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Leather Dyeing Tips 

The Best way to learn Leather Dyeing Techniques is to experiment with various dyes and leathers.

Different kinds of leather have unique characteristics all their own. Not all leathers will give the same results when dyed. It is suggested that you test colors and techniques on a scrap piece of leather.

For Block Dyeing Wrap a folded piece of cloth around a small block of wood and fasten the cloth in place with staples. Dip a wool dauber into some dye and apply to the cloth. Some good effects can be achieved on embossed and plain leather goods by rubbing lightly with long strokes.

Wrap a piece of cloth (cotton works well) around your index finger and Dip your finger into some dye and apply. By blotting out excess dye on another piece of cloth you can control the amount of dye and produce a shading effect. This technique works well for dyeing embossed blanks because you can apply dye to smaller areas.

Spraying - This requires some equipment: Spray gun, compressor, hoses, spray tent, etc. Spraying gives good results for shading and even application of dye. It is suggested that you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.

Highlighting of belt can be achieved by applying lacquer (Neat-Lac or Lac-Kote) to the belt before using dye. Carefully avoid lacquered area when applying dye. Lacquer will resist antique finish but not leather dye and after dyeing the belt a coating of antique finish will bring out all the highlights.

Final protective finished for the belt include many substances including lacquer, acrylics, neatsfoot oil and waxes, paste or stick. Depending on what type of finish you want on the belt (glossy, semi-gloss, etc), it is suggested that you experiment with some of these finishes. Possible finishes for the edge of belts include edge enamel, burnishing wax and edge dye.

These dyeing tips have been directed primarily at belts. These basic principals may be used in dyeing any other leather tooled or embossed items. Experimenting with different dyes and finishes will give your project a unique custom look.

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Craftsman Ethan O. Tanner explains the secret Leather dyeing and Leather Finishing This and other unique content leather dyeing articles are available with free reprint rights.

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