Crushed hazelnut hulls

[DrmCa]

Did anyone experiment with them? I had a quantity that I grinded in a coffee grinder to fine meal or coarse flour. Then I boiled it 3 times and collected all the 3 infusions that I then boiled down to 1/3 of its volume.

Attached it the picture of a piece of scrap leather that I submerged in the infusion for 10 min, without any prep whatsoever, after it has dried up. BIC pen is for comparison. The black discoloration in the middle of the bottom side is pre-existing.

The left side is died, the right side is original. Does this look promising?

Edited November 29, 2021 by DrmCa

[Klara]

Wouldn't you have gotten a similar result by oiling the piece? Seems like a lot of work for not much colour change (for my taste).

As far as I remember, traditionally one dyes with walnut. And I believe with the outer, green husks, which are already gone when one sees unshelled nuts in the shop. But I'm not really into vegetable dyeing...

 

[DrmCa]

I did not view it as a lot of effort, and the raw material is free, so I end up paying for the water and electricity only. Compared to buying other supplies, it costs me close to nothing.

[Sheilajeanne]

Yeah, walnut hulls are great. They dye your hands, too, if you're the one that has to dehusk the nuts! 

We don't have hazelnuts here, but there are lots of black walnuts, so I'd try that first if I wanted something free. Many local homeowners would be happy for a free removal service in the fall.

[battlemunky]

I've got a few gallons of walnut husks in the freezer awaiting my lazy ass to get motivated and try boiling them down for dye. De-huskifying them had my hands dark brown for a few days and they weren't even condensed down.

[Sheilajeanne]

Yep, been there, done that! 

[DrmCa]

The addition of small quantities of ferrous sulfate to the brew produces intense chocolate color.

[Bert03241]

I've used stain for dying leather works well and comes in any color you want

[DrmCa]

No doubt! This is about making my own stain from free resources.