need recomendation for red dye

[Scary Leatherworks]

I am looking for a deep red dye sort of a dark blood red. I ordered Fiebings spirit dye "ox blood" and am very dissapointed it is very pink. it's hard to tell the color when buying online. Anyone have a suggestion for a spirit based dye?

thanks, scott

[HarryB]

I assume you are dying veg tanned leather. If so, try Fiebing's red. It is a deep red, not a fire engine red.

[twinklestarchild]

Take half a package of Scarlet RIT Dye, pour it into a jam jar with a tight-fitting lid. Mix in a tablespoon of HOT water and let turn into a paste. Add methylated spirits (denatured alcohol, available in paint section of local hardware store or wal-mart) until the jar is half full, or about a cup. Put lid on and swirl until powder is dissolved. Good mix costs about 2 bucks. I get a good rich color, can antique with antique gel if you want an aged look.

[Scary Leatherworks]

Yup I'm dying veg tanned. i've never heard of RIT dye. What is it? where do you get it. Thanks Harry I'll try the red.

[CitizenKate]

You can also mix the oxblood with some brown to get more of a deep crimson color. All dye colors can be mixed to obtain the colors you want. However, I've never tried mixing a spirit-based dye with a water-based dye, but that seems to be essentially what you're doing with the Rit mixture that twinklestarchild describes above. (I'll have to put that on my list of things to try.)

Kate

[tashabear]

Yup I'm dying veg tanned. i've never heard of RIT dye. What is it? where do you get it. Thanks Harry I'll try the red.

RIT is a fabric dye, but available as a powder. I advise against using it as a fabric dye, as it's very hard on fibers, but leather is sturdier than, say, silk. I haven't had a chance to try making leather dyes with it, but I'm looking forward to it.

[twinklestarchild]

I should have specified, I mean to use the powder dye, about half a packet. Works great with every color I've tried so far. The scarlet I was recommending looks particularly cool with a coat of Fiebing's British Tan over it, just found out. The water is really just to start breaking up the powder, and the spirit is the main carrier. Cem told me about it, and I've been experimenting. The Scarlet just turned out a particularly nice dark shade of red. Used it on a Yule door bell hanging thing for my folks, turned out really well. Wish I had a picture to show you, I'll see if I can get one.