Help needed on dying leather sheaths

G

godogs57

Joined
Apr 16, 2004
Messages
795
I have about pulled all my hair out over this. Got 19 knives for Christmas delivery, all but 2 will wear a black sheath. I have encountered two problems with the sheaths and need some suggestions please. They look really screwed up right now.

1) Using Fiebings (spelling?) Pro Oil dye...the more expensive of their dyes..got it from Tandys. The black formulation that I am using dries to a dark indigo blue, even after shaking the bottle up to ensure no pigment has settled to the bottom. I have no idea if settling occurs, but it sure seems like the right thing to do. Anyway, it takes four coats to get the sheath black. Is there a better black dye available?

2) Sealing the sheath with lacquer finish (the next day after dying) that I got from Tandys also. After applying the stuff, it dries with a heavy duty gray haze, as if there were a chemical reaction of sorts. It totally ruined the sheaths. I suppose I will have to remove the finish with acetone tomorrow and start over from scratch. The instructions clearly state that it won't react with the exisiting leather finish, won't streak etc. The lady at the Tandy store told me "its just straight lacquer in a fancy can", but I bought it anyway. I also use Deft spray lacquer, both semi-gloss and satin, and they fog up as well when dry! What am I doing wrong here. I really want to get a nice professional finish on the sheaths, but am hitting a real brick wall here.

Any suggestions are most sincerely appreciated! Hope Santa Claus is great to everyone this season.

Thanks in advance,

Hank Hammond
 
Hank---The dye you are using (Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye) is a top of the line material. As a rule it can be applied to either dry or damp leather with excellent results, particularly with the black. I never find it necessary to apply any more than two coats on naked vegetable tanned cowhide. I have noticed in the past, that when leather has been deglazed or bleached, that dyes can react differently. After dye has dried on the surface of the leather, a powdery residue can readily be seen. This should be buffed off with clean toweling or some such item. On occasion you might notice a slight "fogging" on the surface of the leather that occurs when the grain is a little loose. This usually disappears when you apply your sealer and a degree of gloss appears. I do not use lacquers of the ordinary type as they do not have the neccessary texture or additives for a proper job. You could use Saddle-Lac or Neat-Lac or go to an Acrylic sealer (my choice)---When in doubt, try the procedure on scrap material from the same hide. The extra time spent could save a LOT of time. Stripping the dye from leather and re-dyeing it never seems satisfactory except with the very dark colors such as black, cordovan, and dark brown. Good Luck! ---Sandy---
 
Hank
While working at Tandy's I learned from a master leather man who also has been doing leather for 25+ yrs.
You are using too much die
You need to strip the sheaths...they have a product made for that.
Acetone may eat your seam glue!
Second try using USMC Black analine dye instead (Use scrap).
One good coat done in a quick swirling motion as applied.
Second coat (ONLY after the first has set in) and only if needed, done in full length stripes.
Then leave it alone for at least an hour.
Third you are using too much sealer
Some sealers are meant to be wiped off after a few minutes then allowed to dry...Read the directions or ask ?s
Other sealers like the ones I use you coat (Not too much) wet and LEAVE it to dry. Little excess spots will rub out in the final buff the next day!
CALL Jim Agustuson at 480-966-4151 tomorrow he will be there untill 4pm PST
Knows his stuff and will not mince words1
 
Thanks for the ideas...much appreciated. Neat-lac is the other stuff I am using Sandy...it messes it up as well. What type of acrylic sealer are you refering to? I will have to go get some. Blinker, I thought I might be using too much sealer as well, but I only spray it on in a relitively light coat, as if I wa painting it....still got me wondering.

Well, off to the deer woods....saw 25 yesterday and got a beautiful fat doe with my old timey 54 caliber muzzleloader...still waiting on Mr. Big Shot.

Thanks again for your kind assistance.
 
After thinking about it. Oil based dye is most likely being dissolved by the solvents in the finish. Sounds like you saterated it with dye.
Call Jim
 
godogs57 said:
After applying the stuff, it dries with a heavy duty gray haze, as if there were a chemical reaction of sorts.
Click to expand...

If it is indeed a "lacquer", high humidity and fast dry times will cause it to haze over (turn gray looking)

Way back when...... it was a big problem in painting automobiles......We had to use a retarder to slow the drying. Glad those days are gone.

Robert
 
Blinker nailed it: I called the Tandy's folks this afternoon before heading to the woods and was told that the Pro Oil dye is obviously oil based. Neat-Lac, and any other lacquer based product should ONLY be used over alcohol based dyes, NOT oil based dyes. The Neat-Lac is alcohol based (I went back and read it after talking with Tandy) and does not mix with the oil based dye. Neat-Lac should be used only with their regular dye, not the Pro Oil formulation.

She mentioned several other products that are supposed to be used to finish the sheath if dyed with oil based dyes....can't recall the names, but will be sure to get whatever I need the next time I visit Tandys. In a pinch, she recommended neatsfoot oil to even things out. Thats just what I did, and they look OK now.

Thanks for your help!
 
You are welcome
Glad things worked out for you.
Be certain to enter my knife give away Xmas contest in the General discussion forums
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top