandy grades of Craftsman Oak (their economy grade veg-tan) and their Oak-Leaf veg tan (their supposed upper class of leather) and found the results to be all over the place.  There have even been times when the better outcomes were actually achieved with the lower grade of leather so it is obvious that even the grading processes for some suppliers has its own set of inconsistencies.  

Whenever I do run into an issue with the "blotches" I just let it dry for a full 24 hour period and then give it another application of dye and let it dry as well for 24 hours.  Once dried I remove any pigment residues and give it a good (not heavy) hit of warm Pure Neatsfoot Oil and let that sit for 24 hours.  Once the oil has set I give it another buff down and apply my finish of either 50/50 Resolene/Water or full-strength Leather Balm.  I typically have no further issues with blotches or light spots at this point, it is however a little bit darker than a traditional Saddle Tan but it is still light enough that you know what it is and the cover is complete.

[JLSleather]

I'm using HO "A" grade with the occasional "B" in there.  And the saddle tan is NOT thinned ... straight out the bottle.  Sometimes dipped, sometimes daubed, and a few times sprayed.

Just not consistent.  If it happened once I'd complain, have coffee, and go on about the work.  But this is 'yet again'... 

No trouble... W/C sells a "chestnut" skirting so close to the same color I'll just go with that.

 

[ChriJ]

Has anyone tried putting a light coat of oil on prior to putting on the dye to see if that helps to get an even dye job?

 

Chris

[JLSleather]

Nah.. never been one who bought into that.  When I oil, it's after the dye.

 

[NVLeatherWorx]

As a matter of fact I have done an oil application prior to applying the dye and it helped a great deal with getting an even looking finish.  Still had some inconsistencies with the lesser brands of leather but nowhere near the look that you would get without it being done.  Only thing about oiling prior to the dye application is that you can get some serious rub-off with those dyes that seem to have more "leftover" pigment residue (such as: black, saddle tan, ALL of the regular spirit dyes) so you have to give it a little extra love with the polishing rag.