PAINT A BLACK LEATHER JACKET

[ROOK ALLURES]

Hi folks! New member here and this is my first post.
One of my leather jackets is a Schott 141 bought in NYC some 15 years ago. Best riding jacket I ever had! I changed the left sleeve zipper and the puller tab some months ago because they were broken. The Schott service is incredible. I live in Portugal, contact them by mail and Denise from the customer service sent the zippers over seas right away at zero cost (hats off to them!)....
But the reason I'm writing is because I ride a lot along the cost and the elements are gradually turning the jacket to a gray tone... I wonder if someone ever painted a jacket back to its original color and how was the experience... It's something to be done by professionals, not by me, but I'm a little bit afraid to lose the leather patina to something with a fake look and no history... The jacket is black made out of thick cow hide.
Thanks and regards!

 

[mvilla]

I guess you could use some Urad with black pigment...

 

[Will Zach]

...or regular Urad (no pigment) if you want the patina to show. To make the jacket look black again AND keep the patina will be tricky. Obenaufs oil will darken the grey areas, but it will be temporary. Paging @ton312 for more ideas. Edit - anybody used Black Pecards?

https://pecard.com/products/classic-leather-care-products/weather-proof-leather-black/

Btw - this jacket is imo a textbook example of sleeves being made from a different batch of hide than the torso and thus aging differently. Overall I think this effect is cool, but if the OP wants a more uniform look then the sleeves need to be blackened, the question is how.

 

[Monitor]

https://fiebing.com/product/leather-dye/

Follow instructions.

 

[Peacoat]

What's wrong with leaving the way it is?

Here is my Schott that has been on a bunch of rides. It has character, but it is only the second "saltiest" jacket in our club. When it starts to get dry, I will put a coat or two of Pecard on it. That will cause it to darken, but patina will gradually come back as it is exposed to the sun.

 

[ROOK ALLURES]

Hi. thanks for the replies! I don't think sleeves are made from a different batch of hide, it's just that sleeves and the back panel are much more exposed to direct sun light... The hide is thick and soft with the same type of grain all over the panels. I never used Urad. The leather conditioner I use is the irish Celtic Leather Care made out of bee wax but it's quite thick and have no pigments. Maybe I'm going to leave it as it is, as Peacoat suggests. This is my all year motorcycle jacket and I don't want to lose the patina and do something that I might regret...

 

[Jasonindenver]

I use Obenaufs in my winter boots and the color shift lasts for a whole year on average. However, the have been done 3-4 times by now.

 

[ton312]

Black Urad will add pigment, shine and wax. The jacket will look brand new.

For a few months. Eventually the patina will return, albeit somewhat subdued. You can then reapply and back to new, or let it ride. Even I tinted Urad will darken and subdue the surface wear. No need to go atomic with dye in this case.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Looks like the jacket got a lot of time in the sun. Very nice fades. You can redye it with either Fiebing oil dye or Angelus self leveling paint, both will make it look new again but you will lose the nice natural fades. Any cobbler shop can do this for you too they've got all the stuff there. I'd leave it and keep wearing it. It looks very nice the way it is right now.

 

[ROOK ALLURES]

Thanks Canuck Panda, guess I'll end up leaving it as it is and maybe will change to another leather conditioner not so thick as the one I've been using. I found some good leather products tips in the comments... Thanks to you all!

 

[ROOK ALLURES]

Black Urad will add pigment, shine and wax. The jacket will look brand new.

For a few months. Eventually the patina will return, albeit somewhat subdued. You can then reapply and back to new, or let it ride. Even I tinted Urad will darken and subdue the surface wear. No need to go atomic with dye in this case.

Thanks! Don't know what Black Urad is but will check it on the web.

 

[Edward]

Many years ago I used a product called "Black Leather Jacket" which brought one back from totally greyed out and looked great. Before that, at one time I also did the same with a jacket by just using black boot polish, though that was a *lot* of work and didn't last as long. I'm a fan of the redye method, but then I like my black leather to be black, not turn grey or brown.

 

[ROOK ALLURES]

Many years ago I used a product called "Black Leather Jacket" which brought one back from totally greyed out and looked great. Before that, at one time I also did the same with a jacket by just using black boot polish, though that was a *lot* of work and didn't last as long. I'm a fan of the redye method, but then I like my black leather to be black, not turn grey or brown.

Thanks. The problem with black shoes polish is that they smell and are usually very bright...

 

[ROOK ALLURES]

https://fiebing.com/product/leather-dye/

Follow instructions.

Thank you! The DIY movie clip's awesome!

 

[Aloysius]

...or regular Urad (no pigment) if you want the patina to show. To make the jacket look black again AND keep the patina will be tricky. Obenaufs oil will darken the grey areas, but it will be temporary. Paging @ton312 for more ideas. Edit - anybody used Black Pecards?

https://pecard.com/products/classic-leather-care-products/weather-proof-leather-black/

Btw - this jacket is imo a textbook example of sleeves being made from a different batch of hide than the torso and thus aging differently. Overall I think this effect is cool, but if the OP wants a more uniform look then the sleeves need to be blackened, the question is how.

I’ve used black Pecard with great success. It’s a tint, so it never causes black spots or something, just rejuvenates what’s already there while adding a degree of conditioning and weather resistance.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Ran out of paint. Just ordered some more and will finish up next week. A medium sized jacket needs at least two of the small bottles for one coating.

Already set up my make shift paint station so did a bit of wool dye too. The original was just too bright for me so cut it down with a bit of black. Will let it cure and wash out next week.

Might even teacore black this goat. Hmm…

I used foam roller for the oil/acrylic/non water soluble paint for the leather

And microfiber roller for the water soluble dye for the wool

Beats using the small wool ball thing expensive and take too much time. Mass production at home…

 

[Aloysius]

In the last photos it looks like 5 Star chocolate "russet" goat. While I'm sure it doesn't, in real life, the thought has me retching remembering the overwhelming stink of 5 Star leather.

 

[Canuck Panda]

That’s Aeros russet goat, it is on a different level than 5star russet goat (russet dyed plus clear coat vs just straight russet paint). The sun light is playing tricks on the photo. But I do want to paint the jacket black teacore goat.

 

[Aloysius]

That’s Aeros russet goat, it is on a different level than 5star russet goat (russet dyed plus clear coat vs just straight russet paint). The sun light is playing tricks on the photo. But I do want to paint the jacket black teacore goat.

I know it's a trick of the light. I have and love Aero's goat.

I have nightmares about 5 Star's goat. I thought it was a fluke that mine smelled so terrible because no one else seemed to have that experience but then the second (replacement for size issues) jacket smelled just as bad, lol.

 

[mvilla]

That’s Aeros russet goat, it is on a different level than 5star russet goat (russet dyed plus clear coat vs just straight russet paint). The sun light is playing tricks on the photo. But I do want to paint the jacket black teacore goat.

Post a tutorial thread on that! Would be nice to have something like it in the forum for posteriority