Coffee as dye

[MADMAX22]

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone thats into natural dyes tried coffee. I have played with a few pieces and sorry I dont have any pictures to post but have gotten a very very nice either really mild coffee color kind of like the baskins robbins icrcream (coffee flavored) to a much darker british tan/ saddle tan color once oiled.

So far I have just boiled some coffee then strained it and let a couple of pieces sit over night to see what colors Id get. I dont have any projects that I can use it on right now though. Maybe in a week or so.

Anyways I know holster makers are allways trying to find a streak free dye and usually in a natural color, if you are this is a cheap possibility for ya.

[gavingear]

I've wondered the same thing about red wine...

[Johanna]

I don't know about leather, but coffee is an excellent dye/darkener for bone beads. It will "antique" the white choker beads to look more natural. The beads will take color differently, so it's best to do them all at once for the best match of color.

Johanna

[NuVikingKnives]

I have also used tea. Sometimes mixing some strong herbal and regular cheap orange peckoe make some intersting stains.

Another intersting story related to this. Years ago I read a story about Henry Ford. He didnt like smoking employeies at the car plant. But employeis that chewed tobbacco would work finishing wood. Much of the wood was stained with spit from chewing tobacco. It does bring out the grain in wood and I had tryed it in the past but didnt get as nice of results as I did from tea.

[BradB]

Coffee works great for painting with also, it is on the order of watercolor paint.

[Hilly]

Onion skins also make some nice browns.

[MADMAX22]

Onion skins also make some nice browns.

I read about that. I was wondering is it just the dry flaky portion of the onion skin? I wouldnt want my project smelling like onion lol.

[tashabear]

I read about that. I was wondering is it just the dry flaky portion of the onion skin? I wouldnt want my project smelling like onion lol.

Just the top papery layer. You can get a nice yellow on fabric by boiling them, too.

[Lobo]

I have used both coffee and tea, brewed up strong, soak the leather piece overnight. Good dying effect without hiding the natural "grain" structure of the leather. If doing several pieces to match you must use the same brew solution. Coloring is in the light to medium tan range, enhanced by application of neatsfoot oil.

[Scott1952]

Just did a holster in black tea last night, setting in the sun today to tan. Will post photos when complete.

Scott

[kfiretwo]

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone thats into natural dyes tried coffee. I have played with a few pieces and sorry I dont have any pictures to post but have gotten a very very nice either really mild coffee color kind of like the baskins robbins icrcream (coffee flavored) to a much darker british tan/ saddle tan color once oiled.

So far I have just boiled some coffee then strained it and let a couple of pieces sit over night to see what colors Id get. I dont have any projects that I can use it on right now though. Maybe in a week or so.

Anyways I know holster makers are allways trying to find a streak free dye and usually in a natural color, if you are this is a cheap possibility for ya.

try fresh beans just crack them open, boil in very little water, makes a like a paste form, then you can add as much water as needed to get the color ur looking at.

buring the beans a little, while cooking them down makes it even darker.

[Scott1952]

Look at my post in this section under "first attempts", It has pictures of my holsters done with coffee, black tea, and Tabasco.

Scott

[rhall]

Old timers used plug tobac in vinager to make a stain for long rifles,sometimes soaking string in it and wrapping the stock,that why you see lines on the early Pa long arms.

[ChuckBurrows]

The main body of these was stained with coffee - extra dark roast instant - one jar of crystals boiled in two jars of distilled water......they've been aged but the color is pretty close to what they started out as......

[MADMAX22]

those are really nice. Very cool color.

[celticleather]

Just did a holster in black tea last night, setting in the sun today to tan. Will post photos when complete.

Scott

What's this stuff called 'sun', and where can I get some?

I seem to have a dim and distant memory of it - something like a bright light in the sky?

[rickeyfro]

When using coffee or tea, what do you use to seal it??

[MBOGO]

We need results, keep it going, I hate fumes from spirit dyes.

[ChuckBurrows]

When using coffee or tea, what do you use to seal it??

Any of the standard sealers (Neatlac, Tan Kote, Satin Shene, etc.) work just fine.......

[JohnnyCarver]

I agree with using coffee for bone beads. If you're looking for a natural aged bone look (kinda like nicotine stained teeth) then coffee's your best bet. I just brew up some coffee and let the beads soak over night. I don't boil my coffee cause i enjoy a cup while they're soaking. Also different roasts produce different shades. Light roasts produce lighter stains and Darker roasts produce darker stains. You can also use dyes for bone beads too. I've used the royal blue pro dye to stain some bone beads for a choker and they came out great. Just make sure to seal them with a stain or super sheen after wards if using dyes. Coffee is the best natural dye. I've even heard of some people using other natural organic materials also such as berries, cactus, etc. Anything organic can make a great alternative to oil/water based dyes. What'd you think mankind used before Fiebings? Yup! All the things growing from the ground. If you're eco-friendly at heart anything organic can be used. Just be creative! I've experimented with lots of different biological orgnisms and i've been happy with the result. Just make sure to test it first on a scrap before you're actual experiement. Boiling does help. I've seen a couple fully tooled purses colored with nothing but cactus oils and juice. The colors were amazingly bright. Be creative.

Edited February 8, 2009 by JohnnyCarver

[RVM45]

Speaking of natural dies--anyone ever try staining leather with blood?

I cut myself pretty good at work a few years ago. Bled all over my Leather tool bag. Several years later; the blood stained areas are still a rich brown.

{Slaughterhouses will be happy to defibrinate and save five gallons or so for you. If you're a regular customer, they may not even charge you. If you don't want them to think you're a Vampire--tell them its for BloodSausage, or that you're making Catfish bait.}

.....RVM45

[Brushpopper]

If you have carved or stamped the leather, does letting it steep in tea or coffee, maybe overnight, affect the crispness of the tooling?

Also, Chuck, (if you're listening!) - did you use sealer on the flesh side of those terrific cuffs?

[ChuckBurrows]

If you have carved or stamped the leather, does letting it steep in tea or coffee, maybe overnight, affect the crispness of the tooling?

Also, Chuck, (if you're listening!) - did you use sealer on the flesh side of those terrific cuffs?

You can either pre-dye or in my case I reduce the dye until it's concentrated (with coffee leave the grounds in) and apply like any other dye with no long soak.....

They are lined with full grain buckskin so no flesh side and yes I did seal with Tan Kote........

Edited March 4, 2009 by ChuckBurrows

[Brushpopper]

Thanks for the reply, Chuck.

Some of your holsters that are dyed with coffee would have an exposed flesh side. Do you seal that to stop the coffee rubbing off on clothes?

I dyed a holster with tea once and noticed a week or two later that some of it was staining my pants.

[danielb]

I dyed a holster with tea once and noticed a week or two later that some of it was staining my pants.

Anybody of You had the same effect?