Can you lighten leather?

AntDog

AntDog

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I searched to see if this was discussed before but couldn’t find what I was looking for.

I have a sheath that is a dark brown color. I would like to make it lighter but don’t know if that is possible. Is there a way to either pull the dye out or maybe sand it to lighten the color?
 
You can bleach leather with oxalic acid. I can't tell you what the results will be on a dyed sheath. Amazon as well as leatherwork suppliers sell leather bleach.
 
Behr Deck Cleaner from the Depot, has oxalic acid in it and is safer to use than the pure stuff. I keep some on hand.

AntDog said:
I searched to see if this was discussed before but couldn’t find what I was looking for.

I have a sheath that is a dark brown color. I would like to make it lighter but don’t know if that is possible. Is there a way to either pull the dye out or maybe sand it to lighten the color?
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Got pics?
 
That sheath would have to be done chemically. There is no way you can sand in all the low spots.

I'm no leather expert, but if it were mine, I would soak it in a bowl of 90% isopropyl alcohol and see how much dye comes off of it.
If the dye is soluble in alcohol, you would probably have to do this several times.

Acetone might work, too.

I doubt either one will hurt the leather.
 
AntDog said:
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Nice sheath. I do have a friend that sometimes takes a palm sander to leggings he makes. Done judiciously it kinda can come out like nubuck. But he’s doing this prior to construction. Like Bill said you’re not gonna get all the low spots by sanding. Bad for the thread too. You could take it apart and then sand all the pieces and then put it back together. But then ya might as well make a new one. Are you trying to match a belt or something? Might be more practical to darken the other item.
 
In the interest of science I did a lil work with this piece of scrap russet tannery dyed piece of 8/10 oz veg tan, (skirting leather).

sXRNvHT.jpg


To the left of each set of letters is a vertical streak where I rubbed with the different chemicals on a cotton ball. To the left of AL was alcohol. To the left of AC was acetone and to the left of wood clean was the above mentioned wood and deck cleaner by Behr. Admittedly I was somewhat surprised. No lightening of color by any of our three test subjects. I was also surprised that there was no dye transfer to speak of to the cotton balls used to rub each liquid into the leather.
 
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But Dave, there is hardly any dye on that leather.
The OP's sheath is heavily dyed. So heavy that it looks painted.
 
I'd certainly try Bill's method on the belt loop since that won't be seen when worn. If it works, great, if it doesn't or makes a mess, little harm since the belt loop is out of sight while wearing it.
 
Thank you all for the replies, gents.

I think I will try soaking it in alcohol and see what happens. If it comes out horrible I have some black fiebings.🤷‍♂️
 
I wonder if that leather is drum dyed? Not an expert by any means, but if it is it's there for good.
if you don't like the colour, you could just slap some black stain on it 🤷‍♂️
 
Lorien said:
I wonder if that leather is drum dyed? Not an expert by any means, but if it is it's there for good.
if you don't like the colour, you could just slap some black stain on it 🤷‍♂️
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Looks like it was brushed on with a dauber. I don’t think it was sealed afterward either - it rubs off on my fingers on hot days.

When I first got the sheath it was so full of smoke you’d think the Marlboro Man himself owned it. That has faded to a tolerable level, but I’ve never liked the color.

If an attempt to lighten it doesn’t work I’ll go the opposite direction and just dye it black and seal it.
 
AntDog said:
When I first got the sheath it was so full of smoke you’d think the Marlboro Man himself owned it. That has faded to a tolerable level, but I’ve never liked the color.
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🤮
nothing like that old tobacco tar smell.
 
AntDog said:
Looks like it was brushed on with a dauber. I don’t think it was sealed afterward either - it rubs off on my fingers on hot days.

When I first got the sheath it was so full of smoke you’d think the Marlboro Man himself owned it. That has faded to a tolerable level, but I’ve never liked the color.

If an attempt to lighten it doesn’t work I’ll go the opposite direction and just dye it black and seal it.
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The dye transfer is one of the reasons I quit dyeing leather years ago. Even sealed it can happen. Plus my empirical evidence shows that a dyed leather product, used hard, has about half the life span of that product not dyed. Seen it often. Tannery/drum dyed leather is much more stable. That scrap above is dyed russet, (drum dyed by the tannery). That's the standard leather I use. Wicket and Craig russet skirting leather in 8/10 oz.

kQVXshA.jpg


JsC75MQ.jpg


Warm pure neatsfoot oil brings out the color.

I was once bribed (by a retired judge), with a bottle of Laphroaig, to make and dye a sheath black so he had it to wear for dress up occasions. Sometimes I bend my rules.
 
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