I need some help painting/dying leather footwear

[Bruce Wayne]

I have a pair of Allen Edmonds Daltons in bourbon that has a rather nasty scuff in it. I have since replaced the boots but before I get rid of the old ones a thought occurred to me: turn them into spectators. What I would like to know is what I should use to strip them down to the leather so that the new paint/finish will stick.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[robrinay]

It's not that easy to get a professional finish - even if you follow the professional advice - strip back using Fiebings deglazer then use a professional spirit based dye like Fiebings alcohol based leather dye you may not be happy with the result. Mind you once you've had a go you'll know for certain and will have tried out a new skill set.

 

[RJR]

Second what robrinay said,stop in a Tandy leather store,if one is close,they'll help you.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I have a pair of Allen Edmonds Daltons in bourbon that has a rather nasty scuff in it. I have since replaced the boots but before I get rid of the old ones a thought occurred to me: turn them into spectators. What I would like to know is what I should use to strip them down to the leather so that the new paint/finish will stick.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

If you use a product that reminds you of ink, you may have success with a dye for shoes or boots....

Most of the so called "colors" you find such as Angeles is a water based acrylic that will not stick to the surface of the leather well enough to not "pop" off when the leather creases from normal wear. There are some colors made with a latex base...you will also suffer the same fate...it will pop off in small chunks and tid bits from normal use...

You have to use a real leather dye....it is thin...like ink...and nasty stuff, very runny...you will have to tape off any part of your shoe to seal it...unless you want to see the dye you use seep into that part of the shoe. Next when you apply the proper dye...expect to spend more than one day on each shoe....you have to shake the dye up...for about 10 minutes to make sure it is well mixed and then use such a very light amount of it on your shoe....I would use a sponge paint brush if I were you and blot it on a rag with the dye on it before touching your leather to make sure you do not have too much dye on the brush....you will have to apply it a few times to get the coverage you would want.

To strip down the leather before use of the dye...wow...now that is work. Get yourself some real spun steel wool and then some 400 grit sandpaper, and use that AFTER you use some leather stripper. You will have to be careful with scrubbing leather with the steel wool and use of the sandpaper...but if you do not get all of the old finish off the surface of the leather, you will not like how it looks after you use the dye on it....you will be mad at yourself for starting the project to begin with....! HA! AND before you use the dye you have to wash the leather with a quick saddle soap to get off all the residue of the leather prep stripper that you have used or it will keep your new dye from taking to the leather..... the wait at least one full day to make sure the shoe is totally dry before you use the dye.......it is all a lot of work....but if you want to dye them....expect to have set aside at least one week time wise to properly prep them...this is from watching my Husband do a pair of shoes that had to be done a few times over to get it right...and never expect to make a dark leather color to be a lighter color...it will not work.