Boot dye/polish?

[lizzwithay]

EDIT: update on Red Boots

Hello!

Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a boot dye and also a boot polish?

I need to polish up some dark red boots for Romana I, and then dye some tan boots light blue for Zoe from the Five Doctors (Wooooo bubble wrap!). Both pairs are leather, although the red ones are a stiff leather and the tan ones

Comments

[droxy]

I've dyed light grey boots black. I've dyed a brown leather coat to black

[elfgrove]

Trick for coloring shoes:
- http://projectcosplay.tumblr.com/post/7348594197
- http://projectcosplay.tumblr.com/post/7392947512

[lis_elfwench]

I dyed tan boots red for my steampunk River Song outfit. It was the first time I had done it, but it was super easy. I'll give you the link to my River Song page; if you scroll down about 1/2 way, you'll see all my tips on dyeing boots. I found a completely fabulous tutorial on youtube, and the guy who did it is super nice and answered questions I had and gave me reassurance to begin the project!

http://www.freewebs.com/dragonflydesignsbyalisa/steampunkriversong.htm

[lizzwithay]

Thanks all so much!

The boots I need to dye are vintage pair that has a some other wear and discolorations so I figure even if I make a complete mess of them I won't feel tooooo terrible (Also, they were only 12$ and apparently finding powder blue flat slouch boots is impossible to find!) I haven't seen the soles of those boots yet but if they are still in a decent condition I'd like to keep them and attempt to make them wearable. The red boots that I just need to polish up has some issues with the soles but I have a feeling that I'll end up liking them enough to eventually spring to get them re soled.

Anyone have any suggestions on brands of dye? @Lis_Elfwench I saw that you used Eco-Flo which I checked out but unfortunately they do not have the light powder blue color I need. (Also I absolutely LOVE your Steampunk River costume!)

One more thing: I've seen in a few of the links that I've been sent to that you need to strip the leather before dying it, is that true even when going from lighter to darker?

[lis_elfwench]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked my River Song costume

[lizzwithay]

Ahhh did not see the light blue on the site I searched Eco-Flo for!

Thanks so much for your help! Once I have the finances again I'll get the dye and stripper and have at it!

Luckily the Con I'm going to isn't till November!

[marchek]

I've used these dyes successfully on leather shoes

http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/10144436-AA.shtml?lnav=dyes.html

Use this to prepare the leather before dyeing:
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/10816310-AA.shtml

[galacticprobe]

A friend of mine used regular rubbing alcohol on his work boots when he wanted to get a layer of polish off them so he could re-polish them for inspection (military). The alcohol managed to remove the layer of polish, but it also took off all of the finish, and the black boots became almost white. (Fortunately he only did the toe of one boot when he found out what the alcohol would do. So he had to use the black dye before polishing it, and was up most of the night to get the boot inspection-ready, but then he had to do the other boot toe to get them to match.)

So rubbing alcohol might be a viable alternative to that leather preparer (which looks and sounds like some really dangerous stuff... "use heavy rubber gloves"?). I'd try the alcohol on a small, not-easily-seen spot to see if that works before buying that prepper stuff, but then I am a little cautious when I read things like that.

Dino.