LEATHER DYE: Long-Term Success Stories
#1
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LEATHER DYE: Long-Term Success Stories
Please post your long-term leather colour change / redye successes and failures here. It would help if you could describe:
1) which item do you colour?
2) how much frequent wear the item takes
3) what product you used
4) exact process used
5) old colour -> new colour
6) level of success?
7) today's question?
I'll start:
1) headliner; centre console
2) Headliner: no wear. Console: lots of wear at knee
3) Leatherique
4) paint thinner to prep. rubbed parts vigorously, did not scuff or cause sueding. removed all sheen. colour became dull. allowed to completely outgas. applied colour in short strokes with t-shirt, frequently finding new clean spots on the shirt. applied several coats, till desired coverage and consistency was reached.
5) burgundy -> black (headliner); saddle -> black (console)
6) both successful. no flaking, no wear-off, even in high areas of friction near knee. wasn't happy that finish was very shiny instead of matte.
7) Should I spray or wipe or dab? And, are the SEM sprays any good? I'm going from salmon to light grey.
My Story:
I've bought a complete Boxster interior. I'm working on redyeing the seats. While I've recoloured parts successfully before, I have quite a bit of fear regarding seats, because of a) the many nooks and crannies and b) very high wear on these items. I could really use some experienced help here!!!
1) which item do you colour?
2) how much frequent wear the item takes
3) what product you used
4) exact process used
5) old colour -> new colour
6) level of success?
7) today's question?
I'll start:
1) headliner; centre console
2) Headliner: no wear. Console: lots of wear at knee
3) Leatherique
4) paint thinner to prep. rubbed parts vigorously, did not scuff or cause sueding. removed all sheen. colour became dull. allowed to completely outgas. applied colour in short strokes with t-shirt, frequently finding new clean spots on the shirt. applied several coats, till desired coverage and consistency was reached.
5) burgundy -> black (headliner); saddle -> black (console)
6) both successful. no flaking, no wear-off, even in high areas of friction near knee. wasn't happy that finish was very shiny instead of matte.
7) Should I spray or wipe or dab? And, are the SEM sprays any good? I'm going from salmon to light grey.
My Story:
I've bought a complete Boxster interior. I'm working on redyeing the seats. While I've recoloured parts successfully before, I have quite a bit of fear regarding seats, because of a) the many nooks and crannies and b) very high wear on these items. I could really use some experienced help here!!!
#2
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Heinrich do a search under my screen name, I just posted a recent how to which resulted in amazing results. Unfortunately this was done only a few weeks ago so I can't comment on longevity...sorry.
#3
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Afshin thank you, I read it!! Here's the thread https://rennlist.com/forums/concours...-solution.html . I'm hoping to make this sort of a collection point for ALL leather redye experiences.
#4
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1) which item do you colour? rear seats, rear center console, door inserts.
2) how much frequent wear the item takes...it has been on for appx 6yrs? not a single issue
3) what product you used...ColorPlus. Color matched to a sample of Porsche "Graphite Gray"
4) exact process used...clean old surface with acetone to remove all grease , wiped down with a lint free rag...then used a smaller Badger plastic model airbrush to apply it. Went on wonderfully!
5) old colour -> new colour. light grey to Graphite gray..basically going a darker.
6) level of success? Perfect! so much that i was tempted to do the headliner, dash and rear quarters as Ive always like cars with grey interiors. I stayed with the current black and gray look, which is very nice also.
7) today's question?
I also redyed my flight kit(holds all my manuals, charts etc when i fly on trips) from dark brown to "porsche black" with the same results. My bag sees more abuse than you can imagine been dragged around and tossed onto Xray machines at security checkpoints, then tossed into a small area by my seat in the cockpit. If there was a benchmark test for the durabily of the stuff i used, my bag would be it!! i havent done a thing to it in 6 yrs either!
