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itzzspencer
01-29-2012, 06:35 PM
How to go from this:
http://i.imgur.com/8C9gG.jpg
To this:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/425836_10150601315977328_766997327_8990837_1267212 274_n.jpg


Sick of your tan leather seats and you're a cheapass who does not want to spend more money to get it rewrapped or replaced? Or do you just want to refinish your dull black leather seat?
Well, here is a DIY just for you! Before you start, you can NOT dye from darker to lighter shades.

Here is what you need.
http://i.imgur.com/OskPH.jpg

1x Lexol Leather Cleaner
1x Fiebings Leather Deglazer
1x Fiebing's Black Leather Dye
1x Fiebings Acrylic Resolene
1x Lexon Leather Conditioner
2x Towels/Microfibers (prepare to sacrifice these)
1x Plush Microfiber

And a few hours.

Optional: Gloves and mask. (There will be fumes)

Assuming you already have the towels/microfibers, this should run you about 30 dollars all of which could be picked up on amazon.

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOUR SEAT GOES TO SHIT. THIS WAS DONE ON A LOTUS ELISE 06 PROBAX SEAT.

Pre-Step: Test
Before you start you want to make sure you aren't dying something that isn't meant to be dyed. So find a hidden spot to test on the leather.
I will be dying under the seat first with the following steps to come. And please read through this once before starting.

Step 1: Clean

Remove the seat from the car if it isn't already.
Go ahead and use the Lexol leather cleaner and clean the seat thoroughly.

Step 2: Find one section of the seat you plan to dye first and have the deglazer and black leather dye ready.

Go ahead and pour a small about of deglazer on a microfiber and clean the area that you plan to dye and a little bit more around it in case you accidentally get dye past your dedicated perimeter.

Step 3: The Dye
Now quickly use the dauber that came with the leather dye and dip it in your dye. Now apply it lightly and evenly throughout the leather section. You want to do this quickly after the deglazer because you dont want any lint, dust, or dirt landing on the seat under your dye. DONT WORRY ABOUT CREASES FOR NOW, LEAVE THEM. BUT BUT ITS COMING OUT BROWN NOT BLACK! DONT WORRY ABOUT THAT EITHER. OH MY GOD THERE ARE STREAKS EVERYWHERE! DONT WORRY ABOUT THAT EITHER.

Repeat Step 2-3 For the rest of the seat

Step 4: Dealing with creases, concave corners, and tiny breather holes.

Now for the creases. Make sure the crease is facing facing up. Wherever there is a crease that you cant reach, just use more dye and wedge the dauber into the crease. The crease will ooze the dye out of the dauber and gravity will do its work. If youre dying a car seat, you probably have these tiny holes. in the wrong light, the holes will show the original car seat color. To fill these holes correctly, the holes must be facing face up. From here you must be use plenty of dye. dip the dauber and apply the dye with alittle more pressure than before on top of the holes. IT IS OKAY TO DROWN THE HOLES WITH DYE, THAT IS THE POINT. Dont worry, it will sink in. Now you must leave the seat alone for about 1-2 hours.



Step 5: Repeat Step 3-4, 2-4 more times. It should be abit darker but in light it will have a tint of brown.

Step 6: Final Coat of Dye
After the dye has dried prepare to use your sacrificial towel/microfiber. Pour about 1/4th of the leather dye in a dish. (or whatever allows you to dip your towel). Dip the sacrificial towel in into the dye and apply it evenly over the seat. This will get rid of most of the major streaks, don't worry about the smaller ones left behind. Wait about 30 minutes for the dye to dry completely again.

Step 7: Deglazer
Get your plush microfiber and lightly damp one side of it. Now pour some of the deglazer onto the lightly damped microfiber and now apply this evenly throughout the leather seat. Let it sit for a good 1-2 hours depending on ventilation, this takes awhile to fully settle in. Repeat this process 1-2 more times. The black should now have rich deep black look and there should be no more streaks/blemishes.

Step 8: Conditioner
Make sure this is completely dry before conditioning it. Use the other side of the plush micro fiber and lightly damp it. Pour some conditioner on it and apply it on the seat. wait about 20-30 minutes for it to dry and your seat should look newer then the day you bought it!

http://i.imgur.com/jgnWk.jpg
It looks way more gorgeous in real life as well

Grumpy
01-29-2012, 07:02 PM
Nice job!

Titus
01-29-2012, 07:39 PM
That is a great write-up... well done!

itzzspencer
01-29-2012, 08:17 PM
Thanks! :D

Agent☣Orange
01-29-2012, 09:14 PM
Yes, great write up and thank you. Couple of questions though. Are those Lotus seats part leather and part vinyl? Many seats, even though they're called leather, are really leather in the seat and back and vinyl on the sides or vice versa. Just wondering how this would work on vinyl. Opens new possibilities for door panels.

