The Harness Makers' Guide. 73 



Dyeing Leather. — The . introduction of aniline dyes has 

 brought about a simple and effective means by which articles 

 in small quantities may be dyed without the necessity for 

 providing the extensive plant required when the work is 

 carried out by the old wood dye process. As harness makers 

 frequently require a piece of leather of a particular shade, 

 or have in hand some article which may be brought more 

 to the taste of the purchaser if suitably coloured to his fancv, a 

 few recipes, with instructions for preparing the leather, are given 

 with a view to assisting the novice in bringing about the desired 

 change of colour. The surface of the skin must first be well washed 

 with warm water, the advantage of which is that the dye does not 

 penetrate so quickly, and may thus be spread more evenly over 

 the surface. A mordaunting fluid is next ap[)lied ; this diflers 

 according to the colour of the dye to be used. For all light shades, 

 the mordaunt consists of 1 part phosphate of soda dissolved in 100 

 parts of water. For various shades of browns, a very small quantity 

 of tartaric acid is added to the above, the proportion being J^oz. 

 of tartaric acid to 20 gallons of the mordaunt solution. For all 

 blue and green colours, the following mordaunt is recommended : — 

 10 gallons water, lib. phosphat-e of soda, lib. dextrine, ^^oz. tartaric 

 acid. It is much better to commence with weak dve solutions, when 

 aniline colours are used. See that no cracks, scratches, cuts, musty 

 grain, or other imperfections are on the grain side. The least 

 scratch or blemish is sure to be more conspicuous when finished than 

 when in previous state, and it is impossible to obtain evenness of 

 shade when the grain is musty or bruised, because the damaged 

 places are sure to absorb the dye more readily than where the 

 grain is perfect. A good plan for testing the colour, is to first 

 apply it to a piece of scrap leather, and allow it to dry. All aniline 

 dyes dry a lighter shade than when wet. To increase the depth of 

 colour, give two or three coatings, draining the skin well before each 

 additional coat is given. The n-ethod of preparing the dye is 

 simple. It is only necessary to dissolve aniline in hot water at the 

 rate of about 240 grains (half an- ounce) to 10 quarts of water. The 

 dyes, after being dissolved, must be strained through a linen cloth. 

 They are applied with a brush, which is dipped in flat, and the dye 

 distributed as evenly as possible. A very nice light tan colour is 

 prepared from Phosphine No. 1., while Phosphine No. 2 gives a 

 somewhat darker shade, and Phosphine No. 3 a dark brown. 



Water. 

 Bright Straw Colour. — 1 Napthalin Yellow to 400 parts. 

 Golden Yellow.— 1 Methanil Yellow to ... 100 „ 



Violet.— 1 Methyl Violet to 100 „ 



Light Green. — 1 Victoria Green to 200 



Dark Green. — 1 Extra Brilliant Green to ... -100 ,, 



Sky Blue.— 1 Water Blue D.N. to 200 ,, 



Imperial Blue.— 1 Water Blue D.N. to ... 100 



BufTfj ^ !^" . Vto400 .. 



\ 1 Frsme | 



Reddish Brown.- 1 Seal Brown to ... ... lOo 



