How do I dye leather this color?

[Timothy Lindblom]

I'm working on a leather belt for my Mom and she wants it brown like the pair of boots in the photo below.
I've always used Fiebings leather dye and there's nothing similar to a brown like the boots. By the time those dyes get lighter, they start to get orange. These boots are still brown even though they are a nice light brown. Do I need to mix colors together or is there a dye on the market that is the color I'm looking for?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Below is a photo of the brown boots I would like to match

And here is a photo of a scrap with medium brown diluted with about 40% water and the leather was coated with resolene before dyed. I like the color but it is much more orange than the boots.

 

[iamunique127]

I’m no expert like some of the members here but if it were me I’d try a Fiebing’s Pro Dye in one of the darker brown shades. I have found Pro Dyes less orangey and more true-to-colour than non-pro dyes. The boots look somewhat faded and the belt will fade with time and wear. Some guys dip their leather in the dye which saturates it with dye, giving the maximum effect. I brush on my dye but apply repeated coats for maximum effect.

Re: scrap treated with Resolene before being dyed: in my experience, Resolene is a final finish, used to protect the leather after it is dyed.

 

[Horsewright]

Weaver markets a tint for oil called Rich Brown Stain. This is mixed with neatsfoot oil at varying ratios to get the color desired. We use this on our reins and some other tack items. I'd suggest some of this at a light ratio in some oil and do continuing test strips until you are near your color. If you get it too dark, more oil. If not dark enough more stain. I'd urge some caution and err slightly on the light side. Sunlight would take care of the rest. No finish of any kind on your test strips.. This mixture will penetrate better too than most dyes. Err on the light side and do not over oil your belt.

These reins (on the right) were treated that way. Made out of a very light colored harness leather:

 

[Danke42]

Mean Gene has a colour like that, calls it Crazy Horse.

I suspect more than just dye goes into the process.

 

[Timothy Lindblom]

Here is the completed project. The color turned out just how I wanted it and matches the boots quite well. Someone over on Leatherworker suggested Fiebings Dark Chocolate Low VOC and that's what I bought. I used around 25% dye and 75% water.

 

[Linus Knives]

Here is the completed project. The color turned out just how I wanted it and matches the boots quite well. Someone over on Leatherworker suggested Fiebings Dark Chocolate Low VOC and that's what I bought. I used around 25% dye and 75% water.
View attachment 2921263

Looks fabulous Timothy!

 

[Horsewright]

Very nice!

 

[iamunique127]

Perfect.

 

[RIBob]

I'm working on a leather belt for my Mom and she wants it brown like the pair of boots in the photo below.
I've always used Fiebings leather dye and there's nothing similar to a brown like the boots. By the time those dyes get lighter, they start to get orange. These boots are still brown even though they are a nice light brown. Do I need to mix colors together or is there a dye on the market that is the color I'm looking for?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Below is a photo of the brown boots I would like to match
View attachment 2910175
And here is a photo of a scrap with medium brown diluted with about 40% water and the leather was coated with resolene before dyed. I like the color but it is much more orange than the boots.
View attachment 2910176

NO Expert, but coating with Fiebling's Resolene will tend to "seal" the leather and dis-allow further dyeing to a darker color.

Suggest "bare", unfinished sample(s) of same type of leather for dye experimentation.

You might also consider cleaning exterior of boots using suitable substances.

 

[Sharp Steel]

Anything to which I've applied Neatsfoot oil gets rather dark. Perhaps the desired color is a combination of dye and then oil or beeswax?

 

[Horsewright]

Was building my son a roping rein the other day and thought this would make a good pic to illustrate their stain I talked about earlier in this post.

I mix it up and warm it in the crock pot. You can see the pure neatsfoot oil and the stain.The rein has maybe three or four coats on it. The water ties (the short pieces) have two coats and the scrap piece of harness leather shows its natural color and also one coat of oil. Its another way of dyeing your leather.