Dye Leather

How to Dye Leather

Learning How to Dye Leather is easy

ย 4 tips on how to dye leather

  • Choosing a leather dye
  • Benefits of using oil leather dye
  • Setting up your leather dye workspace
  • Methods for dyeing leather

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

Sometimes our first thought is, oh no dying leather is going to be expensive or make a mess. No, it does not have to be that way!

Now! Let’s find out how to dye leather!

1. Choosing a leather dye

There are many kinds of leather dye out there. Chuck says, “Go straight toย Oil Dye.” It is his favorite leather dye! See why Chuck favors oil leather dye below.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

2. Benefits of using oil leather dye:

DIP DYE

We can dip dye leather using oil leather dye. Dip dying leather is very fast, clean and consistent.


RICH COLORS

When we are looking at leather dyes, one of the qualities we want is rich color.ย Oil Leather Dyeย provides rich and beautiful colors. We capture beautiful reds, greens, and a full selection of browns when using oil leather dye.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

COLOR CONSISTENCY

Another feature we are looking for when dying leather is color consistency. The color consistency as it spans across your leather project is excellent when you are using oil leather dye.


PLIABLE LEATHER

We do not want the leather to be stiff after dying it. Oil leather dye allows the leather to feel pliable just like it did before it was dyed.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

LEATHER DYE NOT RUBBING OFF

Last but most important is, that we don’t want our dye rubbing off. We must understand that there is no perfect sealant to dye. The best pair of Italian shoes on a rainy day will bleed but this process will get us so close that leather color bleeding is almost negligible.


3. Setting up your leather dye workspace

SUPPLIES NEEDED

Not all of us have the luxury of a big worktable or a big shop to work on our leather projects. Sometimes we are working on the kitchen table, the card table or the coffee table.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

PLASTIC GARBAGE BAG

First thing is to put down a plastic bag perhaps like a folded white garbage bag. We won’t be throwing this bag away regularly but using it to roll up the other supplies so we can sit it aside when we are finished and easily unroll it when we want to dye leather again.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

CARDBOARD OR WRAPPING PAPER NEEDED

Secondly, the plastic bag may get wet, slippery and pool with dye so we don’t want our leather project getting spotted when we flip it over, therefore we need to have some inexpensive paper laid down on the plastic bag. Wrapping paper or cardboard works nicely.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

RUBBER GLOVES

Now we add rubber gloves for the simple reason of preventing our hands from getting dye on them.


LIDDED CONTAINER

Put our oil leather dye into a lidded container that will accommodate our project so that it may be dipped and slid through the dye.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

4. Methods for dying leather

AIRBRUSHING

There are several ways to dye leather. We can use an airbrush which is the top notch best way to go. However, most people don’t have air compressors, air brushes or the room to do airbrushing.


DAUBERS

Daubersย are a great way to dye leather and they will hold a lot of leather dye. If we have ever used foam brushes after putting them into the leather dye we know how they dribble all the way to your project. Well, a dauber will not drip like that. Daubers are made of lamb’s wool, are disposable and keep your hand away from the dye.

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

DIP DYE

We can dip dye because we are using oil leather dye. We don’t have to worry about the leather getting stiff or the colors going dark.


HOW TO DIP DYE LEATHER

  • Because most leather projects have a little hole in them somewhere we can make little hooks out of wire coat hangers or bailing wire and use them for dip dying leather. If we don’t have a hole in the project we can dip dye with our fingers making sure we put on rubber gloves first.
  • By putting the hook in the hole and lowering the leather down into the container of oil dye we can dip the project in the dye and smoothly coat the leather. No need to go real fast or slow just a steady pace.
  • When we pull the leather up and out of the dye container with the hook still in the hole we can tap the leather on the side of the container to knock off excess leather dye.
  • After that, just lay the leather project on the paper above the plastic with the back side down and let it dry.
  • After it dries we will topcoat it. The topcoat adds life to the piece. See our video on Top Coatsย Here!

BUY SUPPLIES HERE> https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrclย 

Once we start working with dyes a world of possibilities will open to us. There are dyes, stains and antiques and particularly oil dyes that give us such rich colors that we can take every leather project to the next level.

Need to re-condition a leather product? What to use on my holster to break it in? MTR Custom Leather offers only the best for the best products. Here is the place to get you waxes, conditioners, kits and break in solutions. Everything is made in the USA and is natural, no chemicals. MTR knows best for the leather products. Get your wax today! All leather care is usually in stock and will ship out within 3 business days! Need additional leather dyes, waxes, kits & more, check out our affiliated link https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrcl

Package Deals 35%+ off on ALL Bundles-SAVE Big

Package Deals 35%+ off on ALL Bundles-SAVE Big

Package deals are already marked down without a code. But if you use code bfsale then you receive additional 15% off the already marked down package deals PLUS FREE SHIPPING…Yes this is the BEST deal of the Year!

