Another Dye Penetration Question

[VargS]

What voodoo do I need to do in order to get this die to penetrate? I have tried three different veg tanned hides purchased years apart from each other (all from Tandy) with both the light and dark Fiebing's spirit based dye and have had the same experience with each of them. I have tried: cleaning with Oxalic Acid, cleaning with Denatured Alcohol, and sanding the top surface off. I have been using a swab applicator, but have tried dipping as well. Pictures are below. I have omitted many since they almost all ended up the same: Die on top of the grain with very little to no penetration. I have Al Stohlman's book on coloring leather, and have followed the directions as far as I know, so I'm at a dead end.

Everything but the two other combinations under it:

Below is the 3-4oz I dipped (dwell 30 sec), cleaned with Oxalic acid:

Below is one of the two 7-8oz hides I dipped. The other hide ended up much like the first.

I know there are several threads on this already, and that the general consensus is that the leather isn't really veg tan leather, or that it is veg tan, but with something else added. Since this is three strikes against Tandy, all spread out over several years, several locations in different regions, I would think that it would be better known that Tandy veg won't take die. Am I missing something? If not, is there anything I can do to make this leather take die, or am I stuck with prototyping and practice junk?

Your expertise is appreciated.

[wizard of tragacanth]

That looks pretty normal to me. Are you expecting it to soak all the way through the leather? 

nick

[fredk]

Try

1. dampen leather, not as wet as for moulding but as wet as for tooling

2. dilute the dye

3. dip dampened leather into diluted dye

4. leave leather in dye till dye soaks in, minutes not seconds

5. remove leather from dye, allow to partially dry

6. repeat 3, 4 and 5 as necessary until colour density is reached

[Rockoboy]

I am also under the impression that a coat of pure neatsfoot oil (not the compound which includes silicon) assists with dispersion of the dye in between the fibres of the leather, which also helps with evening out any dark or light patches..

16 hours ago, fredk said:

1. dampen leather, not as wet as for moulding but as wet as for tooling

Also, having some water in there helps to pull the dye in AFAIK.

[HeatherAthebyne]

Fiebing's has a method which uses NFO and their standard dyes at https://www.fiebing.com/tips/mixing-fiebings-leather-dye-and-prime-neatsfoot-oil-compound/

I'd swap the compound for straight NFO, of course, but I'd imagine it would have a penetrating effect.

[VargS]

On 9/6/2019 at 6:04 PM, Rockoboy said:

I am also under the impression that a coat of pure neatsfoot oil (not the compound which includes silicon) assists with dispersion of the dye in between the fibres of the leather, which also helps with evening out any dark or light patches..

Also, having some water in there helps to pull the dye in AFAIK.

I've tried the water. Both water and the solvent (alcohol) in the dye penetrate the leather, the dye, however, will not.

On 9/7/2019 at 6:45 AM, HeatherAthebyne said:

Fiebing's has a method which uses NFO and their standard dyes at https://www.fiebing.com/tips/mixing-fiebings-leather-dye-and-prime-neatsfoot-oil-compound/

I'd swap the compound for straight NFO, of course, but I'd imagine it would have a penetrating effect.

I haven't heard of using NFO before. I have a bottle of the pure stuff, so I'll give it a whirl and see what it does. Thanks to the both of you for the idea.