painting a gladius scabbard

[maius]

Hi, i'm in the process of redoing a Pompeii gladius scabbard and would like to know what would be a good paint to paint the leather with.

Thanks in advance.

Maius/Bill

[Tarbicus]

If you don't mind modern paints, I used shoe dye (which is actually paint):

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i311/ ... e_crop.jpg

[richsc]

Shoe dye or leather dye? Not sure of the difference, but we use Fiebing's leather dyes.

[Tarbicus]

Dylon leather shoe dye.

[M. Demetrius]

Some shoe dyes are more waterproof (and smellier during application) than Fiebing's. I use the latter, too, but it requires a sealer of some sort to keep it from running during rainy days, or in the event that water gets on the leather.

Just my experience. I don't know what the Romans used. Maybe encaustic paints?

[Marcus Mummius]

Or dyed them with natural dyes. This is more durable than painting the scabbard. Sadly most of the veg tan leather you can buy cannot be dyed very well with natural dyes. Alumn tanned leather can be dyed very well with natural dyes though. I wished I knew were to buy some.

By the way, I have good experiences with the Dylon shoepaint too.

Vale,

[M. Demetrius]

A very quick search did not reveal any US sources, just UK, for Dylon shoe paint. Could be it's only available in Europe. The alternative would be to go to a good shoe store with the leather, and have them dye it with commercial dyes. They could tell if the leather would take the dye they had, I think, maybe by just testing a sample when they dyed some other shoe.

Might give it a try. I have some dye fade on a linen and a white tunic that I wish weren't there. Should have worn a wide sash under the belt, I guess. Nice to know now. After.

[Marcus Mummius]

A very quick search did not reveal any US sources, just UK, for Dylon shoe paint. Could be it's only available in Europe. The alternative would be to go to a good shoe store with the leather, and have them dye it with commercial dyes. They could tell if the leather would take the dye they had, I think, maybe by just testing a sample when they dyed some other shoe.

Might give it a try. I have some dye fade on a linen and a white tunic that I wish weren't there. Should have worn a wide sash under the belt, I guess. Nice to know now. After.

Yeah, that sucks. I have some red leather belts that keep bleeding colour on other things

[Tarbicus]

Here's a UK based Ebay seller who posts to the US.
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Nikas-Shoe-Car ... idZ2QQtZkm

I'm sure there are plenty of others if you search on Ebay.com and search with the international sellers option on.

[maius]

Thanks everyone for your responses, they were most helpful.

Tarbicus, is that your gladius? WOW, thats beautiful, really amazing work!

Maius/Bill

[Tarbicus]

That's one of them, yes, thanks. A pimped up cheapy from Ebay. The studs are small brass buttons, and silver leaf was used for the silvering. The gladius is my Len Morgan Pompeii, util I get around to making the faux-ivory handle for the actual blade that goes with the scabbard.