Steps for wet forming

[battlemunky]

@ScoobyNewbie, I've heard that the pro dyes have a different pigment that does penetrate better and the alcohol dyes has more of a powder pigment that leaves some on the surface.

Regarding the waterstains, I have a few things that I used green waterstain on and on the corners where they come into contact with pockets and other things, they have rubbed off with time and leave behind a dark brown due to inside pocket burnishing/polishing. It doesn't look bad and actually has some character but if I bought a green sheath, I want it to stay green. As far as waterfastness goes, if you get a water soluble thing into some water, you are going to have some leach out/off. I've seen this with the sheath I have; a little rain or snow and it does transfer color. I've also noticed that the waterstain is a little finicky with streaking when applying. I don't dislike them outright but I don't get anywhere close to the consistency with them as I do the pro dye. For the 50 cents more (or so) per bottle, I'm willing to pony that up from now on. Many of the brown waterstains are quite nice but I've sorta commited to the pro dyes before I used more of the waterstain products.

[ScoobyNewbie]

I did a sample purse at the store when I started. The Erica Crossbody. Cute purse, has a bit of a wallet.

Any way, not knowing what I was doing I slathered on the blue Waterstain onto the front panel. Gorgeous deep blue, contrasted really well with the white lotus and the green waterweed. Then I was told I should have oiled the leather before I painted it. So I oiled all the rest of it. 

It came out kind of marbled instead of the deep blue of the front panel. Still pretty and in theme, as it were, to a waterlilly/underwater style. But I really liked the deep blue. 

I can see why you would want your work to stay the way you made it, it seems silly to put as much effort and thought into the stuff you guys make, and then have it just rub off. 

So waterstains have less penetration, or maybe they need to be sealed to keep from rubbing off? Would a finish be the answer? One of the sheens? Or Neatlac, or resolene?

[Mattsbagger]

Pro dyes pigment is oil based. Hence why originally they were called “Oil Dye”. The carrier is still alcohol. They changed the name because it caused confusion. That’s why they changed  to “Pro Dye”. 90% of the time I use an airbrush to dye. I only use Pro Dye as it works best for me. Dyeing is an art more than a science. Different hides or even different parts of a single hide will dye differently. That’s why I prefer the airbrush. I can layer on dye till I get the color I want. 

[Treed]

Tooling and wet forming depends on the items being made. I do a lot of tooled holsters in different guns that require wet forming of the holster. This type of item I will tool first before I form as the item that I am forming around is not solid and smooth to tool against. This type of item is also made with thicker leather and most of the time has a liner of tooling leather. The item is tooled, built and then wet formed around the gun. The item receives a moderate to high moisture content to the inside of the item and none to light moisture content to the tooled area. This type of molding will require something like a press or vacuum press to apply enough pressure to mold the leather to the item without deforming the tooling.  Other items such as bags, ammo pouches, etc. I cut and form over wooden molds. These type of item I build a wooden copy of the item so that I have a solid base to tool against. I then cut and mold the leather to the shape that i want over the wooden mold. I then dry and as the leather comes back to right moisture content I then tool the leather over the wooden mold and then final construction.