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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
   
Location: North Dakota | I have a nice, new, un-oiled, natural colored saddle sitting at home that I REALLY wish was black. I also have a horse that can't be ridden for a little bit so I got some time. I found special dye for the roughout parts and I've painted leather tack before so the rest should be pretty easy. I just need some confidence...
Edited by cavyrunsbarrels 2015-02-17 10:59 PM
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I was always told, if the leather is treated it doesn't take on color
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Could you not just strip it? That's what I did on the breastcollar I painted. |
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 Roan On The Range
Posts: 7889
Location: Stephenville, TX | A somewhat risky project. Working with dye is a lot different than paint. More than likely, there is a finish on the leather that will need to be stripped off before the leather can be dyed. Black is probably the easiest color to dye leather because you can add multiple coats to even out the color, but if its not the right kind of leather it may not take the dye even after the finish is stripped, no matter how many coats you apply. After leather is dyed, it will need to be conditioned and finished because dying leather tends to dry it out, even if you're not using an alcohol based dye.
My best advice is to take the saddle to a professional and have them do it. A little money spent to have it done right will be better than ruining the look of the saddle with a bad dye job.
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | My thought would be... How important is this saddle? Are you ever going to need to sell this saddle? |
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Roan On The Range
Posts: 7889
Location: Stephenville, TX | cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-02-17 11:40 PM Could you not just strip it? That's what I did on the breastcollar I painted.
Again, painting leather is totally different than dye.
Paint lays on top of the leather. All you need to do is strip the finish so the paint can adhere.
Dye has to soak into the leather, it does not lay on top. If the pores won't accept the dye, you're left with splotchy color, no matter how much dye you apply.
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I understand painting is different, but wouldn't the deglazer work either way? The saddle is crates brand, hasn't been oiled or dyed, it's just natural color. |
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Roan On The Range
Posts: 7889
Location: Stephenville, TX | cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-02-18 1:26 AM I understand painting is different, but wouldn't the deglazer work either way? The saddle is crates brand, hasn't been oiled or dyed, it's just natural color.
I remember you asking about dying this saddle before.
Yes, degalzer would be the first step. If you ask 10 leather workers what they'd do after deglazing, you'll get 10 different answers. I have my favorite methods/products, but they're not always appropriate for every project. Most of us have an array of products sitting around and we choose what to use based on what that piece of leather needs. If you're inexperienced in dying leather, you really shouldn't experiment on a saddle. Take the saddle to someone with experience who will know what that particular job needs and will do it right. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Running Roan - 2015-02-18 3:11 AM
cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-02-18 1:26 AM I understand painting is different, but wouldn't the deglazer work either way? The saddle is crates brand, hasn't been oiled or dyed, it's just natural color.
I remember you asking about dying this saddle before. Yes, degalzer would be the first step. If you ask 10 leather workers what they'd do after deglazing, you'll get 10 different answers. I have my favorite methods/products, but they're not always appropriate for every project. Most of us have an array of products sitting around and we choose what to use based on what that piece of leather needs. If you're inexperienced in dying leather, you really shouldn't experiment on a saddle. Take the saddle to someone with experience who will know what that particular job needs and will do it right.
Hmmm... I just got this saddle a week ago. I don't remember asking anything about this before. I don't believe there's anyone that does leather work/dye in my area but I'll try looking around more. |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
Location: South Georgia | I wouldn't try anything on a project as big and expensive as a saddle. Take it to a pro, if that is what you are set on. |
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: where the cold is cold and the hot is hot.... | Agreed on all the replies you've gotten ......... I have found that factory saddles for sure, have a pretty healthy quality of topcoat/sealer on them. I think the oiling or not is the least of your worries. To break down that factory sealer consistently over the large surface of a saddle to even get a somewhat consistent dye job would leave you with deep regrets. Not to mention spots that may have glue marks or anything else on the visible surface, that will NOT take up dye at all. My opinion is this would be a nightmare... JMO...  |
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  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
Location: ND | I would run out to Interstate Western Works west of Mandan & talk to Chip. She's does some outstanding leather work & would be able to help you out. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | Do not dye that Meleta Brown 
Or send it off to somebody who has dyed saddles before. I've dyed a few at my job and not only do you have to worry about splotching if you don't get all the finish off, depending on the type/quality/amount of dye you use you have an extremely high likelihood of it having a purply hue forever because of the dye and let me tell you it is UGLY when it looks like that. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | SaraJean - 2015-02-18 11:10 AM
I would run out to Interstate Western Works west of Mandan & talk to Chip. She's does some outstanding leather work & would be able to help you out.
I think I know which place you're talking about. I've never been there. |
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | Running Roan - 2015-02-18 3:11 AM cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-02-18 1:26 AM I understand painting is different, but wouldn't the deglazer work either way? The saddle is crates brand, hasn't been oiled or dyed, it's just natural color. I remember you asking about dying this saddle before.
Yes, degalzer would be the first step. If you ask 10 leather workers what they'd do after deglazing, you'll get 10 different answers. I have my favorite methods/products, but they're not always appropriate for every project. Most of us have an array of products sitting around and we choose what to use based on what that piece of leather needs. If you're inexperienced in dying leather, you really shouldn't experiment on a saddle. Take the saddle to someone with experience who will know what that particular job needs and will do it right.
^^^^ This......My husband is a saddle maker and even using leather dye on "unfinished" leather is a gamble, at best.......Plus the fact, to do the job properly, you have to unassemble the saddle completely. It is not a job for the "faint at heart"........ |
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Dyeing a saddle black