Feibing's Leather Dyes:

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:52 pm

This question is for those that use Feibings dyes.... What is the difference between Black, and USMC Black. Which is better?

I think it's about time to play with them.
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

staffwalker · Post by **staffwalker** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:18 pm

I can't really remember for sure but the one I use comes in a box and bottle shaped like the other colors. I think that is the black. I believe USMC black comes in a different shaped bottle. I bought some once but it appeared to be the kind of stuff one would use to dress heels and soles with. It stayed shiny on briar and never appeared to dry, in fact it was still wet after eight hours. I finally took a rag and rubbed it off, at that point it looked pretty much like the other black does in two minutes.

Love those dyes by the way. I bought one of all the available colors and mix and match. One can produce all the colors of the rainbow. I used to just pour a little of this and a little of that but when I did a pipe and really liked the color I could never get the proportions correct to reproduce it. I finally started using an eye dropper to count the drops and writing it on the top of the mixing bottle. Now when I do something I really like I can go look at the bottle and reproduce it. Old medicine bottles or 35mm film cannisters are perfect to use as mixing containers.

bob gilbert

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:08 am

Thanks Bob,
I'll just go with the regular stuff than. As I said, I've been putting it off for way too long. So........what's the difference between Oxblood and Cordovan. Any time I've purchase shoes with either name, I thought it was the same???
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

custom300 · Post by **custom300** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 9:18 am

bluesmk wrote:Thanks Bob,
I'll just go with the regular stuff than. As I said, I've been putting it off for way too long. So........what's the difference between Oxblood and Cordovan. Any time I've purchase shoes with either name, I thought it was the same???
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

That was my thought too...I assumed that Cordovan would polish out with a red tint. That is not what the Feibings cordovan does, on briar at least. I was looking for a real rich "red" over black/brown" tones, but the batch I have does not do that. It goes on red, but as you polish it turns more brown. In fact, I have Feibings Mahogany too. I seem to get more red tones out of the Mahogany, and more of what I think of as Mahogany from the Cordovan. I haven't tried Ox Blood.

If anybody has a suggestion on a real rich deep red, I would like to hear it. BTW Dan, this is a good thread, that I have been meaning to start for awhile. Thanks.

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:39 am

Great Jamie, I'd love to hear some more from others before I order. I know Kurt, Todd and I believe Marks all use this product. Lets hear some more....please gentlemen.
Thanks
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 12:18 pm

custom300 wrote:If anybody has a suggestion on a real rich deep red, I would like to hear it.

I have Lincoln leather dye Marine Cordovan (from pipemakers emporium). It is a deep red and turns almost black in the grain. It can be finicky though, and doesn't work well with more than one coat, doesn't work well with an under/contrast stain either and will usually turn brown if put over another stain.

I'm looking for a medium brown stain that doesn't have as much red hues as all the ones I've tried so far. I have light, medium and dark brown Fiebings, light brown and russet Lincoln. All of them are good, but I'd like something a little less red. For now I mix one of the browns with a small amount of tan and black to get close to what I want.

David

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:40 am

bluesmk wrote:Great Jamie, I'd love to hear some more from others before I order. I know Kurt, Todd and I believe Marks all use this product. Lets hear some more....please gentlemen.

The name of the game with any dye or stain is to experiment and take notes. Some stain combinations can come out looking really wacky, even if you don't think it will - Feibings USMC black under Feibings yellow, for instance, comes out with a green cast. Not a good final color under most circumstances. However, the Feibings light tan can go over USMC black without too much trouble and will higlight a lot of grain details - as long as you've given the black at least 24 hours to set, and sanded well.

And remember to experiment on the wood you're using. Looking at stain colors applied to maple or oak won't give you an accurate picture of the color that it will be on briar.

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 10:57 am

Thanks Kurt,
That testing the stain....is the main reason my shop is filled with briar scraps. I always save what is cut off an individual peice to test!
Also, back to the dark stain question....with red overtones. I've used Trans Tint Red Mahogany #6010 with great sucess. I have a pipe I have to p[ost today, I'll provide a link later on.
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:00 pm

Alright guys,
One day I'm going to get a real website. Here's a link, but the pics are #@@@:;*! up, maybe I can get them straightened out.
http://studio.enter.net:8080/servlet/ps ... 3315205812

Let me know if you can see it
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:05 pm

Don't use that link....use this:http://www.gabrielipipes.com/catalog.0.html.5.html

computers.....sheesh!
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:07 pm

Man:http://www.gabrielipipes.com/catalog.0.html.5.html

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:53 pm

http://www.gabrielipipes.com/catalog.0.html.5.html

Rad

TreverT · Post by **TreverT** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:00 pm

Various notes on Feibing's:

USM Black is a different, and better, black than the regular black, which is much lighter in tone. USMC Black will give you close to a jet-black color, instead of the more washed-out looking normal black. Think Dunhill Shell black, here.

I love Feibing's, and just ordered another fifty bucks' worth of their dyes, by coincidence.

Get three bottles of USMC Black for every other color, because you'll go through it quick as an understain.

USMC Black is a blue based black, which is why it goes green when seen mixed through yellow top coat. I wish I could find an equal-quality red-based black, because red-blacks look much more dramatic to the human eye than blues.

Be VERY careful when ordering to differentiate between Feibing's DYES and STAINS. You want DYES. The stains are penetrating colors that take 24 hours to dry, seep deep into the wood, and are not heat-resistant. Even if the stummel feels dry to the touch next day, run a heat gun over it and you will literally see the stain re-liquefy and start to boil out of the wood... not an effect you want happening with a pipe in use!

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:08 pm

Thank you Trever! All great advice....keep it comming guys, I'm ordering mannana!
Thanks again,
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

bvartist · Post by **bvartist** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:51 pm

TreverT wrote:USMC Black is a blue based black, which is why it goes green when seen mixed through yellow top coat. I wish I could find an equal-quality red-based black, because red-blacks look much more dramatic to the human eye than blues.

Fiebings regular black is a blue-based black too. Probably even a little more blue than the USMC. I usually add a few drops of a mahogany dye I have that is very red. Makes a deeper tone black and doesn't seem as dull and lifeless as using straight black.

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:20 pm

Um....Rad, when I see you in Richmond you'll have to let me know how you did that.

Dan
Gabrieli Pipes

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:34 pm

Hi Dan,

The big secret is to put a space between what you're writing and your pasted link.

Like this: Man:http://www.gabrielipipes.com/catalog.0.html.5.html doesn't work.

But this: Man: http://www.gabrielipipes.com/catalog.0.html.5.html does.

Now you don't have to wait till Richmond!

Rad

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:38 pm

Jeesus, thats it!? A freekin' space? Thanks buddy! Good then we can just talk pipes.
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes http://www.gabrielipipes.com/index.html?1169497219968

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:39 pm

Damn....it does work....

Dan

bluesmk · Post by **bluesmk** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:51 pm

Alright , I was going to order online from: Shoeshine express. Sent them a question about not having the USMC black listed on the order form, but it's on the color chart. I recieved and answer about cordovan. WTF???
My question is , where do you purchase your Fiebing dyes?
Dan
Gabrieli Pipes