streaky look normal for these imported hides?

[Steel Dragon]

Hi,

A while back I tried using an imported hide from mexico since the price was right (as in cheap). When I went to dye it black it came out with a chalky and streaky appearance. So I kept adding more and more dye until it looked right. By that time the dye had soaked completely through the leather so it looked like it was drum dyed. I have never had that problem with domestic hides and I usually just buy the best grade they have. So I kept bying the best grades and haven't used imported hides since then.

Currently I needed to do some cheap (as in almost free) stuff for some family members. I saw a sale and bought the hide thinking it was domestic. Turns out it is a "domestic" (USA) hide, but it was veg tanned in Mexico. Of course I had the same chalky problem. Dyed it black and in the morning it was chalky and streaky looking. I'm guessing they must go cheap on some part of the tanning process to save money and that is what's causing the problem. Anyway I noticed the last time that the hide didn't feel right, it seemed rather dry. This one felt a little dry too compared to some other hides I have. I usually apply some pure neatsfoot so I tried oiling it again and in the morning it looked better. So I put on even more neatsfoot oil and a little more Fiebings oil dye. It looks really good now. Nice shade of black. Just to make sure I cut off a piece of the hide and oiled it up heavy then let it sit for a few hours and then dyed it. It came out great. No chalky look just a nice even black.

So ... Is the chalky / streaky look normal for these imported hides or is it just my luck with the two that I have tried? Is going heavier with some neatsfoot oil the fix for it?

Oh and this was with 2 - 3oz, and this time 3 - 4oz, hides.

Alex

Steel Dragon Custom Leather

http://www.steeldragoncustoms.com

[pete]

could very well be the hide. If you take a sample and wet it and it smells like urine or cat pee then it was probably tanned in Mexico or S. America. Tha smell is arsenic and other stuff. I have found that even the best looking piece and most expensive piece that smells this way is horrible to tool and dye. Nothing is consistent and I constantly have to wet it.

I spoke with Chan Geer recently and he told me that the Hidecrafter "American Value?" hide is a great value and a very well tanned piece regardless of the wt.

[abn]

I've had similar experiences, and fixed them the same way you did -- by adding a coat of neatsfoot oil to remove the surface dust and even out the dye job...

[Billsotx]

I've had the same experience with Wickett & Craig and Herman Oak veg tan and as you did, found the solution oil. I suspect that it's the dye (I've used Fiebings, Tandy and Angelus)because it happens with different brand names.

[abn]

Now that Bill mentions it, the time I had this problem I was using Fiebing's black leather dye. The dye was extremely loaded with pigment and that's what caused my chalking. Normally, it's only the last 25% of the bottle that's loaded ('cause the pigment settles), but this bottle had a ton of pigment right from the very top. It didn't matter how little I put on -- lots of buffing was required and the only fix for the streaking was neatsfoot oil.

I eventually pitched this bottle and bought a new one. Maybe your problem isn't the leather, after all...

[ClayB]

I spoke with Chan Geer recently and he told me that the Hidecrafter "American Value?" hide is a great value and a very well tanned piece regardless of the wt.

I have been using the American Value brand for a while now and I really like it. It tools and forms really well. I was told it is tanned for Hidecrafter by Herman Oak and is just a lower grade but I haven't had any problems at all with it.

Clay

[Johanna]

I've had to salvage leather from chalky black dye with Leather Balm with Atom Wax by Fiebings. It comes in several different colors, including black. Good rescue idea using the neatsfoot oil, too. Caution to new folks- too much oil will weaken the leather, same as too little in it in the first place. Dry leather tears. Oiled leather stretches...only so far, and snap!

Johanna

[Steel Dragon]

I did a couple of pieces of leather (Herman Oak 7/8 oz) with the same bottle of dye before and after and they came out fine. Though with that oil dye (fiebings) I swear I can rub forever and it keeps coming off.

One other thing I'm noticing is that this "import" tanned "domestic" hide is a lighter shade then my other hides. If I remember correctly the other one was lighter also. I'm gonna try that wet and smell test tomorrow.

I was talking to John at the Tandy in Raleigh, nc (if anyone here knows him). He's had this problem also. He said someone thought that it might be when they split the hide. Something about the machine that splits it pressing down on the hide and sort of burnishing the leather.

[Michael Sheldon]

I've never had really good results with Fiebings black dye, tons of rub-off, and streaky results. I've used Weaver's black dye and I like it much better.

I haven't found any commercial black dye that didn't have more rub-off than I would have liked, just some that rub off less than others. Iron oxide works great, since it actually changes the color of the leather itself, but it's difficult to get consistent results with.

[Steel Dragon]

I haven't tried the colored Leather Balm with Atom Wax yet. Been meaning to though.

Yeah I was really worried about over oiling the leather. Especially with there being oil in the dye. I was thinking of using Pecards instead. They say you can't over do it and maybe I just haven't tried hard enough. But the extra always seems to be left on the surface in the morning and I just wipe it away. Though putting it over the oil dye means hours of rubbing off dye.

[Go2Tex]

Yep, been there done that with the black dye ordeal. The biggest problem is the rubbing off. I found I just have to put an acrylic finish on it. I don't like the plastic feel but it seals it.

[Michael Sheldon]

Yep, been there done that with the black dye ordeal. The biggest problem is the rubbing off. I found I just have to put an acrylic finish on it. I don't like the plastic feel but it seals it.

I actually had a problem with Fiebings doing it that way. After sealing it, the finish would eventually start to peel off, because the dye kept it from bonding properly.

I ended up switching to Weaver's dye, and also switched to using carnuba wax to finish it instead of acrylic or lacquer.

Now, if I'm not carving the leather, I use Wickett and Craig's black-dyed veg tan.