Tombstone: I'm your Huckleberry, holster and companion cross-draw

[Dwight]

[Sorcerer1]

I like , very much . Great color . If I may ask what dyes etc. did you use ?

Arley aka Sorcerer1

[Dwight]

It is all Feibings Saddle tan, topped by a coat of Resolene.

It is becoming my favorite color.  

I first added a light coat of neatsfoot oil, . . . allowed a couple days drying and leveling off time, . . . then dip dyed all the pieces in a cake pan full of dye.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

[alpha2]

Beautiful! And I'm right there with you on the saddle tan. My go-to color lately.

[CaptQuirk]

Lovely job Dwight!

[kiwican]

very nice

[Dave Richardson]

First class work as always Dwight. Ive recently used saddle tan as well and love the color, looks awesome on your holsters. The "dip dye" idea is a great idea, now if I can only save enough money to buy that much dye  LOL

[Dwight]

I use a 2 inch deep, . . . 9 x 14 baking pan, . . . mix a 4 oz bottle of dye with a 4 oz bottle of reducer, . . . for a 50/50 mix, . . . and keep mixing until my qt jug is full, . . . pour it into the pan, . . . go to dying.

A dress belt, all the harness, both holsters, and the cartridge belt, altogether used up about 14 or so liquid ounces of dye.  AND, . . . everything got double dipped on this particular order.

May God bless,

Dwight

2 hours ago, Dave Richardson said:

First class work as always Dwight. Ive recently used saddle tan as well and love the color, looks awesome on your holsters. The "dip dye" idea is a great idea, now if I can only save enough money to buy that much dye  LOL

 

[Mattsbagger]

Beautiful as always Dwight. Nuff said.

[Rockoboy]

When you dip-dye as mentioned, can you pour the mix into a spare bottle and reuse it more than once? Can you add more dye and/or reducer later, if you need a larger quantity than you have saved?

I like the colour.

Apologies for the thread hijack.

[Dwight]

No problem Rockoboy, . . . a little hijack never hurt anyone.

Yes, indeed, you can use it again, . . . and again, . . . and again.  I have plastic quart bottles that I keep my "made up" dye in, . . . just take off the lid, . . . pour it in the pan, . . . do the dying process, . . . pour the rest back into the bottle, . . . put the lid back on and set it back up on the shelf.  I then just wipe out the pan with paper towels, . . . put it back up on the shelf for the next one.

When I did the work above, . . . I made up another 16 oz of dye (2 ea 4 oz bottles of dye and 2 ea 4 oz bottles of reducer), . . . added it to the pan before I started, . . . when I got done, poured the rest back into the bottle.  If I calculated correctly, I think I used about 14 oz of dye mix to do two holsters, a dress belt, gun belt, and the assorted straps for the shoulder holster.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited August 21, 2017 by Dwight

[kiwican]

Man I wish we could carry up here. Love to wear a rig like that

[TrentonP]

Great looking work as always! Can't wait to see what you do next.

[x101airborne]

Great looking outfit and great looking holsters!!!

Thanks so much!!

[Double Daddy]

Real craftsmanship, Dwight...and I'll echo the sentiments of a few others...that saddle tan looks great!  Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge & methods on the dip dyeing technique.  I've been re-vamping my own methods as of late and have considered utilizing dip dyeing, especially for some of my products where contrasting thread isn't requested by the customer...you've been a big help. Thanks!

[Dwight]

Double Daddy, . . . I made my commitment to dip dying several years ago, . . . just got fed up with the sponging, wiping, etc, that sometimes did OK, . . . sometimes looked like something that needed a grave under the garbage heap.

Messed with an air sprayer, . . . did not like the lack of depth, . . . it is only a surface coating.

Jumped in with both feet on the dip dying, . . . and again, . . . fooled around with other reducers, . . . finally decided that since Feibings makes the dye, . . . they probably make the better reducer, . . . so all of my dye is reduced 1:1, . . . before it is used.

And as you touched on the subject, . . . the only hangup is when someone wants a contrasting thread.  Fortunately, . . . I don't see that much, . . . and you won't hear me complain about not seeing it either.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Double Daddy]

Okay...since I apparently have you close by. My customer base varies slightly from your'n a bit in that they like the contrasting thread...about 60/40, contrasting/matching. My question to you: do you use only white thread in your sewing machine and just baptize the entire thing in dye in the course of construction, per order...or do you go thru the process of changing out the thread to true brown/black/etc, per order?  I know that, in the past, when I have dyed white thread to match the surrounding leather, it has dried a slightly lighter color than its "true thread' counterpart (factory black, brown, etc)...but not enough so to be visually off-putting. Swapping out thread in my machine isn't a big deal...bobbins stay pre-wound in my work room and I can do it in a quick-minute...just wondering how others handle workflow.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Double Daddy

