Leather dye for handle wraps

[Lee Lobbestael]

Hey what do you guys use for leather dye? I have a bunch of natural colored leather I want to use for handle wraps but want to dye it darker first.

[RBLusthaus]

Try neatsfoot oil instead of dye.  It conditions and darkens the leather.   

Russ

[autologus]

Speaking of leather, what kind of leather do most of you guys use for handle wraps and where do you get it?

Grady

[BowEd]

The kind of leather a person uses is just a persnal liking thing.Most kinds work well.You'll find your own soon.

[Bryce]

I use elk leather, or some leather I picked up at a craft store.

[Will H]

I make braintan buckskins and use that alot for my handles. Sometimes I'll use a natural walnut dye on it but usually if I want a darker grip I'll just smoke the hide a little longer. As for commercial leather, I like to use Tandy. I think the deerskins they sell make excellent handles. You can get it natural color and use rit dye to dye it amy color you want. I usually just get some scraps from them in assorted colors though and save my rit dye for doing bows and occasionally arrows.

[bubby]

I got a bunch of leather at the upholstery shop when I got the wife's liner redone, he gave me all his scrap leather orders it from Ireland of something overseas, no barbwire no scars

[Weylin]

I got scraps from the local leather store and I use Fiebing's leather dye to dye it. It works great.

[Cameroo]

+1 for the Fiebings dye (their "professional" line is even better, and only slighty more expensive).  They also have an acrylic finish called resolene that works well to seal and protect the leather.  It's always a good idea to apply a light coat of neatsfoot oil after the dye, then wait about 24 hours for it to soak into the leather before applying Resolene. That will give you a long-lasting finish that is easy to clean if it gets grubby looking.

[aaron]

I use braintan and dye it black with a vinegar/ steel wool dye.