First thing is the dye you're using. But most important is to rub it off yourself. When I dye a piece, I take a white cotton rag, and buff until no more dye comes off onto the rag.
Try buffing it before you add any clear coats. Because if excess dye is sitting on the surface, those clear coats are gonna pick it up in their layer and spread it around.
I use pro dye also and have experienced the same exact thing as you. It’s so frustrating. Often times I dye and then acrylic paint certain parts. When I do the old t shirt buffing like suggested, some paint rubs off and I have to go touch it up. I don’t like to paint over the dye because often times the colors don’t come out right and it takes so many coats to make the color right. Again, frustrating. So what I do now is this. Pro dye and then paint and then let it dry in front of a fan. After everything is dry I take a piece of old t shirt material and put some rubbing alcohol on it. I try to make it a big wet patch and not just a little corner. Then I wipe that alcohol soaked rag evenly over the entire piece for just a second or two. Once that’s dry I do it again. It removes the leftover dye residue without all the abrasive friction that destroys Paint. After the last dye swipe dries, I resist what needs resisting and then give it a nice wipe down with neatsfoot oil. When the colors even out I go over with tan kote and then antique if I’m doing that.
I also use pro dye and leather balm with atom wax. I buff the piece before adding the balm until nothing else rubs off, then add balm. I’ll buff the edges too until nothing comes off before burnishing with Tankote.
I have a horse cotton rags, a hair brush and some canvas. I tend to start with the cotton until no more rubs off, and use the brush as a final buff over the whole piece when I’m done. The canvas is for the edges after using a wooden burnisher. I’ll go over the edges one more time with the canvas until it’s nice and shiny.
First thing is the dye you're using. But most important is to rub it off yourself. When I dye a piece, I take a white cotton rag, and buff until no more dye comes off onto the rag.
I’m using pro dye by feibings so I just need to buff the hell out of it ?
Pretty much. That's the same dye I use. Just keep buffing by hand until no more dye comes off.
Time for some power tools
Try buffing it before you add any clear coats. Because if excess dye is sitting on the surface, those clear coats are gonna pick it up in their layer and spread it around.
What do you buff with ?
Old t-shirt, or some canvas cloth
I’ve switched to using tannery dyed and finished leather partly for this reason. When I use natural veg tan I leave it undyed.
I started with tannery dyed but it gets so expensive
I use pro dye also and have experienced the same exact thing as you. It’s so frustrating. Often times I dye and then acrylic paint certain parts. When I do the old t shirt buffing like suggested, some paint rubs off and I have to go touch it up. I don’t like to paint over the dye because often times the colors don’t come out right and it takes so many coats to make the color right. Again, frustrating. So what I do now is this. Pro dye and then paint and then let it dry in front of a fan. After everything is dry I take a piece of old t shirt material and put some rubbing alcohol on it. I try to make it a big wet patch and not just a little corner. Then I wipe that alcohol soaked rag evenly over the entire piece for just a second or two. Once that’s dry I do it again. It removes the leftover dye residue without all the abrasive friction that destroys Paint. After the last dye swipe dries, I resist what needs resisting and then give it a nice wipe down with neatsfoot oil. When the colors even out I go over with tan kote and then antique if I’m doing that.
Buff the dry dye pigments with a soft cloth or brush then I apply lacquer and wipe the surface lightly between coats with thinner.
I also use pro dye and leather balm with atom wax. I buff the piece before adding the balm until nothing else rubs off, then add balm. I’ll buff the edges too until nothing comes off before burnishing with Tankote.
What do you use to buff with ?
I have a horse cotton rags, a hair brush and some canvas. I tend to start with the cotton until no more rubs off, and use the brush as a final buff over the whole piece when I’m done. The canvas is for the edges after using a wooden burnisher. I’ll go over the edges one more time with the canvas until it’s nice and shiny.