Colouring leather?

[koldt]

I collect some leather gear. I haven’t been able to find a Canadian 1916 leather yoke, that I can afford so: I purchased my first re-pop leather to display the rest of my WW1 O.R. gear. Here’s the problem, the rest of the set is original 117 years old. Sooo my new leather is well made, proper, etc. but new lighter colour.

Has anyone dyed/re-coloured leather to match older stuff?

I don’t want to fake some stuff for resale, just want it for my personal OCD issue on my mannequin.

If anyone has any learned experience/suggestions, please sound off.

Thanx.

 

[sidvicious]

I’ve yet to see any saddle stain or leather dye that can match the colour of aged weathered leather…doesn’t mean the perfect dye isn’t out there…I just have not found it yet! I do know a couple leatherworkers that might be able to use aged leather from old saddles etc. to make an older looking version.

 

[bearhunter]

Ballistol will darken your leather

First warm up your leather, in the sun/oven and rub in dark brown or black Kiwi shoe polish, then quickly follow up with a wipe down of Ballistol, soaked in a rag.

You will have to play a bit with something else to get the tone right.

The nice thing about the Kiwi polish is that it can be applied over the Ballistol later as needed.

A lot of the old leather kit became dark from repeated wipe downs with wax and in some cases Ballistol. If it wasn't cleaned properly before hand, the leather became quite dark.

Depending on who issued the leather, some of it may have been dyed dark brown or even black.

 

[Butcherbill]

Is what you’re trying to match just aged natural coloured leather? Neetsfoot oil or Balistol will darken it to a point but you may have to look at some leather dye, Tandy sells all kinds of it as well as sealers. If you oil it and use it it will darken and age on its own.

I don’t have an aged pic but the first is raw leather wet from forming, second is just Neetsfoot oil. It’s darkened up considerably since I made it and wore it for a couple years, sweat and use has aged it nicely.