Using homemade walnut dye?

[Tallbald]

Thanks to the fine folks here I have had great success making and using vinegaroon to dye many of my holsters and small items. Around the corner on the road is a chock full walnut tree that's dropping its nuts this month, and iwant to make brown dye, using the recipe I found here. Couple things though.
*Will using alcohol in the dye to keep it from going bad (not real practical for me to freeze it) cause leather drying? I know once i used alcohol on leather in a dye mix and the leather dried out and cracked, but may have used too much I admit.

*Do I soak the holster in the walnut dye like I do with vinegaroon or brush it on? I prefer the soaking method if that's OK. How long to soak?

* Do I need to neutralize the dye or just rinse in running water after a soak?

* Is there a risk of the dye bleeding onto clothing during use? Or is the topcoat needed to keep this from happening?
As always, I appreciate all the help. Don

[Camano Ridge]

Go to this link http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,11991.0.html it is 9 pages of info on vinigeroon and walnut dye with plenty of input from Chuck Burrows and Will Gohrmley. In the begining Chuck said he put vinigar in to keep it from going bad then about page 8 he says he no longer adds vinigar, if molds he just scrapes the mold off the top and uses the dye. How long depends on how dark you want it. Experment with some scrap pieces for varring lengths of time to get the color you want.

[Cliff Fendley]

I've never had a problem with walnut dye bleed onto clothing. The factory dyes are what I've seen do that, especially black. I guess anything could bleed and show on something like a white shirt though.

I usually soak for about 2 hours and then let it dry in the sunlight. Oil with pure neatsfoot after a couple days and being sure it is completely dry. PURE NEATSFOOT, I never use neatsfoot compound.

Like Chuck I used to use some alchohol and sometimes still will toss some in my pot if I'm going to be a long time using it again. I freeze it after making it and keep around 2 gallon it a big canning pot that I soak in. When I need to add some to the pot I thaw out another jug.

[Tallbald]

Do I filter the cooled mixture through a coffee filter after removing the hulls? I do so with vinegaroon. But for the walnut stain, I don't know if I have to leave particles in it in order to stain the leather.  learning all the time. Thanks. Don

PS. FWIW, I'm finding a stainless steell old style hand potato masher from Walmart is great for squishing the hulls in the pan while they are boiling down. Don

[Cliff Fendley]

Put the husk in an old t-shirt or panty hose to make like a big tea bag. Wring the bag every once in a while to get the juices out.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Put the husk in an old t-shirt or panty hose to make like a big tea bag. Wring the bag every once in a while to get the juices out.

I have done exactly what Cliff Fendly has said ... since there is no relationship, I actually had to BUY the panty hose ....  (Horors!)

I put the walnut dye in the toe of it ( it came up to about the ankle) ... tied an overhand knot above the ankle and cut off the ends ... used it as a huge 'tea bag' ... and left it in the dye to keep it going ... that was a year ago ....

[Pappy Hayes]

Question on soaking. Do you soak a holster after you have put it all together or do you soak it before?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Pappy Hayes,

I have done it both ways ... used the dye to make the leather supple enough to roll the holster over and stitch it and used the suppleness from the dye on a pre-made (Civil War) flap holster to vacuum mold it ... ... but you need a deeper container to dye a finished holster .... a thought to be reconned with ....

TTFN,

[Cliff Fendley]

I always soak after the project is assembled.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

I always soak after the project is assembled.

        Same here Cliff, the only thing I have left is a final burnishing and a finish.


                   tEN wOLVES

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I also like to assemble first. It dyes the thread that way, too.