improvised leather dye or stain??

[mr dazzler]

Is there any household stuff I could use to improvise a leather stain? My leather is veg tanned 3mm thick and looks a bit weak against oiled burr elm (wood/leather combined sheath).... I am making a few sheaths just for serviceable protection of carving knives, nothing fancy, dont want to spend out on stuff that probably wouldnt get used much. Does anyone have any ideas?
Cheers Jonathan

 

[Mesquite]

I've seen folks get good results with ordinary shoe polish. They've used the liquid one with a built in sponge applicator on the bottle top

You can also make up your own vinagroon using vinegar and wire wool. Just make sure you neutralise it with a solution of bicarbonate of soda once you've applied it.

 

[mr dazzler]

I've seen folks get good results with ordinary shoe polish. They've used the liquid one with a built in sponge applicator on the bottle top

You can also make up your own vinagroon using vinegar and wire wool. Just make sure you neutralise it with a solution of bicarbonate of soda once you've applied it.

Thanks for your reply Mesquite I just saw a youtube video that shows a vinegar treatment, is vinagroon the same thing as ebonising wood? I have done that a few times, it works well on oak and chestnut, any wood with high natural tannin. I got a velvetty blue/black sheen. Doh I think I might have just answered my own question I just thought of....if veg tanned leather was treated with tannin (do they use oak bark?) then is the leather rendered acidic? I remember that wood that wasnt strongly acidic had to be pre treated with tanninn from tea otherwise the ebonising doesnt work?
Cheers, Jonathan