I also wonder if this would work on ratty looking leather steering wheels. I don't see why not. I'd like to see how your project holds up after time and use.

itzzspencer
01-29-2012, 09:51 PM
The dye says to only use it on leather and nothing else. not even synthetic leather, but ive accidentally gotten it on the cloth sides of the seat and it looked nice and didnt seem to damage it, but i didnt wanna take any chances so i used the deglazer and rubbed it off. the possibility of this working on other surfaces seem, without a doubt, very possible. as for what the lotus seat is made of... im not even sure. but ill be sure to keep this thread updated if anything happens! i should probably get some kind of uv protectant to prevent fading as well.

XCLR8TN
01-29-2012, 10:40 PM
Looks great!

Risingsun124
01-30-2012, 12:50 AM
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g337/ProjectGarage2010/jgnWkcopy.jpg

Great job BTW.

GI Jo
01-30-2012, 12:52 AM
looks great man. thanks for the write up.
sooo....... how much for the seat? lol.

AARP
01-30-2012, 12:56 AM
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g337/ProjectGarage2010/jgnWkcopy.jpg

Great job BTW.

Sack O' dead babies.

Coupeloop
01-30-2012, 01:41 AM
good job spencer!... honestly tan makes me...
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq4/drillerkillerrr/Gifs%20for%20Reboot/vomit.gif

Dilly
01-30-2012, 04:25 AM
honestly tan makes me...

Do you still love me?

paulsk
01-30-2012, 05:06 AM
Me rove you rong time!

Agent☣Orange
01-30-2012, 08:52 AM
Back to topic.

atank
01-30-2012, 09:11 AM
good job spencer!... honestly tan makes me...
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq4/drillerkillerrr/Gifs%20for%20Reboot/vomit.gif

Me TOO!

atank
01-30-2012, 09:12 AM
Very Good Work, your seat looks Great!

GI Jo
01-30-2012, 12:53 PM
Sack O' dead babies.


http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g337/ProjectGarage2010/jgnWkcopy.jpg

Great job BTW.

is it eeyore? if im right, wtf is wrong with me.... lmao

Agent☣Orange
01-30-2012, 01:13 PM
You saw where I said "back to topic" right?

GI Jo
01-30-2012, 01:24 PM
nope. was distracted by stewie throwing up.

anywayz, how well/long do u think the dye will hold up? pics in the car :)

itzzspencer
01-30-2012, 01:51 PM
Thanks everyone! :D


http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g337/ProjectGarage2010/jgnWkcopy.jpg

Its a giant stuffed elephant thats been there longer than i have existed. no joke.


Sack O' dead babies.
no its not. i didnt get an erection.


good job spencer!... honestly tan makes me...
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq4/drillerkillerrr/Gifs%20for%20Reboot/vomit.gif
same here, thats why i didnt want to put it in my car yet haha


nope. was distracted by stewie throwing up.

anywayz, how well/long do u think the dye will hold up? pics in the car :)

i needa get a seat bracket first T.T and ima abit broke lol. i decided to rub my finger on the seat until friction built up some heat on my finger. nothing happened. so far so good. as long as i take care of it and use uv protectant products, it could probably last me forever. only time will tell

paulsk
01-30-2012, 04:27 PM
Get a ryokurob bracket. I'm sure you can work something out with him ;)

itzzspencer
01-30-2012, 05:59 PM
nah, he already gave me tow hooks on his expense. i rather buy it from him at full price haha

Coupeloop
01-30-2012, 10:50 PM
when u get it installed in your car. drive on it, on a hot day, no a/c and wear a white shirt. ultimate test.

Agent☣Orange
01-30-2012, 11:32 PM
Isn't that the truth...

itzzspencer
01-31-2012, 03:10 AM
when u get it installed in your car. drive on it, on a hot day, no a/c and wear a white shirt. ultimate test.
definitely, ill make sure the seats sit in the sun for a few hours beforehand as well hehe

Tristan75
03-10-2012, 04:33 PM
How did it go?... :)

iRoadster
03-10-2012, 05:56 PM
Sooo, any update on these seats? I'm thinking about doing this to my leather interior bits now. Did you dye just the one seat and how much of the dye did you have left afterwards?

itzzspencer
03-12-2012, 05:28 PM
i have a quarter of the bottle left. ryokurob is still getting my brackets for me. but i still sit on the seat in my room all the time haha. looks the same since the day i dyed it. it should be on within a week, im really excited! its getting hotter and sunnier around here as well, perfect time for the ultimate test!

Agent☣Orange
03-12-2012, 05:46 PM
I'm really hoping for the best.

itzzspencer
03-22-2012, 03:32 AM
pics will be up soon, ive had them on for half a week. so far so good. i would say the only real bad thing is that it makes the leather look super shiney, thus alittle cheaper

Demon I Am
03-22-2013, 01:35 PM
The shininess will fade after a little use, and sunlight.

iKhanh
12-15-2013, 06:25 PM
have you considered a DIY dye called "Vinegaroon"? i'm about to dye my tan door cards black with this and just curious if anyone else knows about this and could pitch any helpful advice my way before i actually try it.