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Dyeing leather
#1
Hello again.

I'm nearly finished my madder chamois project.  I've just got one last question:

I understand that after taking the material out of the dyebath, you're supposed to let it dry, and then wash it to remove any unfixed dye and pieces of root.  Should you use soap/detergent, or just plain water?
Dan D'Silva

Far beyond the rising sun
I ride the winds of fate
Prepared to go where my heart belongs,
Back to the past again.

--  Gamma Ray

Well, I'm tough, rough, ready and I'm able
To pick myself up from under this table...

--  Thin Lizzy

Join the Horde! - http://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/
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#2
I would use just plain water. Soap/detergent might strip some essential "something" from the leather. Just rinse and repeat if necessary sounds safer to the leather.
Cheryl Boeckmann
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#3
(07-12-2019, 09:25 AM)Dan D\Silva Wrote: Hello again.

I'm nearly finished my madder chamois project.  I've just got one last question:

I understand that after taking the material out of the dyebath, you're supposed to let it dry, and then wash it to remove any unfixed dye and pieces of root.  Should you use soap/detergent, or just plain water?

Rinse it with clean water till it runs clear, if it turns out a little stiffer then you would prefer roll it for a while and it will soften up.

You shouldn't need to let it dry before hand, any dye that hasn't fixed will wash out when you rinse it either way....
Never use detergent on leather, saddle soap is fine....

Wink
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#4
Okay. Thank you both very much!
Dan D'Silva

Far beyond the rising sun
I ride the winds of fate
Prepared to go where my heart belongs,
Back to the past again.

--  Gamma Ray

Well, I'm tough, rough, ready and I'm able
To pick myself up from under this table...

--  Thin Lizzy

Join the Horde! - http://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/
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#5
Almost forgot - here's the writeup:

https://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/2019/...-root.html


https://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/2019/...ot_27.html


https://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/2019/...t-iii.html
Dan D'Silva

Far beyond the rising sun
I ride the winds of fate
Prepared to go where my heart belongs,
Back to the past again.

--  Gamma Ray

Well, I'm tough, rough, ready and I'm able
To pick myself up from under this table...

--  Thin Lizzy

Join the Horde! - http://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/
Reply
#6
Treating it once dry to a good leather fat will darken it somewhat, it may be greasy to start with but after a few days this should largely go away as the leather takes up the fat, will also add some water proofing.
The lighter more fibrous side as you say is likely the flesh side its quite normal...

A second dying may well increase the depth of the colour also, as likely you'd reached the maximum the mixture would allow and exhasted the dye bath... 

Wink
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#7
I had considered throwing it back in the same bath, but you're probably right; if it wasn't taking up more color already, then there probably wasn't much left to take up. Anyway the bath was developing a nasty-looking skin, so I dumped it a couple days ago.

What sort(s) of fat would you suggest, and how much? I've never applied oils or dressings to suede, so I don't know how treat it without making it tacky.
Dan D'Silva

Far beyond the rising sun
I ride the winds of fate
Prepared to go where my heart belongs,
Back to the past again.

--  Gamma Ray

Well, I'm tough, rough, ready and I'm able
To pick myself up from under this table...

--  Thin Lizzy

Join the Horde! - http://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/
Reply
#8
(07-19-2019, 12:22 AM)Dan D\Silva Wrote: I had considered throwing it back in the same bath, but you're probably right; if it wasn't taking up more color already, then there probably wasn't much left to take up.  Anyway the bath was developing a nasty-looking skin, so I dumped it a couple days ago.

What sort(s) of fat would you suggest, and how much?  I've never applied oils or dressings to suede, so I don't know how treat it without making it tacky.

I use "Effax Lederfett" (leather grease) on all leather it helps to bring out the colour apply it a bit at a time with your hand and rub it in the warmth of your hand will help the leather absorb it keep going untill its completly absorbed, probably any good natural leather fat from a tack shop will do... it must be totally natural ingredients though, different kinds of oils and fats combined nothing synthetic.
You can clean the leather with leather soap.

You may find this interesting:

"Leather Dressing" including Dying, Staining and Finishing. M.C.Lamb 1907



Wink
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#9
Thanks.  Though with all the ongoing projects and school coming back up, I'll probably be reading that until the end of the year!
Dan D'Silva

Far beyond the rising sun
I ride the winds of fate
Prepared to go where my heart belongs,
Back to the past again.

--  Gamma Ray

Well, I'm tough, rough, ready and I'm able
To pick myself up from under this table...

--  Thin Lizzy

Join the Horde! - http://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/
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#10
You may also find this interesting, deerskin "tanned" with fish oil(cod) the dying is done by spreading the natural colorant over one side, according to the blurb aldehydes are created by oxidation of the oil making a more or less permanent tann:

https://www.gerberei-kolesch.de/herstellung

videos about the process in German:

https://www.gerberei-kolesch.de/mediathek

They claim to be the last using this process in Germany, which given that it takes a year doesn't surprise me.

Wink
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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#11
German buckskin is nice stuff.  That's what I made my second gorytos out of.  Its properties are just like chamois, except much thicker, so presumably it'd take up dye and dressing the same way.   They say it's also very similar to braintan (which is something I unfortunately still haven't examined firsthand) and some of it is sold lightly-smoked for use in Native American crafts, even though it doesn't need smoking.
Dan D'Silva

Far beyond the rising sun
I ride the winds of fate
Prepared to go where my heart belongs,
Back to the past again.

--  Gamma Ray

Well, I'm tough, rough, ready and I'm able
To pick myself up from under this table...

--  Thin Lizzy

Join the Horde! - http://xerxesmillion.blogspot.com/
Reply


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