Redyeing Leather - experts please chime in

[Gigatron]

Hey gang,

I have a clock (the clock from The Lost Room) that has a leather casing. It has proved to be next to impossible to find the correct clock style in the correct color.

I finally settled on the correct style in the wrong color. How do I go about removing the ugly shade of green, so I can dye it a more accurate tan color?

I used acetone to remove the top coating and that seems to work ok. I also have some Pro Dye Solvent from Tandy Leather. While I do see color coming off, it seems like it is going to take 2 lifetimes to completely remove the color.

So, does anyone have experience removing color quickly and safely? I tried sanding, but that removes as much leather as it does color.

Thanks,
Fred

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

You might try LIGHTLY brushing it with a wire bristle brush and solvent until the color comes off. If it ends up a little rough you will have to re-condition it with polish and lots of hand-rubbing with a soft towel.

 

[Gigatron]

well, after some experimenting, I think the color is actually paint. I'm able to scrape it off with a knife held at a shallow angle.

And I also think it is not leather but some sort of material. It's a paper thin woven material.

I wonder if it would just be easier to pull off this stuff and replace it with something neutral in color so I can dye it myself.

Can anybody recommend a good cover material?

Thanks,
Fred

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Leather?

 

[Gigatron]

Leather?

Do they make leather that thin? The clock has some fairly tight bends, so I need something very thin.

-Fred

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Yeah, leather comes in 'weights' and you should be able to find something as thin as paper. If it's not much surface area you might be able to find some at a craft store or fabric store.

 

[SFPROPS]

It's highly likely it was painted using a leather/vinyl paint.

You can get cans of all different color paints to be used on leather and vinyl in most better shoe repair stores. My experience has been that the heavier coat you put on, the glossier the finish.

http://www.kiwishoeproducts.com/product_p/168.htm

 

[Gigatron]

Does anyone know what weight leather would be equivalent to paper thinness or something close? I've seen as far down as 1-1/2 oz, but I don't know if that would be thin enough.

The original material might be vinyl, but it's hard to say. I may swing by Joannes fabrics over the weekend to see if they have something close.

Thanks,
Fred

 

[Darth Mule]

1-1/2 oz would be about the weight of leather pants. You can get thinner, but I would recommend going to a leather store in person and handling things untill you find what you want.

It will be a tough find either way to get either leather or vinyl in "paper thin"ness.