ABOUT SPIRIT DYES!!

[ChuckBurrows]

Fiebing's Oil Dye is also an alcohol-based dye with oil in it for better coverage. The oil helps the color push
deeper in the leather and makes the alcohol evaporate slower. Correct me if I´m wrong anybody

OK I will!     
Despite the name there is NO oil in Fiebings Oil Dye based on their own MSDS - it is just an improved version of their original spirit dye so why the oil dye name??.

Now on the other hand many of us old timers made our own oil dye back in the day - about a 1/8 cup of oil to a quart of dye is what I used, but it must be well mixed each use to make sure the oil is well incorporated (I used a blender). And yes either using oil before dying or using oil dye does generally give one better penetration but there is a ptential problem - as the oil dehydrates out of the leather over time it also carries the dye particles to the surface and one can then have major problems with rub off. The only way to prevent this is to use a very aggressive sealer like the old Neat Lac or the newer sealers such as Resolene or Super Sheen. One might also try using Lexol Conditioner or their Neats Foot as the oil since they have a much slower dehydration rate than other oils.
Al Stohlman and others in the old days recommended pre-oiling and I'm betting that's one of the major reasons that Neat Lac was so popular as a finish.

FWIW - dampening with water prior to dying will do the same thing as pre-oiling, but without near as much potential for ruboff.

As to all the great work being shown  - Kudos and keep it up!

[Boothill Bob]

Nice work there Cowboy
Ok CB, I was reading this

Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye 4 oz. bottle black
Preferred by saddle makes worldwide Blend of oil and spirits produces excellent coverage, deep penetration and even dyeing for high quality, permanent results. Not to use for suede or poromeric materials. Fiebing's Professional Oil Dyes come in 4 oz. bottles.
Brand: Fiebing's Professional Oil Dye

At this site http://www.searchbeat.com/arts-crafts/index.php?psps_search=Dyes

I put some spots at my old rig an it went nice

[rebsr52339]

JEZZZZZZZ Bob, that is just beautiful. Hope the package gets there soon.

[JD Alan]

Boothill Bob, I would trust Chuck Burrows info over the add copy on a bottle any day, and I don't even know what MSDS is.

[Boothill Bob]

I belive u JD, buy why the f**k do they say its contains oil?

[Ned Buckshot]

MSDS....

Material Safety Data Sheet!  ( a mouthfull huh?)

It is a breakdown of everything that goes into a product, possible reactions to same and treatment for such.

Generally pages long and not particularyly engaging reading!

Ned

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

I belive u JD, buy why the f**k do they say its contains oil?

  Bob, here is a link to Fiebings, about half way down you will see the explanation of OIL DIE, http://www.fiebing.com/Dyes.aspx

   What you were reading  was a sales pitch from that craft store, Chuck Burrows was telling straight.


                    tEN wOLVES

[TN Mongo]

Chuck,

I watched your holster DVD last night.  I'm one of those guys that uses neatsfoot oil before dyeing and you're right about the "dye bleeding" problem.  If someone uses the neatsfoot oil method, it's important to rub off the extra dye with a cloth and to let the dye dry overnight.  I rub it with a cloth again the next day before putting a finish on the leather.

I've recently been deglazing with alcohol and then dyeing soon after and that seems to give me a pretty even finish (without using neatsfoot first).  I am going to try your method of wetting the leather before dyeing.  The sponge wrapped in cloth method for dyeing you show in the video is a great idea.  It is a much better method than the wool daubers.

[Boothill Bob]

I belive him

[ChuckBurrows]

Bob - I agree - why the frack they called it oil dye I'm still scratching my head over other than the nost likely explanation that it was the advertising department.

Also and FWIW any time I use a chemical of any kind I get the MSDS, both for my own sake (I've become highly sensitized to many of the nastier chemcials over the last 40+ years of use and it can become a major health concern even in a short time) and due to the fact that I'm a business and must have them on hand for the law.
Most MSDS sheets can be found online via either free or pay sites, and the manufacturers in the USA are required by law to send you one if asked for. The only time a particular item is not detailed on teh MSDS is when it's proprietary, but even then it must have the toxicity listed. They are also valuable since they note how to deal with them in case of a fire and other emergencies.

[Mogorilla]

As a chemist in my real life, I TOTALLY CONCUR WITH CHUCK!!!!   I am also a member of the safety team.  To say you can live and die by the info in the MSDS is not an exageration.   The stuff we work with can be nasty.  Dyes, especially synthetic ones can be fairly nasty compounds, mix them in a solution containing water, or alcohol, and they can be more readily absorbed into your system.   Veg tanning uses tannins, same compounds can be found in walnut hulls, what make unwashed acorns inedible (quite tasty if prepared correctly).  I was told (no documentation, but the teller lived on a reservation in Canada) that the natives would toss walnut hulls into deep holes in creeks, the fish would die, float to the top for easy harvesting, wouldn't mess with the flavour and the running creek would clean out the toxins in due course.   Don't get me started on the toxins involving the chrome tanning process, so if you buy one of those home tanning kits, please read the MSDS and follow the directions.