Finishing Napped leather

[amin ledbetter]

Fella's, what type of finish can be used on napped leather?? Oil dyes maybe? EVOO???      Help me out here my Jedi Leather working friends. Your My only hope!  

[Biscuit Joe]

I have changes the color of suede leather with die coloring, but nothing else.
What are you trying to do?

[amin ledbetter]

I have a couple holsters I am making that I raised the grain on the flesh side of the leather. I like the contrast of the smooth and the napped look together. But on a test piece I did the water base dye I am using bonds the nap together and ruins the look. Is there some way to dye the raised nap without it becoming bonded back down?

[Biscuit Joe]

I bet the effect you are unhappy with is sort of like a burnishing effect on the napped flesh side, I think it will be hard to get a color onto the napped flesh side without it soaking into the rest of the flesh also. Perhaps if you take a small paint brush and color the napped part and then re- ruff it up it might get you where you want to go. But it's just a thought. I don't know for sure.

[White Buffalo Chip]

Howdy Amin,
With the caveat ' I've never tried this',do you think
putting the dye on with an airbrush would work??

WBC

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

    amin, I use natural dyes I make myself, like walnut , coffee, pecan, and for black vinegaroon, I think you could use the walnut or coffee with good results, it won't gel or mat, it just colors deep down, and when dye it looks beautiful. The easiest for you to do now would be to use coffee, brew up a pot of extra dark roast, let it cool, then sponge it on evenly until the leather has absorbed enough color from the dye, and let dry, then you can put a light coat of Neatsfoot or EVOO on it and let that dry, it should look great, try it on some scrap leather first to see if you like it or not, natural dyes are the only way I personally will dye the flesh side of leather.


              tEN wOLVES