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Vikefan

How to get Veg Tan leather to take Homemade Walnut Dye

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I made some natural walnut dye a few years ago and have tried dying my veg tan leather (holster) with it, but when you wet it with water it just washes off.  How can I keep the color I want from washing off when I wan to put stitch lines into the leather..
 

Please help...

Vikefan

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Most natural dyes I have dealt with always seem to need something to set it, at least with fabrics.  I've not tried a natural dye on leather, well I have used vinegaroon but that's it.  Unfortunately all of my books are still in boxes from the move so I can't go through my library and look.

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This is a real puzzle, because walnut contains its own tanins and shouldn't need fixing. However, sometimes iron (rust) and alum mordants are used. How does the leather handle other dyes?

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Is this a new holster you have just made or a old one

If old it may well have been treated with a coat of Resolene or similar sealant 

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New holster...and leather takes regular leather dyes well.

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Many natural dyes require a mordant to fix them and make them permanent.  That is where I would start my search.  Somewhere on LW, there are a thread or 2 that deal with natural dyes.  Search for it.  Try a google search "site:leatherworker.net natural dye" without the quotes and see what you find.

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3 hours ago, Northmount said:

Many natural dyes require a mordant to fix them and make them permanent.  That is where I would start my search.  Somewhere on LW, there are a thread or 2 that deal with natural dyes.  Search for it.  Try a google search "site:leatherworker.net natural dye" without the quotes and see what you find.

That's why I mentioned iron and alum. In natural dying, it's usual to use a mordant both as preparation and fixative, they were thought to bite into (key) the material for the dye to grop. The truth id the bond chemically, and the dye to that.

Another possibility micht be you didn't let the tannins in the nuts release, tbrough too low a temperature.

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Rahere,

Thank you... I never thought my temperature was too low..  I will research some more.  Thank you.

Vikefan

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