How to dye vintage stained vachetta and bring old bags back to life!

Camaro Chic

Camaro Chic

LVoe Hermes!
Dec 6, 2011
3,383
688
#1
Everyone has been asking me for detailed instructions so I thought I would post them along with pics.

Attached you'll see photos of a dyed brown Noé (i love the brown because it matches the canvas so well) along with an Alma and a Deauville. The more coats of dye, the blacker the result. I only did 2 on the Deauville so it looks kinda dark brown or black indoors and black like Macassar in sunlight which I like.

You'll need (most items pictured below):

Fiebings leather dye
Fiebings Carnauba Creme
Fiebings dye prep
Fiebings Resolene
Daubers (available at Michael's or on Amazon.com which is where I ordered all the Fiebings. You can try Michael's as well)
Q-Tips
Tiny fine line paintbrush (i am an artist and get mine at Michael's. These are a must for piping)
Paper towels
Bowl of water to occasionally clean your paintbrush
Masking tape

You can use Kiwi shoe dye but make sure you use a dye prep so the leather absorbs it and resolene so it'll seal... otherwise it flakes off or scratches off and you'll have to touch it up often. The Deauville pictured has not been sealed with Resolene yet. Resolene makes it waterproof and also keeps the dye from transferring to your hands or clothes when using Fiebings.

Instructions in next post.
 

Attachments

  • 1459121739213.jpg
    1459121739213.jpg
    76.8 KB · Views: 2,243
  • 1459121792029.jpg
    1459121792029.jpg
    76.9 KB · Views: 2,323
  • 1459121818705.jpg
    1459121818705.jpg
    103.7 KB · Views: 2,322
  • 1459121839046.jpg
    1459121839046.jpg
    101.9 KB · Views: 2,476
  • 1459121892882.jpg
    1459121892882.jpg
    82.3 KB · Views: 2,331
  • 1459121904856.jpg
    1459121904856.jpg
    74.4 KB · Views: 2,400
  • 1459121916255.jpg
    1459121916255.jpg
    93.2 KB · Views: 2,215
  • 1459121942405.jpg
    1459121942405.jpg
    64.4 KB · Views: 2,242
#3
Ok, so begin by taping off around the vachetta on the canvas if you are nervous. I do not do this because I have become a pro at it and don't need it. If you use Kiwi it'll wipe right off the canvas if it gets on it. Fiebings is a bit tougher to get off the canvas but if you catch it immediately it'll still come off with a bit of rubbing alcohol and a paper towel immediately after you get the dye on it. The coating on canvas is pretty resilient.

Start by using a leather moisturizer (I use apple conditioner, LMB or Meguiars which can be found at any autozone or walmart) to condition the vachetta. Once it's dried (give it a few hours if you're not sure) let the dyeing begin!

To dye, start by using the dye prep to thoroughly soak the vachetta. You can use a dauber or a cloth for this. Do it one area at a time... for example on the Noé I just started by working the prep into the bottom and dyeing it first then moved on to the straps trim etc.

While the vachetta is still dark and damp from the dye prep (as soon as you finish prepping) immediately dye it. Dip the dauber in the dye and use long smooth strokes to dye every bit of the vachetta area. It dries to the touch within 10 minutes usually. I use a tiny paintbrush to do the piping, using my hand inside the bag to push up the piping and expose the sides. The dye will generally soak in and bleed to the edges without much effort and without having to risk getting too close to the canvas if you use a paintbrush dipped in the dye... You'll get the technique as you go.. steady hands! Brace your arms on something if needed) but have your alcohol and paper towel handy if you accidentally get it on the canvas and be sure after using alcohol and removing the dye on the canvas you wipe it off with a clean damp cloth to remove the alcohol.

Once you've dyed it all, let it dry for a few hours, then follow the directions on the resolene. After that dries overnight, use the carnauba Creme to moisturize the vachetta and you're done! Moisturise it regularly. I try to fill any cracks with dye and resolene so they don't show as much but you can buy a filler from Fiebings in a neutral color to fill in cracks in vachetta if you want.

The resolene will give it a glossy finish or you can go over it all with Kiwi shoe dye if you like the glossy ebene/Macassar look like the alma pictured.
 
Last edited:
#4
Btw the more piping the longer it'll take. The Deauville took me about 6 hours start to finish... I'm a perfectionist... but the Alma took only 2 hours. The piping is the hardest part. For the handles you can usually slide the edge of your tape under the edge of the chaps and then not worry about getting dye all over the canvas.
 
Last edited:
#10
You did an amazing job, however I still have some questions!! Does your Deauville have a matte finish after using the Fiebings Resolene and Carnauba Creme? If I want a glossy look I will first apply dye prep, Fiebing dye, kiwi leather dye, then resolene, and lastly the carnauba creme. So far do you see any cracking or color transfer from just handling the bag or by rubbing the bag with light color clothes? Is the bag water resistant, do you think the dye will bleed if it will contact with water?

Sorry for throwing so much questions at you but I want to know all the informations before purchasing a pre-own bag and dyeing the bag, Thank you!!
 
#11
Camaro Chic said:
Ok, so begin by taping off around the vachetta on the canvas if you are nervous. I do not do this because I have become a pro at it and don't need it. If you use Kiwi it'll wipe right off the canvas if it gets on it. Fiebings is a bit tougher to get off the canvas but if you catch it immediately it'll still come off with a bit of rubbing alcohol and a paper towel immediately after you get the dye on it. The coating on canvas is pretty resilient.

Start by using a leather moisturizer (I use apple conditioner, LMB or Meguiars which can be found at any autozone or walmart) to condition the vachetta. Once it's dried (give it a few hours if you're not sure) let the dyeing begin!

To dye, start by using the dye prep to thoroughly soak the vachetta. You can use a dauber or a cloth for this. Do it one area at a time... for example on the Noé I just started by working the prep into the bottom and dyeing it first then moved on to the straps trim etc.

While the vachetta is still dark and damp from the dye prep (as soon as you finish prepping) immediately dye it. Dip the dauber in the dye and use long smooth strokes to dye every bit of the vachetta area. It dries to the touch within 10 minutes usually. I use a tiny paintbrush to do the piping, using my hand inside the bag to push up the piping and expose the sides. The dye will generally soak in and bleed to the edges without much effort and without having to risk getting too close to the canvas if you use a paintbrush dipped in the dye... You'll get the technique as you go.. steady hands! Brace your arms on something if needed) but have your alcohol and paper towel handy if you accidentally get it on the canvas and be sure after using alcohol and removing the dye on the canvas you wipe it off with a clean damp cloth to remove the alcohol.

Once you've dyed it all, let it dry for a few hours, then follow the directions on the resolene. After that dries overnight, use the carnauba Creme to moisturize the vachetta and you're done! Moisturise it regularly. I try to fill any cracks with dye and resolene so they don't show as much but you can buy a filler from Fiebings in a neutral color to fill in cracks in vachetta if you want.

The resolene will give it a glossy finish or you can go over it all with Kiwi shoe dye if you like the glossy ebene/Macassar look like the alma pictured.
Click to expand...
Have you tried dying before moisturizing? Do you think the leather would absorb the dye better if you dye it and then moisturize?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back