Dying leather

T

Todd Robbins

Well-Known Member
I'm preparing to dye a sheath with Even-Flo dark brown dye, and I'm wondering how much to thin it? It says to thin with water, and I tried a few test pieces to see the outcome. I did one without thinning, one mixed 1:1, and one mixed 2:1 (2 parts water, 1 part dye). I couldn't tell any difference in the penetration depth on any of the pieces after cutting them in two. The one mixed 2:1 took a little longer to get the color I wanted, but that was the only real difference between any of the pieces. I'm new at sheath making and need some help.

Thanks guys!
 
Hi Todd, I am assuming you're talking about ECO-FLO dyes from Tandy.I am sorry I can't help you with them as I won't use them.I have heard very few good results from people using them, and it's not just from newbie leatherworkers.Alot of the complaints,are due to uneven dyeing, and rubbing off badly.You can go here http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?? and search for some of the methods folks made it work.Good Luck.Dave
 
Todd,

Ive used eco-flo a couple times and didn't get good results. The best result I got came when using more water and less dye. I did get even coloring without streaks or blotches but the cost was getting a very light tan color instead of dark brown.

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I'm with Dave on this one. I don't and won't use the Eco Flo. The only dyes I use are Feibing's Professional Oil Dye in dark Brown or Black, but I should also mention that I don't use dye period.....except on finished edges. I buy my leather pre dyed at the tannery, and if you use enough to make that logical then it's the only way to go as far as I'm concerned. I use russet, chestnut, brown, and black from Wickett and Craig and I haven't dyed a piece of leather in over three years.

Todd, I'm not even sure you can still find spirit dyes easily, but if you can I would recommend them instead of the Eco Flo. I believe you can dilute them with alcohol to get a difference in the shade of a given color. It's been so long since I've had to fool with dyes, I have just about forgotten what little I did know.

Paul
 
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Thanks for the help, guys! I'm gonna thin this down and use it on this sheath (it's for me), and then try something different, maybe the Feibings.

Todd Robbins
 
Well, I thinned this down with three parts water to one part dye. It turned out ok, but, lordy, it took forever. I must have put twenty coats on this thing before I got full, even coverage. Still got to put some conditioner on it, but it looks alright, I guess. I feel like I could have done about as well with some brown Kiwi shoe polish! Thanks again for the help!

Todd
 
Fiebings still has spirit based dyes, thank goodness. There for a while it was looking like Tandy/TLF was going to try to discontinue carrying them in favor of the eco flo. There was such a stink that they quickly reconsidered.

I use the Pro Oil dye whenever possible, the spirit dye tends to absorb too quick and cause splotching, but I hear that wetting the leather first helps with that. :)
 
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