Dealing with blochy spots

[amin ledbetter]

Pards I just dyed, a holster I made, with Fiebengs Lt Brown, reduced with water. As the parts are drying I started noticing dark blotches in areas. I re-coated on one of the small piece to test if it would cure the issue but it did not. Anyone else had this problem? If so what did I do wrong, and how do I fix it?

I have made several test samples prior to dying this holster cause I wanted it to look good, and I had not used the Fiebengs dye before, all turned out perfect. Don't know what I did different to the holster than the test pieces. What went wrong on this?   

[Arizona Cattleman]

Amin, I'm no expert, bt it sounds like the leather may have been still moist from the casing in some areas.  The dye with some water in it may have penatrated deeper in thoes areas.  Had it happen to me once, and after it dryed out completely, it did'nt look so bad.  I would hold off on sealing the leather until it drys.  Maybe some other Pard has another explanation.

AC

[Dalton Masterson]

Amin, was your leather dry or damp? I usually spray mine with a spray bottle before I dye, just to get a little more even coverage. I end up with the dark spots, but as AC said, they even out in the end.
Let it dry and see what you get.
DM

[amin ledbetter]

Amin, was your leather dry or damp? I usually spray mine with a spray bottle before I dye, just to get a little more even coverage. I end up with the dark spots, but as AC said, they even out in the end.
Let it dry and see what you get.
DM

The leather had dried for two days after Carving. It did not feel damp or cool to the touch. The test samples were done dry as well. I was trying to get some type of consistency in the application method from test pieces to final part. I do not know what I did different to cause the blotches.     Got me all kinds of confused. Some of them look to getting lighter, but others do not. Some areas that looked OK after dying, are now looking to have the blotches. They looked OK when I posted this. Don't know fellas.Hope someone can tell me what I did, and how to prevent it next time. Hope I ain't got to make this thing over!!!!!   

[ChuckBurrows]

You should be using alcohol or acetone to reduce your dye not water - that may have caused the splotching. Dampening first with water before dying is a good idea, but does not mean water should be used as a reducer.
Another good idea is to use distilled water rather than tap water since tap water can opften have minerals and checmicals such as chlorine that can cause dye problems.

fix-it: two choices
1) clean with oxalic acid - aka wood bleach available at most hardware or paint stores...
2) re-dye to a darker color....

[amin ledbetter]

Thanks Chuck. I may have dodged a bullet on this one though. The pieces have been drying for about an hour or so now, and the blotchy spots are actually starting to lighten on the pieces. If they do not go away completely by morning I will go get some Oxalic Acid as you have directed. I do have some questions about using that product, just to clarify what you are tell me. Will the wood bleach remove the dye that's on there now? Do I soak the leather in it or wipe with dampened cloth? 

I have a couple questions about using alcohol as a reducer as well. I tried this on a test piece when I first got the dyes. Three days later the leather cracked in the areas where dyed. Did I use to much alcohol? The only color that didn't crack was the one I didn't reduce with alcohol, and that was USMC Black. What might have caused this to happen? 

The scenario above is what scared me into using water to reduce instead of alcohol.

[cowboywc]

Those dyes normally take 24 hrs to even out.
WC

[santee]

Are you using those little wool daubers to apply the dye? After watching Chuck's DVD I switched to a sponge-bath method that covers large areas evenly, and have not had to deal with splotchiness (is that even a word?).

[amin ledbetter]

Are you using those little wool daubers to apply the dye? After watching Chuck's DVD I switched to a sponge-bath method that covers large areas evenly, and have not had to deal with splotchiness (is that even a word?).

I am using a 1 1/2 wide sponge type applicator. ( cheap sponge paint paint brush ) Everything looks very even except for the blotchy areas. ( actually this morning all the blotchy areas are nearly gone. I am gonna give it some more time before putting on the leather balm and see what happens. It looks fairly good now. Only a couple dark areas. I am going to have to buy Chucks DVD. Thanks everyone for applying, and helping me out here. You guys are the best.

[JD Alan]

Since I started rubbing the dye on, then wiping it off most of my color problems went away. Daubing or brushing on dye does not work as well. Patience also helps too. Like what WC said, let it dry real good before worrying about it (I know these things the hard way)

[Ned Buckshot]

I use sheepskin scraps and rub it in a circular motion like you would wax a car with good results. Sometimes leather just absorbs differantly in adjacent areas?

Ned

[Dalton Masterson]

I do it the same way Ned does, with the wool remnant. Just wear rubber gloves when you do it, as they get soaked thru in short order, and brown dye on your hands is no way to go through life....

Also, make sure you buff off the excess powder when it is dry. There is always a little bit of excess dye left on the surface, and it makes it all look a little off. Do that before you put on your balm..
DM

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

      I put my dye on as Ned and Dalton do, wearing rubber gloves, as Dalton points out, when dry, I buff off any powder that's left on the surface, and WC, suggested that rubbing and buffing until you don't get any color coming off, then do your finish, I find this works real well, and reduces the chance of the dye rubbing off on your clothes.

      tEN wOLVES 

[JD Alan]

I've been leaving that step about buffing when dry out, which will change thanks to you guys!

[Dalton Masterson]

It will make a difference JD. Glad it helped.
DM

[amin ledbetter]

The more my pieces have been drying the better that are looking. Last night as I was dying the pieces I noticed that as the they were drying there was a film left on the pieces, I wiped a little of it off and noticed the pieces buffed up rather shiny. I buffed all the pieces lst night before I went to bed. Found a couple more dull looking areas this morning, and buffed them up too. They aren't looking to bad. Have one piece that still has some darker blotches on it but it gets covered by another one of the pieces. As always this has been a learning experience. But I enjoyed it. I will get some wool remnants from Tandy in my next order.  It is to close to the end of the month to order anything that isn't already on sale this month though! The new April flier is due out next week, and I'm to big a tight wad not to take advantage of anything I can save some money!