Help out a noob, leather questions

crunky

crunky

Joined
Apr 6, 2010
Messages
349
Hey guys, I'm making myself a back pocket sheath, my first real attempt at working with leather.
I am working with 7/8oz veg tanned, what is the best way to soften it up a little and dye it? I have it formed and stitched, but its rigid like thick cardboard. The dye I am going to be using is Fiebing's Oil Dye.

Also, should I have waited to stitch it up until after I dye it, or does it really matter?
 
It dousnt really matter if you stitch before or after, I prefer before so that you can get the flesh side and edges more easily. Also you can dye it the way it is now, since you have already tooled/formed.
 
Best way to soften it up is hold it under hot running water for about a minute.....no I'm not kidding, you can have your way with it.....if it don't work, please let me know.
 
Yeah, I ran it under warm water to form it, but I mean the best way to keep it a bit softer after it dries. I've read about beeswax, neatsfoot oil, saddle soap, etc as a treatment, just a little lost here. Do I even need to oil it or should I just go ahead and dye it?
I'd like it to be rigid enough to maintain its shape when sat on, but I'm also concerned about it flexing and cracking.
Thanks guys
 
make it damp and dye it -- then after the leather is dry, buff it with a dead sock then oil it inside and out (don't go crazy with the oil or it will stop being even remotely rigid) let the oil dry for a day or 2 and buff that then give it a coat of wax (carnauba, sno-seal, etc...)
 
1066vik said:
make it damp and dye it -- then after the leather is dry, buff it with a dead sock then oil it inside and out (don't go crazy with the oil or it will stop being even remotely rigid) let the oil dry for a day or 2 and buff that then give it a coat of wax (carnauba, sno-seal, etc...)
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Cool thanks. I dampened it and slapped a coat of dye on it. Are there any oils that are better/easier/cheaper? I think my Ace carries mink oil thats pretty inexpensive, or maybe it was neatsfoot.
 
either of those should work fine - mink oil is usually a paste, neatsfoot a liquid.
in the absence of either, i've also used ball glove conditioner on leather that's been soaked and dried rock hard - doesn't work as well, but in the absence of anything better, it did the job.
 
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