Color bleeding from dyed leather

[moleeyes36]

A few years ago I bought some dark red/brown leather thongs from a leather vendor at a rendezvous to use for securing things like powder measures, horns, etc.  When I got them wet, the dye bleed out and stained a hunting frock, a powder horn and everything the leather contacted for long.  As I understand it, most leather dyes are water soluble.  Is there some effective way of preventing the dye from bleeding out onto things?

Mole Eyes

[Poor Bull]

Mole Eyes,

Use the old vinegar and iron dye that produces a very nice black color when
applied to vegetable tanned leather.  It will not cause a problem of rubbing
off and discoloring anything.  Easy to make it yourself.  Sometimes called
vinegaroon.

[moleeyes36]

My immediate problem is with commercially tanned products.  Buyer beware I guess.  Thanks.

Mole Eyes

[Dennis Glazener]

Mole Eyes,

Use the old vinegar and iron dye that produces a very nice black color when
applied to vegetable tanned leather.  It will not cause a problem of rubbing
off and discoloring anything.  Easy to make it yourself.  Sometimes called
vinegaroon.

But you had better test first! I was told aqua fortis would also dye leather a nice black color but when I finished doing a powder horn strap it was a nice shade of med dark gray. Doesn't look bad but I wanted black.
Dennis

[3 swans]

Hello, new to posting. I also have had trouble with fiebing's die leaving color on good garments. I use veg tanned leather from Tandy and not there cheap stuff. I have found other sources for veg tanned leather, but would like to know if others have the same problem? How do other  users stop the bleed? Thanks 3 Swans.

[Horner75]

Everything dyed will fade or bleed some, but I've used Fiebings spirit based dyes with no bleeding problems.

[LRB]

  Me too. But if I want black, I use the vinegar iron solution. If made right, it is as  black as midnight before a new moon, and does not bleed.

[James Rogers]

Thought I posted this yesterday. Try wiping on a 50/50 mix of MopNGlo and water. Many holster makers use this acrylic mixture as a top coat.

[T*O*F]

Tandy sells 2 different products for use in veg tanned leather.
Satin Shene and Super Shene.
Also a product called Resolene for use as a sealer over Feibings dyes.

[rich pierce]

I've had this problem and have simply washed the item extensively in warm water while squeezing and rubbing it. All the dye bleeds out.

[Horner75]

I have a good friend who owns  a Tandy store and he told me that  all of leather Tandy's
 is now selling is imported from many countries and you might never really know what or how it was processed, so that could be one of the main problems with bleeding.

[3 swans]

Thanks to everyone. I have been away for a few days. My dies are 10 yr's old. I will try some of the methods and products listed. This is a great place to find info and cut down on the long time of learning everything by mistakes. Thanks again.

[T.C.Albert]

As far as I understand it...spirit dyes are aniline based...meaning fine powdered pigments are suspended in spirits...some of the color permeates the spirits and sinks into the leather, but after drying, some residue remains on the dyed surface as a powder...this causes bleed from aniline dyes...sealers can be used to help reduce the problem...or wiping down with a solvent to remove the powder residue...however, both spirits and solvents are bad for leather and can cause drying...especially on cheaper grades of vegetable tans which are dry to begin with...

Water based dyes are similar, only they can be rinsed with plain water...but they will bleed if not sealed, especially when wet.

Vinegaroon type dyes actually chemically react with the tannins found in vegetable tanned leather...this is a chemical color change and should be color fast, though prone to fading...and the ph of vinegar used to make vinegaroon dye can also adversely affect some cheaper or thinner grades of vegetable tanned leather...the ph can be balanced with soft water rinses, but because leather is organic and each hide reacts differently, no matter what dye you use, results will tend to vary a bit...

I really think the old oak tanned leathers emerged from the vat  a deep reddish brown, and that they were used that way...surface color could be blacked with grease and soot or vinagaroon dips...but thats about it...today we are using much lighter colored vegetable tanned goods, and are forced to color them to replicate the looks we want, and believe me, its all one big learning curve once you start that...

commercially dyed chrome tans are all over the map too...those leathers emerge from the chromium bath a sick blue...then its all vat dyed and drum softened from there..and depending on the tannery, chrome tans may also bleed, shrink, or even rust steel that is in contact with it...which is really bad for holsters and knife sheaths...so yes, buyer beware for sure!

I doubt this helps much, but at least you will have an idea about whats happening to your leathers maybe...as for sealing, I use plain ole boot wax...
tc

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

On my dyed and finished leather products, I apply a Tandy product called Atom Wax.  It does a pretty good job of sealing the surface, and buffs to a nice even colour and shine.  So far I haven't had any bleeding problems, but I haven't done full water emmursion either.