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Topic:
dyeing leather
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CernStormrunner
Registered:
Jul '00
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Date Posted:
6/17 9:46pm
Subject:
dyeing leather
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does anyone have any experience with dyeing leather? I'm thinking about making an Aragorn costume, and i have an idea about how to make his leather duster, but the leather will be brown and i don't know how to get it that nice dark green color. i found a old leather trenchcoat at goodwill, and was going to modify it
i was thinking of using Rit dye on it, and then maybe some dark shoe polish to darken and weather it.
any sugestions?
and i have about a month and a half to work on this, so i have a little time
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kay_dee
Title: SFFF VIP
Council Member & Webmaster
Registered:
Jun '02
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Date Posted:
6/18 12:39am
Subject:
RE: dyeing leather
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Check out Tandy Leather - they have actual dye that is meant for leather. But depending on how the coat has been treated, it may or may not work to turn a brown coat green. For starters if it is dark brown the green may not show up well. Secondly, from what I understand, a finished dyed product has been treated in a way that might make it resistant to permanently taking the leather dye and it might just rub off in time because it will sit on the surface and not actually penetrate the leather. A prime example of this is all of the leather they tried to dye purple on the Zam Wesell costume. The purple on the white gloves and vest isn't staying on and is rubbing off over the short time it was worn and used in the movie or on display at exhibits. The Zam costumers have the same problem with their own vests.
There are also leather paints at Tandy. I believe they are acrylic. So perhaps if your coat is treated with a deglazer you might be able to lightly air brush a green leather paint over it. Don't know how it will take since it usually takes best on vegetable tanned leather.
If you have a Tandy Leather in your area I'd visit them with your coat, tell them what you want to do, and they will have the best advise. If they are not in your area, you could always try calling them too.
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Kay Dee's Costumes: http://kay-dee.net/costume The San Francisco Fan Force: http://www.sffanforce.com Rebel Legion - Endor Base: http://www.endorbase.org
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Anyara
Registered:
Apr '06
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Date Posted:
6/18 9:32am
Subject:
RE: dyeing leather
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Have a look at the Le Prevo Leathers site, they do leather dyes in a variety of colours, including at least two shades of green.
http://www.leprevo.co.uk/dyes.html
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madhorizons
Registered:
May '06
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Date Posted:
6/19 2:34pm
Subject:
RE: dyeing leather
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FWIW...if you get a light tan leather, it has a yellowish tone to it. I noticed when dying leather recently that a blue dye + light to medium tan leather = darker/muddier green. Some of it is wash or watercolor and not actual dye...b/c it's more translucent. If you have the leather, cut a small swatch, and try different dye and wash color combinations on it.
I agree that going into a store is helpful...the Tandy here is great and has junk leather & open dyes for folks to try out combinations before buying...also, the staff is very knowledgeable on technique & combinations. Not sure if this is the same for all Tandy locations, however.
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