[cowboycolonel]

Hey Waldo,

Thanks for sharing - as always.  Two item I might add, though.  First off, when I dip-dye, I use a plastic tub to dip in, as all thing metal grate against my preferences.  Note how metal contacting wet leather will leave a dark stain, so why chance it on finished work.  Secondly, I have found that Everclear, which NOBODY drinks any more (I sincerely hope) make a great reducer - and much less expensive.  When I mix, I recover as much excess dye as possible, and label to mixture for further use.  1/5, 1/3, etc.  Saves a lot of dye.

[Dwight]

9 hours ago, Double Daddy said:

Okay...since I apparently have you close by. My customer base varies slightly from your'n a bit in that they like the contrasting thread...about 60/40, contrasting/matching. My question to you: do you use only white thread in your sewing machine and just baptize the entire thing in dye in the course of construction, per order...or do you go thru the process of changing out the thread to true brown/black/etc, per order?  I know that, in the past, when I have dyed white thread to match the surrounding leather, it has dried a slightly lighter color than its "true thread' counterpart (factory black, brown, etc)...but not enough so to be visually off-putting. Swapping out thread in my machine isn't a big deal...bobbins stay pre-wound in my work room and I can do it in a quick-minute...just wondering how others handle workflow.

Wellllll, . . . actually, I use all white thread, . . . but I do have a small spool of black.  Never have had anyone want anything but black or white, . . . and probably would discourage them if they did want some off the wall combination (red thread on a green holster).

The few I get ask for the white stitching, . . . so it really is just a matter of when do I stitch, . . . before or after dying.

AND, . . . my machine is a Tippmann Boss, . . . which just every now and again can be a pain when I change out the thread.  Never figured out why, . . . just know it happens, . . . I sometimes think my machine is a female, . . . it can get peeved over the slightest nothing, . . . and takes it out with a vengeance.

And, yes, . . . the white thread does come out a tad less dyed than the leather, . . . even the black, . . . but it is close enough that I've never had a customer get all up in arms about it.  

He probably wouldn't be a customer long if he did, . . . because it is just that close.  I'd give him his money back, . . . bid him adieu, . . . put the item on Ebay, . . . and get my $$$ back.  Also put that dude on a DO NOT CALL list.

May God bless,

Dwight

 

 

[Dwight]

9 hours ago, cowboycolonel said:

Hey Waldo,

Thanks for sharing - as always.  Two item I might add, though.  First off, when I dip-dye, I use a plastic tub to dip in, as all thing metal grate against my preferences.  Note how metal contacting wet leather will leave a dark stain, so why chance it on finished work.  Secondly, I have found that Everclear, which NOBODY drinks any more (I sincerely hope) make a great reducer - and much less expensive.  When I mix, I recover as much excess dye as possible, and label to mixture for further use.  1/5, 1/3, etc.  Saves a lot of dye.

Howdidja know the answer to the question:  Where's Waldo??   That's where Dwight lives.

Seriously, . . . my metal pans are actually an aluminum pan for the browns, . . . and a porcelain (white) pan for my blacks.  Got another aluminum one for odd stuff that I do once in a blue moon.

I've never had any problems with any of them.  

Everclear???  Here in Ohio, . . . it is illegal to own, sell, traffic, purchase, or possess.  OTOH, . . . if you know the right "ol' Southern boy", . . . ya might get something that will be in the same neighborhood of 190 proof, . . . and yeah, . . . folks around here still drink it, . . . not me of course, . . . but others do.

May God bless,

Dwight

[cowboycolonel]

Interesting... I Live here in the Peoples' Democratic Republic of California, where ALL things are leaning WAY left, and you can buy it in the liquor store.  About $19 for 750 ML and it's great for use as a thinning agent on alcohol-based dyes.

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, cowboycolonel said:

Interesting... I Live here in the Peoples' Democratic Republic of California, where ALL things are leaning WAY left, and you can buy it in the liquor store.  About $19 for 750 ML and it's great for use as a thinning agent on alcohol-based dyes.

This ain't one of them things like the old Louisiana cook where he "put a little wine in de sauce, . . . put a little wine in de cook" . . . thing is it??

You know, . . . "put a little Everclear in de dye, . . . put a little Everclear in de dyer", . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

[cowboycolonel]

Nope.  I can honestly say that I have never intentionally drunk that stuff.  Even stayed away from Purple Jesus when it was fashionable. Fortunately I was a late boomer and consequently never even drank tequila until my later years.  I've been trying to catch up since, though.