DoubleG - Posted - 02/29/2012:  13:40:09

I want to try a black calf skin head on one of my banjos but not the shiny plastic kind. I have not found anyone who sells them so I wonder if anyone has an idea of how to stain or colorize a calf skin. If so, what brand stain or procedure? Thanks.

derft - Posted - 02/29/2012:  13:57:38

I have never tried to dye calf skin. If I did I would try Fiebings leather dye. I would test it first and make sure it is color fast. Wouldn't want black coming of on my hands and clothes.

rcmoore - Posted - 02/29/2012:  13:59:33

Bill Miller sells brown and green dyed calfskin.  You might ask him.  He is a great guy to deal with.  Try the link below.

Bob Moore

banjoseen.com

jbalch - Posted - 02/29/2012:  14:15:52

Just a thought ... you might contact Dan Knowles and ask for his input.  I doubt he will see this thread. Dan has done a lot of creative things with hide heads.  He might have an idea.

Linking to the hide heads group: banjohangout.org/group/hideheads

DoubleG - Posted - 02/29/2012:  14:46:39

Thanks John and all.

SteveMo - Posted - 02/29/2012:  15:06:41

Black Angus!

rudy - Posted - 02/29/2012:  15:21:30

I seem to remember Jason Romero saying in one of his interviews that he used the same stain that he uses on the wooden components of his banjos.

Jet black might be difficult to do.  I just did one of the pre-mounted Gold Tone skins with strong black coffee to match the vintage amber stained rim of a new Dobson-ringed 11" open back that I'm in the process of putting together.  It turned out very nice, even considering the Gold Tone head has a smooth finish as supplied.  I'll be posting the pics of this one when the finish is dry and it is assembled.  It's still maybe a week out depending on how much spare time I can come up with.

Fathand - Posted - 02/29/2012:  15:30:23

I dyed a white leather motorcycle seat with Fiebings leather dye.  The seat had a sort of white coating on it, almost a paint. I am sure the Fiebings leather dye would only work better on a bare calfskin head.  The heads are cheap like $9 -$15 so you have not much to worry about. 

J-Walk - Posted - 02/29/2012:  15:33:18

A few weeks ago I dyed a goat skin head black, using wood stain. I just wanted to darken it up a tad, so I wiped the stain on, and then off (both sides). That was before soaking. It could have gotten a lot blacker, I think. But it would never lose the transparency.

tdennis - Posted - 02/29/2012:  15:52:18

I can't wait to see the results.  Dying a skin head  deep black is difficult,(I've tried clothing dyes, shoe polish, & spray,... the heads came out either greyish,  blotchy & uneven, sticky  or stiff).    (black on  jackets, belts, shoes, etc.  results from a very different process, & get their color from a thick application of some coating  akin to paint).  Other items that are black get it through pigments infused by boiling or chemical processes.    Whatever  technique you find, I'm going to try it also.  Good luck.  

DEmery - Posted - 02/29/2012:  17:12:54

Dan Knowles actually died a skin head pitch black on a project shown on BHO a long time ago. Dan would be glad to discuss it with you or do it for you...I am sure. David Emery

Edited by - DEmery on 02/29/2012 17:18:48

jbalch - Posted - 02/29/2012:  19:40:57

Good memory David ...I forgot about this.

quote:

---

Originally posted by DEmery

Dan Knowles actually died a skin head pitch black on a project shown on BHO a long time ago. Dan would be glad to discuss it with you or do it for you...I am sure. David Emery

---

rubicon - Posted - 03/01/2012:  01:12:02

There is not to much Dan hasn't done lol !!

bvh - Posted - 03/01/2012:  04:18:47

Hey Gordon...........Since calfskin is leather, I don't see, why one could not use Fiebing's black oil dye (leather dye). Available at any Tandy store.      

bvh                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

DanKnowles - Posted - 03/01/2012:  18:24:09

Gordon,

I use Fiebing's leather dye, it creates a nice deep black. I get it at a shoe store that is around the corner from my shop.

With under dying you can get some nice variations in tone from a warm to a cool black. Should you want a warmer black, first dye with red then the black. Should you wish a cooler black, your first dye should be blue. If you do the two step process allow each coat to dry thoroughly. I don't recommend wood stain as it is usually a oil based product which has rather large color partials and doesn't penetrate as well as leather dyes.

BTW if you find this helpful,  thank David Emery who sent me a link to this forum...

Dan

DoubleG - Posted - 03/05/2012:  14:36:29

I'm doing the dye job today. Ox Blood Red 2 coats under side and 1 coat red and 1 coat black on the topside so far. Once it dries, I will see if it needs another black coat. Once it dries should I condition it or anything? Thanks for the tip Dan.