Uh oh. Walnut dye is growing.

[Dalton Masterson]

Ummm, I just checked in on my walnut dye, and it thinks its supposed to be penicillin, if ya get my drift. I added alcohol to it.
Do you suppose if I skim the little mold spots off, and reboil, it will still be good, or is the batch probably done for?
Thanks. DM (who probably shoulda froze it)

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I can't vouch for the effectiveness of this but I'd scrape off the fuzz and boil the tar out of it then add the appropriate amount of alcohol and see how it works. The worst case scenario is you toss it afterwards. You're going to toss it if you don't, so you're not out anthing except a little time and some more acohol. Let us know if it works.

[Dalton Masterson]

Boy I hope it works. Have to wait until the wife isnt home tomorrow tho.   Its a big tub of it, and I suppose it wasnt airtight enough to not let the alcohol evaporate out.
I will try tho. Thanks. DM

[ChuckBurrows]

NOT ruined - some folks I know even swear that the mold just makes things better (FWIW I don't) - no need to re-boil if you add the alcohol. Just skim, add alcohol, and you're good to go.......

[Dalton Masterson]

Thanks Chuck!! Will make the wife happier I am sure. DM

[HorsePen Henry]

Dalton, I am jealous. My dye gets smaller instead a growing. I need a batch a yers.
X Horse Pen

[HorsePen Henry]

Dalton,
I am jealous. My dye lot gets smaller as time goes on. I need some a yours. I wish mine growed if I left it awhile.

[will ghormley]

Hey Dalton,

The little boys and I made some turkey feather quill pens and walnut ink.  I've been keepin' the ink in the fridge to keep the mold off, but I just read about using ground cloves in pen ink to keep it from molding.  Two ground cloves per gallon was what they said.  I haven't tried it on anything but walnut ink, but it seems to be doin' the job.

Hope this helps.
Will

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I have a jug of the walnut dye that is starting to get stuff on it. I'll clean it off and give that a try. Thanks for the tip, Will. Do you need to cook it in?

[will ghormley]

Naw Marshal, I don't think so.  But, I would powder it pretty well.  I used my cast iron prospecting morter and pestel for the job.  I may have ended up dumpin' just a little bit of quarts and gold into my ink, but my morter and pestel smell purty now.

Will

[Marshal Will Wingam]

my morter and pestel smell purty now.

I'll bet. I like the smell of cloves. Thanks for the tip.

[RollingThunder]

I didn't get a chance last season to pick up the hulls under the walnut tree out in the pasture, but I'm really looking forward to what this season yields. Hence the interest in threads like this.

Do you recommend the cloves from the get-go as a way to keep it from molding in the first place, or should I wait until and if it becomes and issue?

[Dalton Masterson]

Thats a great idea Will. adding cloves. I added more alcohol, and it fixed the issue before, but cloves would be more natural and better on the leather I would think.
I just dyed a set of holsters in my dye last week, and it was still mold free, and turned out better than the first one I did in it.
DM

[will ghormley]

Hey Thunder,

I'd use it from the git-go.  I'm goin' to try a batch of dye with the hulls I have left from makin' ink.  I'll start off with cloves and try it without any alcohol.  I mean really, why waste good whisky on dye.

Will

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That's a good way to look at it, Will. After all, it's rather telling when ya start drinking your dye. A couple glasses into it, and your mustache starts changing color. Your sleeve where ya wipe your mouth is next. It can be serious.

[will ghormley]

Well Marshal, now that ya' mentioned it, with the grey startin' to creap into my mustach too, this might be another medicinal use for whisky.

Will