Leather dying tutorial. Picture intensive

Just an FYI, I went to Tandy Leather this last weekend to pick up some dye to start working on my Zam and the store manager told me that they will no longer be carrying the Pro Dye products any longer.
 
I guess they are converting to that more "environmentally friendly" line they were pushing last time I was in. The colors were different - and will most definitely color the leather different too! Hopefully they will still carry the Fiebings brand though.
 
From talking to the manager in the Milwaukee store, they will continue to carry the Fiebings. The manager did tell me not to mix the new brand with the Fiebings though as one is oil based and one is water based.
 
Thank you for this interesting tutorial.
Im absolute new to Zam and not sure where to start.
So if anyone with Zam exoereience will help me, I would be more than happy:)
 
They actually have the same dye... it just has a different label now. I've mixed both of them as I had run out of the purple when I made that tutorial and used the new purple that they carry.
 
So where do you get the dyes and I have a light brown leather vest that I want to dye a royal purple color. Any suggestions? And thanks for this because this is the costume I want to work on for next year.
 
You can buy leather dye at Tandy Leather online or locally. There are also other online sources for leather dye.

The question is... does your vest have leather finish on it? (is it shiny and smooth?) If it is, you'll need to remove the finish before you can dye the leather again. There is a product to do that (but it is stinky). Then you'll need to dye your vest - normally you'd test leather out to find the right color dye (because it's not the same as paint) - but if it's already made ... you're going to have a harder time - especially since it already has a color to it.

Personally, if this vest is exactly the way you want for a Zam costume (or whatever) I would make a pattern from the vest, buy new leather (white sheepskin) and sew a new vest and dye that leather. You'd have plenty of scrap leather left to find the perfect color you are looking for.

I see that you are in Gilbert... I would also suggest you get in touch with the Dune Sea Garrison. There are plenty of friendly folks there who can help with costume questions too - and may be able to offer some "hands-on" assistance!
 
The is a great tutorial. Especially for people doing a Zam costume. I found this useful to read to help me on my jango bits. Will look this up when I actually come to do it. Thanks for putting this up!!
 
You're most likely not going to be able to dye a light brown vest to purple. Leather dye is not like clothing dye where you can bleach it/remove it and re-dye it.
 
Fiebing's Leather Dye Solvent was recalled due to the packaging. I've tried to look up another leather dye solvent, but having no luck. :cry

Does anyone know of another leather dye solvent to use and can it be used with Fiebing's Leather Dyes?
 
Ok, was able to find a company that had some left over stock of the solvent. How much leather dye did everyone use? The dyes come in 4 oz and 32 oz. What size do I need to buy?
 
If I remember correctly I needed only a very small amount of everything except the (Cordova ?) red... which I needed more. But then ... I spilled a bunch on the garage floor :angry so...

If I were to hazard a guesstimate I would get 2 large bottles (or 3 to be safe ) of the solvent and 2 (4 oz.) bottles of the red... maybe 2 of the brown ... you'll only need a small amount for the rest. I know that you can substitute something else for the solvent if you need to... but I can't think of what it is at the moment. I know that my own formula was different than MonCal's (I made mine up before he made this tutorial :facepalm )

If anyone else has opinions on what Thumper needs for leather dye... please post them!
 
I think I went through one of each color, and ended up buying a 2nd of brown, but I did end up spilling at bit of it. I had bought the smaller bottles.
 
Dyes I didn't need much of, but I used a lot of Solvent. Almost through my 3rd bottle. Used about 2 batches for the skirt alone.

BTW 4 days away before the big event were George Takei (sp?) will be narrated Sci-fi music. I will be going over every night to a friends who is Jango72 and who lives about 45 minutes away.

At first I was really nervous about dyeing, but once you start, you can't stop. Its like a drug. I now want to go around the house finding leather to dye.

Anyways. Good luck on the dyeing, test areas not visible first and remember to have fun.

*DF*
 
Hi, everyone.

First, I'd like to thank MonCal for such a fantastic tutorial. My husband and I enjoy making "his and hers" matched costume pairs, so when he decided to make a Jango costume, I set to work making a Zam to go with it. I practically lived on this forum for a while as I got to know the costume, and I bought the leather dyes suggested in this thread. But our plans changed before I got very far, and I don't think we're going to revisit these costumes. I hate to leave the dye abandoned in my leather supplies tub while it could still be of good use to a Zam costumer... so if anyone would like this stuff, you're welcome to it. I repurposed some of the supplies for other projects, but I'm willing to sell the unopened bottles for 20% less than what I paid for them. I have the purple, red, and navy blue dyes that are recommended in this tutorial, as well as acrylic resoline and some reducer. If anyone is interested, please shoot me a pm. I hate to see this stuff going to waste.

Again... great tutorial. Thank you for posting it. It is of true benefit to the costuming community!

Pam :-)
 
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