Re-dying Leather? Maybe?

[HobbledCobbler]

My husband and I love curb diving!

I've gotten quite a good bit of wonderful leather by cutting it off of sofas and chairs.

I've got a wonderful problem!

Yesterday we found a Sofa & Loveseat in this really nice soft leather that would be great for soft shoes. 

IT IS BEAUTIFUL!

But there's so much of it. We got several Yards of leather off of those couches. Thank the Lord for the dog that chewed up the cushions!

It's a very pale green. And it's dyed all of the way through front and back. I don't know anything about leather dye or what that says other than, maybe it was chemically dyed? Vat dyed?

So, can I recolor it? And if I do, what kind of dye should I use?

It has a very light texture to the face of it. Not quite a pebble design, very small repeat.

[MADMAX22]

Its probably a straight chrome tan leather and would be very difficult to redye. Some vegtan leathers can be redyed a darker color then what they are but results will always vary and requires experimentation. Most finished leather projects if not using a chrome type leather have a finisher applied which hinders dying with good results. 

[Red Cent]

Vinagroon?

[Tugadude]

I agree with MadMax22, I'm sure it has a sealer on it.  But you can always cut off a strip and try. Nothing to lose.

[HobbledCobbler]

9 hours ago, MADMAX22 said:

Its probably a straight chrome tan leather and would be very difficult to redye. Some vegtan leathers can be redyed a darker color then what they are but results will always vary and requires experimentation. Most finished leather projects if not using a chrome type leather have a finisher applied which hinders dying with good results. 

Awe! Not what I wanted to hear!

But how can you tell the difference between vegtan and chrome tan?

8 hours ago, Tugadude said:

I agree with MadMax22, I'm sure it has a sealer on it.  But you can always cut off a strip and try. Nothing to lose.

Yeah, I will. 

If I can't figure out a way to dye it, I'll have a lot of green accessories!

[HobbledCobbler]

I found De-Glazer!

1 qt. on amazon for $15 and it will take the surface sealer off and let me re-dye the leather.

 

Tandy Leathercraft Fiebings Deglazer Quart 2105-03

by Fiebing

 

---

List Price:	$25.00
Price:	$15.10 + $6.90 shipping
You Save:	$9.90 (40%)

 

So, I ordered it. Figured with all of the leather I get, I'll need quite a bit of it.

I'm thinking a nice turquoise would look really nice!

Edited November 4, 2016 by HobbledCobbler

[morningtundra]

Any update on this product and/or results?

 

 

[HobbledCobbler]

On 11/18/2016 at 3:25 PM, morningtundra said:

Any update on this product and/or results?

 

 

Not yet!

I've been working on getting my shoes lasts built. 

Hubby decided since his scroll saw wouldn't handle the thickness of the wood, he'd use a jigsaw and the wood layers came loose and I've had all kinds of weird stuff going on recently. Power going off. Power company is working on the lines in our area...everybody is getting power outages and things are going phooey! Including the fact that hubby decided we are having a big Thanksgiving dinner here, at the last minute! LOL! So I'm having to clean, reorganize, clean out all of the freezers, etc. Oh, and the transmission went out! So, everything is a bit out of kilter. Family members coming into town. Having to pick them up at the rental car place and everything under the sun.

I reckon, the way things are going, things might start getting back to normal on the 25th. I hope so!

But I'll try to remember to let you know when I start working on that. I need a new pair of slippers so I might do something just playing around with it.

 

[Northmount]

On November 2, 2016 at 6:34 PM, Red Cent said:

Vinagroon?

Only works on veg tan, needs tannic acid to work.  Maybe you could soak it in tea, then try.

Tom

[Deb791]

Have you had a chance to give this a try? 

[fredk]

On 02/11/2016 at 8:09 PM, HobbledCobbler said:

My husband and I love curb diving!

I've gotten quite a good bit of wonderful leather by cutting it off of sofas and chairs.

I've got a wonderful problem!

Yesterday we found a Sofa & Loveseat in this really nice soft leather that would be great for soft shoes. 

IT IS BEAUTIFUL!

But there's so much of it. We got several Yards of leather off of those couches. Thank the Lord for the dog that chewed up the cushions!

It's a very pale green. And it's dyed all of the way through front and back. I don't know anything about leather dye or what that says other than, maybe it was chemically dyed? Vat dyed?

So, can I recolor it? And if I do, what kind of dye should I use?

It has a very light texture to the face of it. Not quite a pebble design, very small repeat.

I acquired some car upholstery and house upholstery leather.

I used lacquer solvent [aka cellulose thinners] to cut through the top finish

The car upholstery was pearl grey; I can do it most darker colours, eg blue green dark red, browns and blacks

The house upholstery was mixes of medium to dark brown; I can only re-do that in dark browns or black

I just use Fieblings dyes

[Dun]

I skinned a couch and was able to use oil dyes to get a decent color, but I haven't found anything to keep the oil dye from bleeding out.

Resolene seemed to work the best but still not enough to let it touch anything else for an extended period of time. Even after months I still get bleeding from buffing.