Period Leather Dyes

[Tar Bucket Bill]

I don't know if this has ever been discussed before, but does anyone have information regarding leather dyes used during this period of time for GAoP?

I believe I have heard that some black dyes were made from Iron Gall, and that another type of black leather dye was made by soaking iron nails [or steel wool today] in vinegar for a certain length of time.

I would like to make a nice period brown or tan dye for some leather projects, like a baldric or so --- if at all feasible.

Are there any recipes out there that any of you recommend?

I'm sorry if this new topic double posted, but the first did not seem to take, so I have tried again.

-Tar Bucket Bill

[Bilgewater Browne]

I don't have any recipes, but I know black walnut husks were used for tanning and as a wood stain. It makes a color my wife would call 'espresso.'

[AlexRoberts]

http://www.karlrobinson.co.uk/leather_dyeing.php

[Tar Bucket Bill]

Yes! That is the website that prompted my interest in trying to find out about period simple, safe leather dye recipes, since this particular website does not go into much detail for the do-it-yourselfer.

I really like the mellow brown colors of his leather.

VINEGAROON

There seems to be plenty of information on the Internet regarding making and using Vinegaroon leather dye, but that is a black dye. I would prefer brown for some of my projects.

Black walnuts ---- very interesting. Have any of you used this for dyeing leather? Were they in fact used in the period for making a brown leather dye? If so, that sounds like that would be safe and simple as well.

I would prefer dye ingredients that are relatively safe to use for the home do-it-yourselfer.

-Tar Bucket Bill

[michaelsbagley]

Black walnuts ---- very interesting. Have any of you used this for dyeing leather? Were they in fact used in the period for making a brown leather dye? If so, that sounds like that would be safe and simple as well.

I would prefer dye ingredients that are relatively safe to use for the home do-it-yourselfer.

-Tar Bucket Bill

I tried making Black Walnut ink a couple of years ago... And while it isn't poisonous or harmful (that I know of or experienced), I did end up walking around with hands stained almost black for a few weeks after. I think it was almost 6 to 8 weeks before the last remnants of the staining was completely gone. And I wore protective gloves! The tannins in black walnut are acidic enough to eat through latex, trust me, I found that out the hard way! However, it is the tannic acids in black walnuts (and other substances used for tanning) that allow for the tanning process to succeed, so I would very much imagine black walnut could be used for that... But I also think black walnut didn't become widely used until later in the 18th century than the general GAoP (1680 to 1720) time-frame many here focus on.

[MarkG]

Black walnuts ---- very interesting. Have any of you used this for dyeing leather? Were they in fact used in the period for making a brown leather dye? If so, that sounds like that would be safe and simple as well.

I would prefer dye ingredients that are relatively safe to use for the home do-it-yourselfer.

-Tar Bucket Bill

I tried making Black Walnut ink a couple of years ago... And while it isn't poisonous or harmful (that I know of or experienced), I did end up walking around with hands stained almost black for a few weeks after. I think it was almost 6 to 8 weeks before the last remnants of the staining was completely gone. And I wore protective gloves! The tannins in black walnut are acidic enough to eat through latex, trust me, I found that out the hard way! However, it is the tannic acids in black walnuts (and other substances used for tanning) that allow for the tanning process to succeed, so I would very much imagine black walnut could be used for that... But I also think black walnut didn't become widely used until later in the 18th century than the general GAoP (1680 to 1720) time-frame many here focus on.

Black walnut is a great natural dye. My parents once left a plastic bag of them sitting in the garage too long. They ended up eating through the bag and staining the concrete.

Mark

[William Brand]

Black walnut is a great natural dye. My parents once left a plastic bag of them sitting in the garage too long. They ended up eating through the bag and staining the concrete.

Mark

Same here. My parents have a black walnut tree that stains the sidewalks really dark if they don't collect them.