EvRanch

[EvRanch]

Hello! Extreme newbie here. I'm wondering if there is a difference between using a few coats of oil or using a brown dye to achieve a dark brown look than the original veg tan natural color. Is one a superior method? Thank you for any and all help.

[akguy59]

I would use dye. Multiple coats of oil will make the leather too soft and shorten it's lifespan. 

[EvRanch]

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. So if I'm using natural veg-tan should I dye first, then apply a coat of oil. Or do I even need to oil before I finish the leather with a tan-kote(or similar)?

[chrisash]

A thin layer of neatsfoot applied after the dye has dried and been brushed over can help if the leather has stiffened after the dye, but in most cases neatsfoot is not required, but if required then applied lightly, and if still needed apply again

Edited December 4, 2020 by chrisash

[EvRanch]

On 12/4/2020 at 11:15 AM, chrisash said:

A thin layer of neatsfoot applied after the dye has dried and been brushed over can help if the leather has stiffened after the dye, but in most cases neatsfoot is not required, but if required then applied lightly, and if still needed apply again

Thank you! This helps so much.

[Dwight]

I'll go the other route on that advice . . . leather has a natural oil to it . . . that is mostly worked out of it in the tanning process.  

Applying a THIN coat on the hair side only of the leather approximately 24 hours BEFORE YOU DYE IT . . . will almost always give you a much better dye job.  That is especially if you are doing anything in the light tan spectrum . . . with saddle tan being an example. 

The leather retains pockets of oil . . . which will change the color of the dye  . . . and can give you some really nasty . . . spotty . . .  ugly dye jobs. 

When I first encountered it  . . . I thought it was a bad hide . . . then I ran across it other times . . . now . . . I do the oil trick every time before I dye . . . and allowing it to sit for 24 hours will allow it to soak in pretty much equally everywhere.  AND . . . now I don't have those dye problems I used to hit from time to time.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Sheilajeanne]

Dwight, that's wonderful information! Thank you so much!  Yes, I've had splotchy dye jobs, and had to do multiple coats to get a good finish. This could save me a lot of time and effort!

[EvRanch]

On 12/8/2020 at 4:49 PM, Dwight said:

I'll go the other route on that advice . . . leather has a natural oil to it . . . that is mostly worked out of it in the tanning process.  

Applying a THIN coat on the hair side only of the leather approximately 24 hours BEFORE YOU DYE IT . . . will almost always give you a much better dye job.  That is especially if you are doing anything in the light tan spectrum . . . with saddle tan being an example. 

The leather retains pockets of oil . . . which will change the color of the dye  . . . and can give you some really nasty . . . spotty . . .  ugly dye jobs. 

When I first encountered it  . . . I thought it was a bad hide . . . then I ran across it other times . . . now . . . I do the oil trick every time before I dye . . . and allowing it to sit for 24 hours will allow it to soak in pretty much equally everywhere.  AND . . . now I don't have those dye problems I used to hit from time to time.

May God bless,

Dwight

Thank you so much Dwight! Very good information!