Removing oil stain on tooled veg tan

[Dragonfly42]

So I've got about 10 hours into this 14 inch stool top. After tooling I used olive oil to wipe it down and spilled some on the center pouring it in my rag (microfibers don't like oil apparently). I continued on the dying process thinking well it will go away eventually. Here it is 4 days later and it hasn't budged. What can I do to save it???

[battlemunky]

Well, if you can't get it to match, it doesn't look too terribly bad. Can you try and wipe it down a bit heavier with OO on the other parts to try and match it?

That is nice work and I know its gonna eat at you if you can't fix it but it looks really well done. That bull looks fully badass.

Edited September 14, 2017 by battlemunky

[billybopp]

Some have suggested in the past, using kitty litter (fresh, not used) and bury the work in it ... It's pretty absorbant stuff and can draw out some of the oil.  

[Dragonfly42]

22 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

Well, if you can't get it to match, it doesn't look too terribly bad. Can you try and wipe it down a bit heavier with OO on the other parts to try and match it?

That is nice work and I know its gonna eat at you if you can't fix it but it looks really well done. That bull looks fully badass.

I'm tempted to hit it with neatsfoot but I don't wanna make a bad situation worse! Thank you btw, the bull was by far the most fun to do haha

4 minutes ago, billybopp said:

Some have suggested in the past, using kitty litter (fresh, not used) and bury the work in it ... It's pretty absorbant stuff and can draw out some of the oil.  

I was reading earlier about using talcum powder or something similar to do that as well  

 

Edited September 14, 2017 by Dragonfly42
Add a thank you

[Stetson912]

Well idk what to say. Ive never tried talcum or kitty litter. I'd be afraid of I t ruining the leather somehow. I'm not suggesting that will happen though, but it's a possibility. 

Like battlemunky said, you can try and match it with oil. 

In this case, if you don't want to darken everything, you can try the talcum and kitty litter. The way I see it is that unless you're ok with it being darker you'll have to start over. So, may as well try some alternative method before you do. Never know what might work. 

And next time, oil the rag over empty space. We've all spilled something on our projects before. Never fun :/ hope you figure it out. 

[mikesc]

"Fuller's earth"..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuller's_earth

Frequently also found as the powder in those smear on or paint on "face masks" that beauticians use ( the ones where the girls also put a slice of cucumber on each eye )..that powder usually comes in 3 colours ( some have additives, perfumes etc ) you want the ones without the perfumes and additives*, and if you can get it you want the white powder, ( not the green or the red ), put it on the stained area, cover it, leave it for a few days ( or maybe longer ) it will draw out the oil..take of the powder with a vacuum cleaner ( you could brush it off, but it might get onto your black areas around the leaves and draw out some of the dye there** ), re apply and re do as necessary, you might not get it all out, you will get some out, maybe a lot..Shouldn't be too hard to find, it is cheap, kaolin powder will work too and maybe easier to find, but will be more expensive..Kitty litter ( the granular "clay" type, usually pale grey in colour ), will work if you grind it down to a powder ( like with pastry roller or similar ), get the kitty litter with no perfume or additives...You might also find it sold for mechanics to absorb oil spills, ( it will look like kitty litter ) again get the one with the least number of additives..
HTH

* The less "stuff" added to it, the less chance of one of the additives reacting with your leather, or the oil or both.Fuller's earth itself won't harm the leather, it was used for centuries in tanneries ( maybe still is in some under another name )as well as for treating ( removing some of the oil from ) wool..Museums and restorers use it for oil removal too, because it doesn't damage the things it is used on..to all intents and purposes it is chemically inert.

**Second thought ( as the stain is already also on some parts that have been dyed black ) you may as well brush it off, rather than use a vacuum cleaner, any black dye that it might "draw out" can be redone with a fine brush.

Edited September 15, 2017 by mikesc

[WoodysWorkshop]

I don't think I would use Kitty Litter. That is a special purpose product.

I would hit up the auto parts store in your area and buy a bag of Oil Dry.

It's a specific product to absorb oil.

I think it would do a better job, and unlike Kitty Litter, won't have any perfumes or other chemicals in it that might leave something behind you don't want.

 

[Northmount]

Cornstarch works too.

Tom

[byggyns]

kitty litter and oil dry are both fuller's earth (the older traditional products, at least). As mentioned above, get some fuller's earth with the fewest number of additives possible. The least expensive oil dry at most auto parts stores is almost 100% fullers earth.

[ByNelson]

Potato flour... works on all sorts of things... maybe it will do the trick.... kitty stuff smells so bad...I hope the odor won't transfer  

[mikesc]

"kitty stuff" ( presuming you mean fresh kitty litter ) , if it is the fuller's earth type doesn't smell at all..So..no smell to transfer..to anything..

Someone must have been selling you recycled "used kitty litter" ;-)

[ByNelson]

2 hours ago, mikesc said:

"kitty stuff" ( presuming you mean fresh kitty litter ) , if it is the fuller's earth type doesn't smell at all..So..no smell to transfer..to anything..

Someone must have been selling you recycled "used kitty litter" ;-)

No but here in Denmark it has a really disgusting smell... I think the stuff is sprinkled with some kind of awful perfume  

Just praise yourself lucky you won't experience that. 

[TonyRV2]

Before you do anything else, or put any more products on this, try setting it out in the sunshine for a few days.  This may lighten it up very nicely for you, I know that this works with Resolene.

 

[mikesc]

Sunshine will polymerise ( changes the chemical composition ) the oil, that will make even darker, and semi-fix it into the leather, making it much harder to get it out.

Putting oil in the sun was the way to make "sun dried" oil ( from linseed or olive oil ) or "stand oil" ( linseed oil treated for use by artists ) or was also used as a method to "thicken oil".

Resolene is not olive oil!

Edited September 22, 2017 by mikesc

[Squilchuck]

Dragonfly, did you ever fix this piece - draw the oil out?  I thought I had earlier seen a photo of the restored piece, but can't find anything.  -John