Hello guys;

I don't know why I do this to myself, but I ordered some dye from the uk to redo my worn x type Champagne (SEL) drivers seat. I have already been thru this before with terrible results in my XJS....I ended up buying a new leather interior for that car after being unsuccessful with my re-dye attempts. Since I am definitely not buying a new leather interior for my X type, I thought to myself, "you'll get it right this time" and got some dye from the UK. I got enough to do the entire seat, so I started by taking some acetone to the panels I want to redo and then proceeded to use the little sponge to start the application process and I can only say that the results where awful. A bunch of streak marks..,,just awful. Can anyone who has used this successfully give me a step by step please? Should I just be blotting the dye on?

Thanks !!

 

Spike,

I have used the Gliptone dye on smaller sections of my seats with decent results. (See below). I have never done an entire seat, but I will share what has worked for me so far.






First I used Gliptone cleaner and conditioner to clean the seat approx 1 week before actually dyeing the seats. (This is supposed to help soften the leather to get it ready to accept the dye.)

When I was ready to actually dye the seat, I completely cleaned the seat again with their cleaner and a soft nail brush to get any dirt/residue off. I wiped off the cleaner with a damp cloth and let the seat completely dry. I did not use any acetone.

Working smaller areas individually from this point on let me develop a technique that worked for my seats and reduced waste of product. It takes a little longer, but I could control the final result more effectively.

I only attempt one section of the seat (bottom middle, bottom side, bolster, etc) at a time and apply dye with the sponge supplied using small circular motions - applying gentle pressure to help work the dye evenly into leather. You must apply enough dye to ensure a full covering of the area but not so much that it leaves trails you cannot work into the leather. Work the area until you get uniform color and texture.

After the dye has absorbed for a few mins (2-3), take a damp soft cloth and GENTLY wipe. If you get areas that are lighter, let wiped areas completely dry and reapply a thin coat of dye to the lighter area, blending it with the area around it, let dry a few mins, then wipe again. It may take 2-4 coats to get an even color. I was lucky? and I got my repair areas to blend after 2 coats of dye.

I have also read that many (obviously talented) folks use a small air sprayer to cover the entire seat area at one time. I am not that talented, nor do I have the equipment for such an attempt.

I hope this helps you get your desired results. Would love to see photos when you get done.

 

spike.
the dye may be reacting with the acetone that you used.
as Panema says may be an idea to use the cleaner conditioner from the same guys you got the dye from. They sell it on Amazon I just ordered some to do my interior.

 

I think the acetone is your problem.

I've used the Scuffmaster product to touch up a few scratches on my seats, I just used a leather cleaner and then applied the Scuffmaster. Worked OK.

 

Leather will soak up acetone like a sponge, and it will absorb every speck of moisture from the leather, closing up the pores completely.

The dye requires open pores to allow the pigments to 'soak into' the leather.

The acetone was a.) the worst possible thing to apply to the leather, and b.) the reason that the dye would blotch up unevenly.

Clean the leather with saddle soap, and follow it up with the proper conditioner...and do it soon, before the leather starts to split!

 

Wa3ra said what I was thinking concerning the use of acetone, but I am new to leather maintenance.

Acetone is an extremely harsh chemical (melts plastic - main ingredient in nail polish) and even though I saw many "aka expert opinions" on the net saying it was okay to use, I steered clear of using it. I considered alcohol, but decided 2-3 shots before working on the car's leather was also a bad idea......

I believe that the Gliptone cleaner (water-based) does about as good a job of cleaning as necessary. Common sense tells me that you should clean that acetone residue from the leather and recondition it as Wa3ra suggested as soon as practicable. Let it work for a period (I waited 1 week) and then re-clean and try the dye again. Work as large an area as you feel comfortable. You already know my suggestion on this.......

Hope you get better results - remember the definition of insanity is "trying the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result."

Stay sane my friend!!

 

I learned it by experience! Luckily at the time I did it, '79 Dodge Magnum seats were still readily available!