can burnished leather be dyed?

[anon]

all of those creases/cracks/scratches make them look pretty beat-up as-is. and I already have a pair of semi-brogues in that color.

I'm really wanting a darker brown color and hoping it will hide a lot of the flaws in the leather.

 

[Cary Grant]

start a couple of shades lighter than you want and see where it goes. If I were you, I wouldn't try to cover 100% of that "age-worn appearance" as what of it reveals through the new polish will give you a patina only time can buy.

Nice work so far.

 

[anon]

Originally Posted by Cary Grant

tart a couple of shades lighter than you want and see where it goes. If I were you, I wouldn't try to cover 100% of that "age-worn appearance" as what of it reveals through the new polish will give you a patina only time can buy.

Nice work so far.
I forgot to ask you before, what did you pay for the resole on those Byrons?

 

[Nexus6]

Originally Posted by bigbris1

Dood, I would just use some clear/neutral wax polish to seal them up after a good conditioning & be done. They look charming as is.
I hope you have put leather lotion on these to restore moisture to the leather. This is critical. maybe even 2 applications. ..let dry, and brush or buff. I agree 100% If you want dark brown...work on another pair, but leave these ones now alone. When you add a Neutral to these, they'll deepen just a touch, and look great. If you go dark brown now on these, you'll regret it later. Plenty of other shoes you can get to do a dark brown on. IF you were to (for example) go to a thrift store to find a pair in this colour, they are the hardest to find. Dark brown is a lot easier to find, or even buy a used pair of burgundy to experiment dark brown on. Trust us, you did at this point, a great job on these shoes, and you have to recognize this is where you stop on this pair for colour

If you absolutely insist on darkening them, I would reccommend a dye 'WASH'. This will deepen further as opposed to outrightly going to brown. Only a dye wash will bring you back to where you started for colour. Best leave them as they are now. Up to you. ....maybe sleep on it a few days. Decisions Decisions...

 

[Cary Grant]

Originally Posted by anon

I forgot to ask you before, what did you pay for the resole on those Byrons?

I had it done locally at a great cobbler. New soles, new WELTS too, new heels and a polish was $90.

 

[anon]

Originally Posted by Cary Grant

I had it done locally at a great cobbler. New soles, new WELTS too, new heels and a polish was $90.
I'm way too afraid that people will screw my stuff up. Every time I go to the alterations lady I'm afraid she's going to ruin my shirt or pants. Shoes just seem like a bigger potential problem

 

[anon]

I put the first layer of dye on. I know there are going to be multiple coats, so I am not worried so much about that area by the welt that I missed.

But this is what concerns me. Part of this leather is raw and showing cracks, which makes the shoes really look like ****.

 

[Nexus6]

Look at the instep of the shoes. The areas was over-done with acetone. This is corrected grain for sure. Disaster has struck. But all is not lost... I am starting to think now, either go dark brown, or black. Try the dark brown first. After the Dye, apply leather lotion, let dry thoroughly in shoe trees. brush, buff, then apply dark brown polish...very little creame polish. let dry, brush then buff with a soft cloth (old undershirt fabric) Perhaps some will disagree with me on this.. but the insteps are looking not to my liking at all. Again, others may actually liek that 'beaten in ' look. At least you are gaining experience.

 

[fcuknu]

i ahte you,
you type like a foo
l and you speak in a more-stupid-er
fashion.

your the ****

 

[anon]

the leather was really like that even before the acetone. the leather is just trash.

oh well, this was all an experiment. if I can't salvage the color with more layers of dye I'll just toss the shoes.

 

[bigbris1]

I hate to say "I told you so" but you should have left them be 1 stage ago.

 

[anon]

Originally Posted by bigbris1

I hate to say "I told you so" but you should have left them be 1 stage ago.
the leather was just as ugly then. instead of brown with slightly darker spots it was tan with much darker spots.

 

[Nexus6]

You could try for a cigar colour then.
Then the insteps will just appear nicely patina'd underneath.
or go black.

Most important thing is you have learned something for the experience,
so your next pair can only be better

 

[anon]

it's actually scaring me from trying it at all.. I'll just buy the right color next time

with a couple of coats of dye right now, they look really red again -- the same color I tried to get rid of. I don't know if they just need more dye, but it's making me want to just go to black and forget trying to turn them brown.

 

[Nexus6]

before going black, you'll have to acetone them to remove all the dye you put on.
may as well go black then.
remove current dyes
dye black
re-lotion
apply black creme polish
that sohuld be the end of it.