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A-2 jacket redye finished

dinomartino1

A-List Customer
Messages
338
Location
Perth, Australia
Following on from this thread, I have finished my redye.

a2-re-dye-advice-needed.86899

So why did I do it, I have been after an A-2 that actually fit me properly for years and I was very lucky to find this Buzz Roughwear for $US217 including postage on eBay., I would not have done this to jacket I had paid the right price for it. The tan colour was not for me so I was willing to take a chance and try a redye.
I was not trying trying to recreate any type of ww2 depot redye look, many of you may dislike my colour choice but I'm happy with it.

P1010269.jpg


This was the dye I used, Fiebings mahogany alcohol based. I put the dye in a cup to make it harder to knock over when I was dyeing.
P1010546.JPG


The knits and waistband where removed as I was replacing them with rust knits.
I used painters masking tape in any areas where the lining and leather met and the zip.
I used two layers of tape and had no issues with the dye going through the tape. but remember to use gravity to help you so when doing the collar and other tricky areas hold the jacket upside down from where you are dyeing so the dye runs away from the liner. I used fine brushes for this.
Remember the dye is like water.

P1010539.JPG


Next I cleaned the jacket with acetone, let it dry out and the started.
If you use a brush get something decent or bristles will fall out when you dyeing.
Forgot to add precautions when using acetone.
If you use it be in a well ventilated area and wear gloves and eye protection the fumes are vey flammable, it will dissolve latex gloves so don't use those.


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P1010557.JPG


On the picture below the light coloured areas are excess dye you have to buff them off with a cloth as well as the whole area you have done between coats, be prepared for a lot of elbow work, Humidity etc.will play a part in how long it takes to dry and you will need a lot of cloths as a lot of dye will come off.
I knew it would be hard as I was dyeing over a light colour, you will get the feel for it as you go, a darker jacket would be way easier than what I had to do. Remember as I said before it is like trying to paint with water the dye mill run and pool around the creases in the jacket, It's best to start with a little dye on the brush and see how you go, also be wary of the dye on the brush it's very easy to splash around.
It's also like ink to paper the first spot on the jacket the brush or rag touches is instantly going to soak up more dye than the areas around it.
You can use rubbing alcohol to lighten areas if you want a worn look though I didn't.

P1010559.JPG


P1010557.JPG


Pic below, more coats will darken lighter areas like the sleeve on the pic above, but it will never be perfect but that how I like it, I think you would need to use a spray gun for a perfect match to avoid the first spot you touch always being darker but if you where doing a darker jacket it would be a lot less visible.
P1010554.JPG


New knits and decal.
P1010487.jpg


Finished

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Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Stellar job, but part of me died inside as I have this natural hide thing going on in my head lately.
It looks great both ways so if you are happy losing that awesome looking natural hide, then you done well!
Took some sack though!
 

Davy Crockett

A-List Customer
Messages
368
Location
UK
That is a fine looking jacket, you must post some pic's after it gets creased and the original colour shades through, I imagine it will look superb and certainly unique!

D
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
Did my Eastman years ago but put the dye in a spray gun. Masked the knits off but touched up the areas around them and the inside by the liner with a brush. Had an aroma similar to creosote for ages :(
Who's the guy in the Ace Cafe T shirt? All the way from Australia to Southend on Sea, Essex. It's a regular run for me each Easter Monday :)
Early Eastman (small ring snaps, the best and also on originals ;) ) re-dye. Other pic a few years later with added patch, Australia based and new cuffs.

EASTY_zpswpzcxxim.jpg
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Not trying to hijack the topic, just showing another re dye example :)
 

seres

A-List Customer
Messages
457
Location
Alaska
Very nice, dinomartino1 and rocketeer! I'm thinking about doing something similar, so I'm watching this thread closely.
 

l0fielectronic

Practically Family
Messages
666
Location
UK
Looks to have turned out really well.

Agree I like the colour of the original jacket a whole lot too but the new colour is a winner as well. Job done.
 
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willyto

One Too Many
Messages
1,616
Location
Barcelona
Is it going to be leaving stains like raw denim does?

I much prefer the original colour but good job! It took some balls to try and do that. Still better than doing stupid things with the washing and tumble dry machine like I did once :D
 

dinomartino1

A-List Customer
Messages
338
Location
Perth, Australia
Do you have to do anything to lift the top coat off so the dye can penetrate?

I have only done one jacket so my advice might not be the best, I used acetone because it's cheap and where I live the was not much else was available.
If you use it be in a well ventilated area and wear gloves and eye protection the fumes are vey flammable, it will dissolve latex gloves so don't use those,
 

dinomartino1

A-List Customer
Messages
338
Location
Perth, Australia
Who's the guy in the Ace Cafe T shirt?
My mate's from Southend, his old man was a ton up boy in the late 50s early 60s in Southend, they called themselves the flare paths because they used go for a tear up around the aerodrome that was RAF Rochford in ww2, thats London Southend airport now.
I lived in North London for twenty years. Looks like you have an A65, this story was in MCN many years ago, my old bonnie on the far left I'm standing second from the right.
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dinomartino1

A-List Customer
Messages
338
Location
Perth, Australia
Is it going to be leaving stains like raw denim does?

I much prefer the original colour but good job! It took some balls to try and do that. Still better than doing stupid things with the washing and tumble dry machine like I did once :D

I think you mean will the dye come off, you need to buff off as much as possible between coats and when you finish the dyeing.
If i was to wet a rag and rub really hard some dye might come off but just sitting in a chair no dye is going to come off and stain the chair.
People seem to get different results I think it really just depends on the individual jacket.
 

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