Darkening neatsfoot oil finish

[supercub]

I'm looking for a way to darken my oil finished holsters without dye.  Ordinarily, I rub on a couple of coats of pure neatsfoot oil with a shearling pad onto the completed holster and let the oil migrate through the leather for a day or so.  If it was summer, I'd set out in the sun to "tan" for awhile.  

This time of year, the sun isn't too bright and it is often overcast or raining.  I was wondering if exposure to a UV tanning type lamp or full spectrum light would help to darken the finish?   Anybody try this?

[TinkerTailor]

All of a sudden, guys are buying tanning beds for their cough cough, "holster hobby"

[Hydrangeaceae]

You can buy UV lamps for doing gel nail polish for not a lot of money if you want to try it out. I can see it working out in theory so I'd say it's definitely worth a try. 

[Colt W Knight]

I tried "plant" type UV lights to give my lacquer guitar finishes a sun tan, and it didn't work. I always wanted to try tanning bed lights. 

[Instinctive]

Fiebing's have an article on their website for blending up to 6% solution spirit dye with neatsfoot oil. https://www.fiebing.com/tips/mixing-fiebings-leather-dye-and-prime-neatsfoot-oil-compound/

I have done this and it worked very well.

[PAMuzzle]

Looks like this equals about 1 oz dye to 15 oz oil.

Also, I just played my John Bianchi holster video and he says to place Suntan Lamps over your finishing table, the same type used in tanning studios, and it will replicate the heat and UV factor of daylight and give your leather a nice finish.

Anyone who has the video, it is on the last dvd when he is putting on the second coat of neatsfoot oil.

Edited November 20, 2016 by PAMuzzle

[supercub]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.  Years ago I tried some "oil darkening" additive available from one of the large leather supply vendors.  It didn't work as well as I had hoped - color was blotchy and the smell was objectionable.  I'll try the Fiebings dye mix on the next project. The sun lamp is another option - I had forgotten about Bianchi's suggestion in the gunleather video.