To darken leather or not to darken leather?

[Superfluous]

Please forgive my blasphemy, but would you ever purchase a new jacket with the intention of immediately darkening it. I am VERY interested in a particular jacket that is only available in black and tan. I already have a similar cut jacket in black, so that is not an option. I would love this jacket in medium brown, but it is not available. Would it be an unspeakable travesty to purchase the tan jacket, then darken it. I know that brown jackets naturally darken over time, but I am talking about artificially accelerating the process. Is that just plain insane? How would that impact the leather and the subsequent natural aging process? Would the darkening process permeate the leather in a somewhat uniform and natural way, or would it be superficial, inconsistent and/or appear altered? Are there companies that provide such a service and do it exceptionally well? I recently read a post here where someone darkened a brown LVC Menlo. However, in that case, the owner did so in order to revive the jacket because he had stopped wearing it -- he did not purchase the jacket with the intention of darkening it. The distinction may be immaterial, but I nevertheless question the notion of buying a new jacket with the advance intention of darkening it. Moreover, the owner of the LVC Menlo described a lack of uniformity with respect to the darkened leather.

BTW, since it might be relevant for purposes of how the leather I am considering would accept the darkening process, it is Shinki HH (not the Rainbow Country jacket mentioned in the other thread).

Your thoughts?

 

[handymike]

I'm all for it- as you know!
Not all leather is going to absorb evenly. It's always a gamble, best if you have a sample piece to play with first.
Be careful if you plan on using dye. They can get messy very quickly!

 

[Sloan1874]

Dying shinki HH? :faint: Have to say, I'm not sure how readily it would absorb dye. My shinki jacket has a top coat that resists all but the heaviest soakings.

 

[Superfluous]

I'm all for it- as you know!
Not all leather is going to absorb evenly. It's always a gamble, best if you have a sample piece to play with first.
Be careful if you plan on using dye. They can get messy very quickly!

There is no way for me to get a sample piece -- the jacket is from Japan.

I know nothing about the different available methods (e.g., dying vs. ______). I probably would have a professional do it who has meaningful experience darkening leather. Is there a preferred method?

 

[Superfluous]

Dying shinki HH? :faint:

Lol. Exactly why I am questioning my thinking. Like you, this strikes me as insane. On the other hand, I LOVE the jacket, but it is unavailable in the color I prefer. Thus, I have two choices: (1) pass (but continue to silently pine for it); or (2) buy and darken it. There is a third option: I could purchase a brown version of the same jacket I already have in black (also Shinki HH). I guess that is a different thread: To own the same jacket in two different colors. Hmmmm.

 

[handymike]

Sorry, I missed the part about the Shinki...
It doesn't darken much with conditioners, etc.
John Chapman has an example of a "re-dye" in his photos, but he prefers not to do it any longer from my understanding.

 

[Smithy]

Depends how much you want to darken it but many leather conditioners will darken leather, especially mink oil - although don't go overboard with that as it'll eventually rot stitching if you use it too much.

 

[Cooperson]

I wouldn't even consider messing with Shinki, but that just me. Post some pics, before and after, if you do go for it.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I don't hesitate to do it to boots. If the choice is proper conditioning or color, I go for proper conditioning 100% of the time. Theoretically, I wouldn't have a problem darkening a jacket with some conditioner (Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP), but like it was said, there is a good chance the leather was sourced from more than one animal and from various areas of the body. There's no way to tell if you'll get a uniform color out of it. Matter of fact, I'd bet a good amount of cash that you won't get a uniform color out of it.

My parents surprised me with a letterman's jacket. I'll never forget how much I scorned that jacket, the company, and the local clothier for ever passing that jacket through inspection. The sleeves were obviously very different leathers. One was soft and developed a nice, creased and wrinkled patina right away. The other sleeve never looked any differently than the day they gave it to me. That leather looked like a mailing tube and never broke in with creases and wrinkles.

 

[Ishmael]

Why don't you just wait until the jacket you want becomes available...

 

[Cyber Lip]

ask the maker to do you one in the color you want

 

[Superfluous]

Why don't you just wait until the jacket you want becomes available...

I am trusting you to make that happen . . . convince someone to produce an Auburn BM.

 

[Superfluous]

ask the maker to do you one in the color you want

They already did a special run in the color I want -- sold out in a hearbeat.

 

[Superfluous]

Ok, I get it . . . really bad idea! Thanks for the input. Plan B: two of the same jacket, but one in brown and one in black. Ill give that some thought.

 

[MightyEighth]

The problem with darkening using conditioning type products, is that most of them are specifically designed NOT to darken very much, as that tends to be seen as a negative.

However, I have darkened various leathers, and used different dyes etc, and I can say from experience this stuff is the easiest with the most uniform colour results - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leather-Darkening-Hydrophane-Horse-500ml/dp/B002HV201M

I used this stuff on a tan leather jacket which had gone gold with age, it is now choc brown and even. Sadly I do not have any before pics to show the difference. What I would say is dampen the leather first, as the oil penetrates much better giving an even finish. Then, leave hung in your garage or whatever to dry for 36 hrs. No bad smells, no rotting, even finish (with two applications, the second just touching up any patchy areas).

Fiebings works nicely, but you'll need loads of it, its difficult to get even, and you'll need buy two shades lighter than you think you will need (and bear in mind the alcohol in it will dry out the leather a bit).

 

[Highwaymanman]

Obenauf's leather oil darkens leather like crazy. Much more than the LP will.

 

[Sloan1874]

You might want to try hunting down some seal shinki. That's what I've got, and it's a seriously dark shade of brown.

 

[Superfluous]

You might want to try hunting down some seal shinki. That's what I've got, and it's a seriously dark shade of brown.

The one I missed was called "Auburn" (by the manufacturer) although it looked like Seal:

 

[handymike]

That one looks like Goodwear's Dark Seal....
The one I'm going with....

 

[Sloan1874]

Here's mine. Colour accurate: