I collected these from various Internet sources. I will add comments below each recipe as I test them.
Leather Dye:
Leather dyes and shellac coloring are alcohol based. You can use food coloring as a concentrated pigment for these applications.
- Food Coloring + Water or Food Coloring + Alcohol.
- Before dyeing, coat the leather with oxalic acid paste, let it dry and brush it off to make the dye take more evenly. Oxalic acid is the main ingredient in Barkeeper’s Friend so you can use that as a substitute for pure oxalic acid.
Leather Finish (Bushman’s):
- 1 part beeswax
- 1 part parafin wax
- 2 parts Neatsfoot oil (pure)
- 1 teaspoon eucalyptus oil (assuming 1/8 teaspoon)
- Melt all ingredients together.
- The eucalyptus prevents mold.
- If the mixture is too thin, you can add pure gum turpentine to make it creamier.
- Rub the mixture into the leather (sparingly).
- Buff to a satin, water repellent shine
NOTE: Straight oils on leather can weaken the fibers and make it impossible to get a sheen when polishing.
