leather staining and should I wet it

[DCRthe3rd]

Hi , I got my leather for a knife sheath , it is a tanninsh color , would using something like a wood stain color the leather well? I want to use it smooth side out , also right now the leather is flat and stiff , should I wet it while molding it to fit my knife blade and if so , does it then shrink much as it dries

[DCRthe3rd]

Got the sheath made , didn't wet it  , not sure I even want to stain it now , the color is kind of growing on me

[DCRthe3rd]

As is also turns out , the walnut gun stock stain works well , I used a mixture that was higher in water than stain , I wanted a light color , one that would resemble what I think an Indian's knife sheath would look like.
I'd post a pic but I suppose no one cares.

[DCRthe3rd]

alright ALRIGHT already , if you guys insist , I will post the pic , but only cause all you guys begged
The big one I did 1st on a homemade knife , then I did the little one since I had leather left over

[oldandslow]

Good looking knife sheaths. I'll answer your question too. Leather is much easier to shape when wet and will retain the shape after it dries. I'm sure the wood stain would work but I've never tried it. I have always used Fiebing's oil based leather dye and it is very good.

[DCRthe3rd]

OHHHH , NOW you tell me , j/k.
Thanks , I suspect the original color of the leather will come threw if it gets scratched as I don't believe the stain soaked in to any depth.
Does Fiebing's oil based leather dye soak in far enough,if just wiped on , or do you maybe soak it?

[oldandslow]

It penetrates pretty good. I rub it on until the leather looks wet and then let it soak into until it looks dry and do it again. The finish you put over the dye after it is dry has a lot to do with how your project stands up to use. There are a lot of finish products out there. Google Tandy Leather Company and Hidecrafters. Neatlac is a glaze that gives a slight gloss finish and has stood the test of time. I have used it for a least 45 years and prefer it. Dob it on with a piece of shearling, let it dry and do it again. This applies to oak tanned leather. Oil tanned leather is a different breed of cat.

[DCRthe3rd]

oiled tanned? oak tanned?
How can you tell which is which and what are the practical differences?

[oldandslow]

Live Oak was a trade name that the original Tandy Leather Co. used for their tooling leather and I just call tooling leather oak tanned. It is actually a vegetable tanning process. Oil tanned leathers are basically called latigo which is a light brown leather that is impregnated with oil and is very tough and durable and is fairly waterproof. It is used for saddle strings  and the straps for the cinches on saddles among other things. It doesn't form well at all.

Tooling leather readily soaks up water and forms easily and retains that shape after drying. It is a very pale tan in color with a smooth, unglazed finish. Google Tandy Leather Company or Hidecrafters  and you can get a lot of information about leather. Al Stholman wrote several books on leather working and they are still available today.

[DCRthe3rd]

tandy leather is where this came from , it was their 12inch by 12 inch piece