Thoughts on Fiebings Leather dyes

[Toadflax]

I've been experimenting to sort out what colour dyes to use. I know it does depend on the individual piece of leather, but I've found the Fiebings brown dyes seem to vary rather from their descriptions. (I also appreciate that you can dilute the dyes to lighten the shades.)

I originally got mid-brown, but this dyes the leather what I'd regard as dark brown, so I got a pot of light brown, and this is marginally lighter than mid-brown, but still what I'd regard as a dark brown. The tans seem to be what I'd call light brown.

Not a great problem once I sort out which dyes to buy to get the colours I like, but I wonder if anyone else had found that the browns all seem to be dark brown.


Geoff

 

[g4ghb]

I use the pro oil dyes so have a grand range of 4 colours if I want to order more than 4oz!

I use vinagaroon to create black so have Dark brown, saddle tan and Mahogany to choose from......

dark brown is just that
saddle tan is quite a light brown and
Mahogany is just that a reddish brown

more layers means a darker colour as you know

If i want a light colour I don't stain at all - soaking and leaving to dry darkens it slightly as does finishing with mink oil

Also a good polishing with std shoe polish can be used to darken slightly or add a different hue

 

[leon-1]

Hi Geoff.

I am the same as graham in as much as I use the pro oil dyes.

I can however vary the colouring of the final result depending on the speed that I dry the article and its level of saturation. There is a certain amount of spirit in the dye, if the leather has been immersed in water for a few minutes (which helps to get a more even finish) the spirit is watered down into the water itself.

This appears to have the effect of spreading the pigmentation of the dye through a larger area as it penetrates further into the leather. If you use less water and the dye dries quickly then the pigmentation from it hasn't had a lot of time to penetrate into the leather (there's more of it sitting on the surface layers of the leather) and it looks darker.

If you place your leather in a bucket of warm water for a couple of minutes then take it out, allow it to stop dripping, then dye the leather and leave to hang up outside in the shed (it takes a longer time to dry), it should come out lighter.

That's the only suggestion I can make mate.

 

[Kerne]

I've been experimenting to sort out what colour dyes to use. I know it does depend on the individual piece of leather, but I've found the Fiebings brown dyes seem to vary rather from their descriptions. (I also appreciate that you can dilute the dyes to lighten the shades.)

I originally got mid-brown, but this dyes the leather what I'd regard as dark brown, so I got a pot of light brown, and this is marginally lighter than mid-brown, but still what I'd regard as a dark brown. The tans seem to be what I'd call light brown.

Not a great problem once I sort out which dyes to buy to get the colours I like, but I wonder if anyone else had found that the browns all seem to be dark brown.


Geoff

Funny yu should say that...

I buy the 32oz mid brown and reckon it gives me a nice dark brown on the veg tanned hides I get from Le Prevo. Not quite what it says on the tin but consistent, so that's OK. When I tried it on a hide I picked up at a re-enactors fair, it gives me an orangey brown which i think is due to the way the hide had been treated, rather than the dye itself. I have tried diluting it for a lighter effect and also applying it to wet leather.

 

[Toadflax]

Thanks for the suggestions. The one about immersing the leather is interesting. I've just been wiping a damp sponge over the leather (like I do when tooling the leather) so it hasn't been getting that damp. I'll try that next.

The results I have been getting are reasonably consistent from the Fiebings dyes, and I'm happy with the results, so it's really just a case of finding the dye colour(s) that I like. The British Tan gives me a colour that I regard as a nice mid-brown.


ATB



Geoff

 

[Jeannius61]

I was really impressed with the richness of Cordovan the first time I used it.
First I didn't like the colour, but now I find it has grown on me.

I must admit I dilute the Mid-Brown by almost a 3rd of water. I set my mixer tap till it runs with blood-warm water, then hold the both sides up in the water until it is saturated. Allow to drip off and then swish it through the dye. I dye in a large flat pan with about 1/16" of dye in the dish. I sort of roll the flat leather through the dye from one end to the other so that I get dye on the skin side in a smooth sweep, and NONE on the flesh side. It's smooth, goes in evenly, and you can do it more than once if you need to. I also re-dye after sewing, but then I use a swab.

 

[Toadflax]

Thanks for the various suggestions on giving the leather a really good soaking before dyeing. I made up some more colour swatches last night and, this morning when the leather is dry, the colours do bear much more relation to the names and are much more even - light brown is a light brown, medium brown is a medium brown.

The only one that didn't come out too well was the (water based) Fiebings leather stain. When applying this to the wet leather, it seemed just to sit on the surface and the result I'd had previously with slightly damp leather was much better. I guess that if the leather is saturated, then the water based stain is going to find it difficult to soak in.

One other question someone might advise on is how and whether to dye the back of a belt. I appreciate that if you're making a sheath then there's little point in dyeing the inside, but for a belt, an undyed back does look a bit out of place. To date I've just used the normal leather dye but, with the slightly ragged texture of the flesh side, the result isn't outstanding.

BCUK members :You_Rock_



Geoff

 

[leon-1]

Thanks for the various suggestions on giving the leather a really good soaking before dyeing. I made up some more colour swatches last night and, this morning when the leather is dry, the colours do bear much more relation to the names and are much more even - light brown is a light brown, medium brown is a medium brown.

The only one that didn't come out too well was the (water based) Fiebings leather stain. When applying this to the wet leather, it seemed just to sit on the surface and the result I'd had previously with slightly damp leather was much better. I guess that if the leather is saturated, then the water based stain is going to find it difficult to soak in.

One other question someone might advise on is how and whether to dye the back of a belt. I appreciate that if you're making a sheath then there's little point in dyeing the inside, but for a belt, an undyed back does look a bit out of place. To date I've just used the normal leather dye but, with the slightly ragged texture of the flesh side, the result isn't outstanding.

BCUK members :You_Rock_



Geoff

Geoff, IIRC the Fiebings dyes are not classed as colour fast. This means that there is a chance that the dye will come out on whatever is next to it should it become damp or wet (sweaty).

You would need to seal the back with some kind of preparation to avoid this or hand stitch a lining in. That's a lot of stitches, for a belt for a 38 inch waist that means you'll be looking at around 470 stitches at 5 per inch (i've done it and it's hard on the fingers).

 

[Toadflax]

I've just found a suggestion that there may be no real need to dye the back face of a leather belt, but just to oil it with neats foot, or maybe wax it with saddle soap or Carnauba. That way it will darken up a bit, so it doesn't look like it's been unfinished, but you shouldn't get any bleed onto clothing.

Then again, that unfinished look may be part of the attraction of a hand-made belt.


Geoff

 

[Barn Owl]

I've just found a suggestion that there may be no real need to dye the back face of a leather belt, but just to oil it with neats foot, or maybe wax it with saddle soap or Carnauba. That way it will darken up a bit, so it doesn't look like it's been unfinished, but you shouldn't get any bleed onto clothing.

Then again, that unfinished look may be part of the attraction of a hand-made belt.


Geoff

Dyed the back of a belt once...never again.

 

[Ratbag]

Or you could consider using Feibling's resolene to seal over the dye. I was chatting to a leatherworker during the summer and that's what he uses for belts.

I've been using the pro oil dyes for a couple of years now and had no colour run problems. I'm also experimenting with the resolene as a finish. If you want to try it out PM me and I'll send you a sample.
Cheers
Rat

 

[leon-1]

Or you could consider using Feibling's resolene to seal over the dye. I was chatting to a leatherworker during the summer and that's what he uses for belts.

I've been using the pro oil dyes for a couple of years now and had no colour run problems. I'm also experimenting with the resolene as a finish. If you want to try it out PM me and I'll send you a sample.
Cheers
Rat

I've been using Resolene for over five years, I used it to seal the edge of a belt after burnishing with gum tragacanth. The dye still seemed to seep through as I have black lines on a shirt from that little mistake.

Resolene is very good, I use it on pouches, bags, sheaths and belt straps as under normal circumstances I have not had a problem.

I have had the problem once and I am not up for repeating it.

 

[Ratbag]

I've been using Resolene for over five years, I used it to seal the edge of a belt after burnishing with gum tragacanth. The dye still seemed to seep through as I have black lines on a shirt from that little mistake.

Resolene is very good, I use it on pouches, bags, sheaths and belt straps as under normal circumstances I have not had a problem.

I have had the problem once and I am not up for repeating it.

Cheers for that Leon, interesting to know.
Rat

 

[Japi]

I have found for darker colours that applying a good coat of neatsfoot oil just before dyeing gives a much more even coat.