Leather Dying

[JAWS]

Hello, brand new to attempting leatherworking and was curious why you would dye leather instead of just buying the color you want? Was watching a video and the crafter dyed all the leather black and was wondering why they didnt just buy black leather.

 

Thanks,

Jeremy 

[fredk]

There are many reasons for and against

1. I've just started to make a bag for my dottir. It going to be black*, so I bought a large piece of leather pre-dyed black. After cutting out the parts I only have scraps left.

2. I buy leather 10 to 30 sq feet at a time. If I buy one leather, say 20 sq feet, 2mm thick, predyed in tan brown I'm stuck with that, everything has to be tan brown. If I want or need to make something in red, I'd need to buy another hide in red, adding to additional stock costs. But by having un-dyed leather I can dye it whatever colour I want when I want. Keeps cost down to having one hide and just bottles of dye

3. If you are making on an industrial amount pre-dyed is cost effective but if like many on here, no more that 10 or so of the same its better cost wise to have un-dyed leather

* this bag was going to be tan brown in 1.8 - 2mm leather but the supplier had run out so I got 1.4 - 1.6mm black. I didn't fancy dyeing 15 sq feet or so of leather tan brown; leading to

4. the tannery doesn't always have just what you need, when you need it

 

[Webicons]

I have since given up on dyeing my own.  It is really a skill and art form in itself.  I’ve seen some pretty creative patterns done by hand and by airbrushing.  Alas I have zero skill when it comes to dyeing. 

[Dwight]

I dye my own leather goods for the same reason cars come off the assembly line in different colors.

They are done to order . . . one red, two black, one grey, three blue, etc . . . 

I can basically dye my leather any color I want (within reason) . . . except white.  THAT I do buy . . . white.

May God bless,

Dwight