Coloring and Cleaning your leather sheaths?

theWeatherman

theWeatherman

Well-Known Member
So I have to ask here and hopefully get a good direction to go in. I have asked many knife makers who make their own sheaths and then I have asked some leather workers and then I have asked the people at Tandy Leather; I get different answers and reasons all the time. Do you guys clean your leather before you dye it, and what is the correct way to dye and then finish the leather?

I am trying to figure out how to get my leather to look nice like a Paul Long sheath, meaning the coloring and finish of the coloring.

After talking to the Tandy leather people they said that they don't clean their leather before they dye it. So I use, Fiebing's Leather dye (Tan) and then the Tan Kote?

What are your suggestions and processes? Got Pictures of your finished products?

thanks for the help!

Brian
 
Brian,

Paul uses predyed, high quality leather from Wickett & Craig. The drum dying process that they use produces an extremely nice dye job that is very consistent in color. Ideally, the best way to go.

The finish after dying can make or break the job and there are quite a few to choose from: Bag Kote, Tan Kote, Resolene, Saddle Lac, Sno-Seal, Montana Pitch Blend, etc, etc. Really depends on how the sheath is to be used.

As for cleaning the leather, a lot of folks just use alcohol. There are specific dye preps out there and Fiebing's makes one. I wipe down with alcohol using latex gloves. This keeps any dirt, oil, etc on my hands from contaminating the surface of the leather and gives me a consistent dye job.

Take a look at www.leatherworker.net it is a fantastic site with a forum that is FULL of extremely knowledgeable leather workers.
 
I have not mastered a consistent translucent dyeing process for myself yet. That's why I mostly deal with black dyes or antique gel colors. :)

I've read that wetting the surface can aid in absorption and even coloring.
 
Yes, lightly dampening the leather will allow the pores to open and deeper penetration of the dye. However, the final color (if using a color other than black), will be darker than dry dying. You can also do a light wipe with neat's foot oil prior to dying for the same effect.

Also, for a nice deep black dye job, dye the piece blue first.

If by translucent, you mean keeping the leather as close to natural as possible, you can use a clear finish right over the undyed leather...but it's going to darken it some, unless you're using a spray acrylic, I think that will keep it close to normal.
 
I've had good, consistent and rich black coloring from the USMC Deep Black plus the Super Sheen topcoat, both from Tandy. But I like the blue idea also.

I only mentioned translucent to imply that any imperfections or variations in the natural leather surface would show-through the dye color.
 
GrizzlyKnives said:
Brian,

Paul uses predyed, high quality leather from Wickett & Craig. The drum dying process that they use produces an extremely nice dye job that is very consistent in color. Ideally, the best way to go.

The finish after dying can make or break the job and there are quite a few to choose from: Bag Kote, Tan Kote, Resolene, Saddle Lac, Sno-Seal, Montana Pitch Blend, etc, etc. Really depends on how the sheath is to be used.

As for cleaning the leather, a lot of folks just use alcohol. There are specific dye preps out there and Fiebing's makes one. I wipe down with alcohol using latex gloves. This keeps any dirt, oil, etc on my hands from contaminating the surface of the leather and gives me a consistent dye job.

Take a look at www.leatherworker.net it is a fantastic site with a forum that is FULL of extremely knowledgeable leather workers.
Click to expand...

Edited because I found the answer to the question that I had posted.
 
Last edited:
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