The best thing about package deals is that the leather and the colors will be matching.

If you order a belt in dark brown now, then order a holster next month also in dark brown the color may not be exact.

WHY?

Because all leather products are made to order, including dying the leather. Leather hides has pores just like us humans. The pores could be denser than other leather hides (bigger/wider). The deeper or wider the pores the more leather dye the cow hide will absorb meaning that the color could be darker or lighter in shade. The leather pores cannot be seen by the naked eye. So, MTR Custom Leather cannot know how the exact shade of leather dye on the leather will turn out to look until after the leather has been dyed and dried and sealed.

All photos below are saddle tan bullhide leather, all different shades. All different cow hides with same exact leather dye.

White double stitching , Viridian Laser sigth and ECR adapter installed in holster to turn the laser off and on. Color is Saddle Tan bullhide leather.

Conclusion:

It’s best to buy your products together to ensure the closest matching color and texture of the leather. Another option would choose black as your color, black is always the same shade!

Happy Thanksgiving Ya’ll and don’t forget to use coupon code at checkout to receive 15% off your total and free shipping

Thank you for reading

MTR Custom Leather, LLC

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/MTRCustomLeather/
https://twitter.com/MTRCustomLthr
http://www.instagram.com/mtrcustomleather.com
https://www.pinterest.com/mtrcustomle0877/pins/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtRq6Rq87k-NteeBKQpOYGg
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtrcustomleather

Customer Service:

em: sales@mtrcustomleather.com
ph: (336) 879-2166 or (336) 879-2767

Check out our sister site:
http://www.southernedc.com

Check out our EBAY Store:
https://www.ebay.com/usr/mtrcustomleather

After Hours:
*Feel free to google message us or facebook message us
*Visit our site for a fast response with our LIVECHAT experience

Leave us a Google Review:
https://g.page/r/CU9Ww-brV4m4EB0/review

Need Leather Supplies, Patterns, Tools, Etc:

https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/?ref=mtrcl

Shop handmade leather product from a small business in USA with all USA materials.

How To Dye Leather

A Step-by-Step Guide for Leather Dyeing on Natural Leather

Infographic - How to Dye Leather

The process for leather dyeing is almost a standard process, anyway it can change in some steps depending on the type of leather dye you’re going to use.ย ย To get a quality high-end finish on your natural leather,ย ย there are different approaches, especially between water-based leather dyes and alcohol-based leather dyes.

This step-by-step guide will reveal you some tips thatย will help you getย a high-end finish with good color consistency, uniform coating and a smooth surface.

STEP 1:

Pour the paint into a flat container

Water-based leather dye is a liquid with high viscosity, so for a more comfortable use of the paint, we suggest to drop it into a flat container such as a plastic dish or the lid of a bucket. Drop the leather dye into the container and wear gloves before you start the leather dyeing process.

STEP 2:

Apply leather dye with a circular movement

To proceed with the leather dye hand application you can use a sponge, a dauber or a soft cloth. Dip your tool into the paint and start applying it on the natural leather surface with circular movements. During the first application you’ll immediately notice that the paint is quickly absorbed by the leather. You should continue to apply itย  on the whole leather surface until it will appear completely colored with a uniform coating.

STEP 3:

Let it dry and see the color changing

As you’re using a water-based product the drying phase will be slower that alcohol or solvent-based paint. It should take around 5 to 10 minutes and during this phase you’ll see the color on your leather surface changing and becoming more clear and more bright.

STEP 4:

Repeat the dyeing application by using less quantity

Once the first coat is completely dried you can proceed with the second application. This phase is not strictly necessary but is strongly recommended to give your color more consistency and to have a uniform coating on your leather surface. During the second application you may notice that the paint has more difficulty to penetrate the leather, because a good part is already full of paint.

STEP 5:

Remove the paint in excess before it dries

The paint that is not immediately absorbed by the leather could remain on the leather surface as liquid stripes. It’s very important to remove it before it dries otherwise your leather will not have a uniform aspect. To remove the paint in excess you can easily use the dry part of your sponge or a clean cloth.

STEP 6 (optional):

Use the fixative for extra-bond color

Depending on the type of natural leather you’re using, color may have different bonding. That’s why if you need the color to be well bonded to the leather surface, you can use the leather fixative as final coat.

Source: How To Dye Leather

Scroll to top
What Our Clients Say
1225 reviews