Softening Dyed Leather

[Coyote Tim]

I recently made a set of cuffs which came out pretty good considering I haven't done any leatherwork in years. The problem is, I dyed them black and when they dried, they got really stiff and hard. Is there some way to soften dyed leather or do I need to treat it with something before dying it?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Dye seems to make leather stiff. I just put a little neatsfoot oil on it to soften it. Careful to not put so much on that it will be oily enough to soak into your shirt sleeves. After a light coat, give it 24 hours to soak through the leather completely before putting another coat on. I find that it doesn't soften immediately with a light coat, it's easy to get too much on. Sometimes a little saddle soap will be enough to do the job if the leather isn't too stiff.

[Coyote Tim]

Do you apply the oil with one of those cotton ball applicators or just a little bit on a rag?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I just put it on with a rag. You don't want to over-do it or the leather will absorb too much and cause bleeding into your shirts. I put on a light, even coat and then check it the next day after it has had a chance to migrate throughout the leather. Then I add more if needed. You will be able to get it nice and pliable that way. After you do this on a couple projects, you'll have a good feel for how much will give the result you want.

[Coyote Tim]

Do you apply the oil before or after tooling?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I apply the oil after the project is totally done. If you do it before tooling, the leather won't hold the design as well. It will also affect the dyd absorbtion. Do it last.

[CQMD]

 I make so much of the Civil War and Indian Wars horse equipment that I use black dye by the gallons. Drying hard and dye rubbing off were a problem at first that I finally over came. The biggest thing to remember with dyeing leather is that it is a lot like dyeing wood. Different areas of a leather piece will accept dye better than others. I use only oil based dyes which can restrict some color selections. I prepare the leather before doing the actual dyeing. Same as putting on a prestain finish on wood before the final stain to open up the pours. I do this in one of two ways.
      1. I will wet the leather with water and case the leather some what the same way as casing it for stamping
      2. I will put on a coat of oil just before I put on the dye
Doing either one of these will allow the leather to open up and allow the dye to penetrate more evenly and deeper into the leather. When dyeing for a military look I am very restrictive in the amount of dye that I place on the piece. This is judgement call as I want the dye to fade with time to give me a brown hue as the years pass. The black dyes used back in the early 1800's were mostly made from vinegar and iron filings. True items from this time period have that brown hue to them. The best way to apply the dye or oil is with sheep's wool. I use the left overs from new saddle skirting ( most leather dealers sell them in scraps). I cut them into 2" or 4" squares and trim the wool down. Preparing the leather before dyeing will give you a much more even dying job.

CQMD

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks for the tips, CQMD. I'll try a little oil next time I dye a pair of holsters. Sounds like a good method you have.