Bag Making...

[RoaringBull]

Ya'll may get tired of me asking all these questions...well I hope not   But I want to take the advice given and do this correctly.

OK, I got some 3 to 4 oz veg tan and wanna make a nice old looking bag out of it...actually I got a lot and wanna make a lot of bag, but anyway...

A series of questions:

1.What is the best procedure for working this leather into something nice and soft and dyed? I know to get it wet and work in and wrinkle it and all that but is that all?

2. Best method to dye, say a nice dark brown or really really dark reddish brown? Should I dye then sew or other way around?

3. Is there a book that gives really good info on dyes and so forth that don't come out of a plastic bottle bought at Tandy?

4. How about oiling the leather after its dyed and what type of oil?

I have a copy of Mr Albert's book on the way, so if most of the answers are in there just tell me and I can try to wait patiently for the book to arrive. And my new copy of "The Kentucky Rifle Hunting Pouch" is being studied thoroughly!

Thanks a bunch in advance for all of the help...I do really appreciate it!! I really do want to produce work as beautiful as what I see on here and on the blog.

[T.C.Albert]

Well.................
1. you wont get veg tan as soft as commercial chromes, oils, or chamois tans...so the soft part may not be what you are expecting...theres no sense really wetting and wrinking it before you sew it up as you will be wetting it during construction etc...Ive heard where some folks do wash a new hide (commercial veg tan) in a washer and dry it on low with a few tennis shoes in with the hide... I have never tried it so cant say what it does or how it works...
2. some use a thick walnut hull dye with good results...and a light wash with a vinegar/iron dye will instantly black (or deeply blue) good veg tan...
it can be reddened with a coat of cordovan boot wax...or even brown Kiwi...the reds in the brown will migrate out usually giving a reddish tinge to the finish...
3. a good book on leather dyes? none I know of..
4. olive oil...applied with a finger tip sparingly.

hope that helps some.
TCA

[Jefferson58]

I will second Tim's comments about everything. If you don't use the alcohol-based (poison) dye from Tandy or Fiebings, the leather will be softer anyway. Alcohol-based dyes make leather stiffer as a side effect. They weren't around 200 years ago anyway.

I would wait for Tim's book too. Can't think of a better introduction to pouch making than that. If you can find it, you might also want to read Steve Lalioff's piece in Buckskinning VI about pouch making. He discusses  using nothing but oil for coloring, and the long tern effects of it. Do pay attention to his notes about only using pure neatsfoot oil.  I use olive oil, and it works great.

The last time I checked at Muzzleloader Mag's site for Buckskinning VI, it was out of print, but it may be back by now.

Jeff

[BrownBear]

Dig back a page or two here on the forum for more info.  I don't recall what I called the thread (maybe having to do with vinegaroon dye), but I was asking about alternative and homebrew dyes, and a whole lot of info came rolling in from folks that actually use them.  I haven't tried many myself, but having that info available has led me to put off another order of Fiebings.

[G. Elsenbeck]

Sent you a PM.
gary

[RoaringBull]

Thanks Brownbear I have been digesting that link and taking notes...


Sent you a PM Gary!