DIY dye

[crossdraw]

Can anyone explain the process for dying holsters with rusty water. The way I understand it, you leave mild steel in a container of water until you can get the water to be rust colored when stirred up. When it is time to dye you stir the water then dip the holster.
When the holster is dry you then lightly coat the leather with olive oil.

Is this correct or am I way off? (wouldn't be the first time  ) Should the holster have anything else applied on top of the oil?

Are there any other alternatives to store bought dye? I read the "old time dye" thread and am tempted to dig a few old walnuts out of the snow and see what I get when I pound them into a powder.

Thanks for any information, I have one holster almost ready to dye and am making a pattern for another.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

How Do Crossdraw

              I followed Noland Sackets , old time dying method , if you can hold off for a while , I would HIGHLY RECOMMMEND,  you order Noland Sackets or I should say Chuck Burrows DVD on holster making, He'll walk you through the whole process.
             In dying my finished rig , I did the walnut method , and left it submerged in the dye for 4 days then let it dry for 2 days, I then used fiebings dark brown spirit dye reduced to a 50/50 strength,and then with extra virgin olive oil , and a piece of lambs wool , I would dab a little oil on the lambs wool and then a little dye, and rub on the leather to get the color and tone I was looking for ,( you can also mix the dye and oil together , to the color you want ) you don't have to do this , if you are satisfied with the color you already have ,( every hide will be different) spirit dyes just enhance the color , let your leather dry, 24 hrs. then use Lex-Oil conditioner, where you want the leather to be soft and flexable, burnish all your ends with Gum tragacanth, then I use Tan Kote as a finish coat,( if you live a State other than California , use Bag Kote , it's softer and more of a satin look , which I like better , but I'm stuck in Ca.) then a very light coat of extra virgin olive oil, or neats foot oil, (you can also use neatsfoot oil insted of olive oil, with the dye), let the oil dry 24 hrs. then the last thing I do is rub in with my fingers , Montana Pitch Blend in the oil form , as a protectant from the elements, this is Great stuff and it smells good too, now let your rig dry for a couple days, and your done

                  Cross draw I hope this helps, consider getting the dvd , I know I'm glad I did 


                                           Ten Wolves Five Shooter 

[crossdraw]

Ten Wolves Five Shooter

Thanks for the instruction and advice. I will look into Noland's DVD.

Thanks again

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

      Your welcome Crossdraw,
                 
               You talked about getting the red color from rusty iron , Will Ghormely I believe does some of his leather this way , I think he said he has a good size barrow on his place that he keeps the rusty water in , and when he wants to dye some leather he lights a fire underneath it to warm things up and get it to react, I guess he has the steel barrow on top of some blocks so he can start a little fire under it ,when things are looking about right , he puts the fire out , you don't want to cook the leather , so when its just a little warm  then he just leaves the leather in it untill it is the color he wants , at least thats the way I understood it was done, the longer you leave it in the more color you will see , and then after drying , if it is still not the way you want it ,you can do the spirit dye method I talked about earlier.

                                           Aint this fun 

                                       Ten Wolves


                                               

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I have also used Nolan Sackett's vinegaroon black dye. Great stuff. I'm going to make some walnut dye using Nolan's recipe next time I need some dark brown. Will Ghormley's barrel method sounds like a good way to go, also. When I can make room for such a barrel, I'll go for it.

[crossdraw]

When I can make room for such a barrel, I'll go for it.

I have the room but it probably took Will G some time to get his mix how he likes it. I thought about buying Iron Oxide powder and trying it in a mix. I guess alcohol, oil or water could be used with the powder. I even thought about collecting rust using a wire wheel or grinder to speed things up.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I like the iron filing idea. Sounds good. I may take a sander or grinder to some when the time comes. Thanks for the suggestion. I suspect they'd let you sweep up the floor in a fabrication shop after work a couple days to get a good pile to start with.

[Whiskey Creek Adams]

Has anyone concocted Nolan's brown dye recipe using English Walnuts instead of Black Walnuts and if so what were the results?  I recall Will or someone was going to try it.

[Slowhand Bob]

As a young guy we always had several old metal drums around the place and many were used for burning leaves/whatever.  This would cause them to rust pretty fast if drain holes were not drilled in the bottom and the deep maroon red water would quickly result.  And to think, we never realised that we were making dye or my dad would have tried to market it.  Makes a nice place to raise your baby skeeters also!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Has anyone concocted Nolan's brown dye recipe using English Walnuts instead of Black Walnuts and if so what were the results?  I recall Will or someone was going to try it.

I have some to try but just haven't had a need for it yet. I suppose I should get with it and make some. The trouble is, it's easier to store the hulls than the dye.