The nicest part about this stuff was its water clean up! no thinners..fumes etc etc
Heck, i even redyed my scuffed up black work shoes!
next job is the front seats in our ford expedition once i get the color match done
www.colorplus.com
2) how much frequent wear the item takes...it has been on for appx 6yrs? not a single issue
3) what product you used...ColorPlus. Color matched to a sample of Porsche "Graphite Gray"
4) exact process used...clean old surface with acetone to remove all grease , wiped down with a lint free rag...then used a smaller Badger plastic model airbrush to apply it. Went on wonderfully!
5) old colour -> new colour. light grey to Graphite gray..basically going a darker.
6) level of success? Perfect! so much that i was tempted to do the headliner, dash and rear quarters as Ive always like cars with grey interiors. I stayed with the current black and gray look, which is very nice also.
7) today's question?
I also redyed my flight kit(holds all my manuals, charts etc when i fly on trips) from dark brown to "porsche black" with the same results. My bag sees more abuse than you can imagine been dragged around and tossed onto Xray machines at security checkpoints, then tossed into a small area by my seat in the cockpit. If there was a benchmark test for the durabily of the stuff i used, my bag would be it!! i havent done a thing to it in 6 yrs either!
The nicest part about this stuff was its water clean up! no thinners..fumes etc etc
Heck, i even redyed my scuffed up black work shoes!
next job is the front seats in our ford expedition once i get the color match done
www.colorplus.com
#6
Race Director
H
I had great success with the "Color Glo" who repaired Sharky's seats in 2006 & redyed both front seats to match......fast forward to 2009 and the "restoration" still looked great when I sold her......
I had great success with the "Color Glo" who repaired Sharky's seats in 2006 & redyed both front seats to match......fast forward to 2009 and the "restoration" still looked great when I sold her......
#7
Three Wheelin'
Heinrich -
I bought a set of leather arm rests from JamesH's 86 and redyed them with Dynamix (UK) from brown to dark blue with success. Used cirtus based stripper, mineral spirits then followed the directions. Took a few days of patience but results is still good. Glad to share when at next meet (missed 8/1...vacation mode in San Juans).
Stefan
I bought a set of leather arm rests from JamesH's 86 and redyed them with Dynamix (UK) from brown to dark blue with success. Used cirtus based stripper, mineral spirits then followed the directions. Took a few days of patience but results is still good. Glad to share when at next meet (missed 8/1...vacation mode in San Juans).
Stefan
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#13
Nordschleife Master
And what's new about that? 50 guys a day post a question that they could answer themselves with a little work. It's the lifeblood of the forum.
If the wheel is at all worn I'd suggest getting a new cover. I've like my AGLA wheel cover and stick boots but some people don't. Lots of work to do a wheel. Think about sending yours in.
I've used the Leatherique line to do a center console and rear side bolsters. Worked great turning cream and black into brown. Those aren't really wear surfaces but are holding up and match the interior when I just asked for brown from the model year. They wanted a swatch pretty badly but I didn't have anything to spare that looks good.
It sounded like a good winter indoor project but the toxic fumes from the spraying really hung in the house.
I'm planning to do some seats next with Leatherique. Grey 996 seats for my burgundy 944. It'll be cooool once I get them mounted right. 996 is when they changed the seat bolting method.
If the wheel is at all worn I'd suggest getting a new cover. I've like my AGLA wheel cover and stick boots but some people don't. Lots of work to do a wheel. Think about sending yours in.
I've used the Leatherique line to do a center console and rear side bolsters. Worked great turning cream and black into brown. Those aren't really wear surfaces but are holding up and match the interior when I just asked for brown from the model year. They wanted a swatch pretty badly but I didn't have anything to spare that looks good.
It sounded like a good winter indoor project but the toxic fumes from the spraying really hung in the house.
I'm planning to do some seats next with Leatherique. Grey 996 seats for my burgundy 944. It'll be cooool once I get them mounted right. 996 is when they changed the seat bolting method.