Club Obi Wan

Hello everyone, I found a safe and easy way to darken your Aldens.

Supplies:

Leather Lotion of some type: Kewi, Picards

Dark Brown Rit Dye and some black: liquid form

First prep Aldens for care by removing the laces. Next get a container and poor a decent amount of Leather Lotion into it. Next add about the same praportion of Dark Brown Rit dye to the bowl, MIX WELL, then apply this mix to your Aldens. Let it set for about 10 mins or so then buff and polich to a shine. Next repeat the process and after the second coat they are still not as dark to you liking add along with the leather lotion and brown dye add a very small amount of black to the mix, mix well and apply, then polish. That should do it. Remember to wear rubber gloves or the mix will stain your hands. I am wearing mine right now after two coats of the Dark Brown mix.

I just took some pics, they look great, unfortunatly, being at school I can not access my Yahoo to get the pics up and running, I will post them later in the day after I get home. Around 7pm tonight, after work. Later All

P.S. Yes they look at little maroon-ish colored but that is all thanks to the digital camera, we all know how that goes. I should have remembered to set the white balance!

They look fine too me, and certainly better than they come right out of the box. The have a nice rich color and should go well with the taupe or khaki pants and weather well in time.

Great job! Any evidence that the color might bleed or leave marks? If not I might give mine the treatment...

-John

Not so far, other then my socks, but that has always happend to me when I would wear white socks with them, since I have had them. On the outside none so far, it really makes a difference. They will scuff up as always, always will, but more leather conditioner always fixes that.they are darker then the film, I would say, a slightly different shade of Dark Brown but after they naturally distress some more, using plain conditioner, you may be able to tweek the color with otu harming them. That is the best part, this will not harm them, it's leather conditioner, it's not just strait dye. I am pleased with how they turned out, the next next step is some new heels, the current heels are close to death!

Well its a week later now since I applied this technique to my Aldens and have been wearing them as usual, the color has lasted longer then ever before, the scuff factor is down, usually the moc stitching turns back almost white by now, but they have stayed dark as well as the leather, I am very very pleased with the way they turned out. I can see in the future this will continue to deepen the color.

I was thinking of another way to really beat out that maroony color if it is still in there at all. I have been using olive green meltonian on my aldens...why? Because green neutralizes red and furthermore green and red make brown! By polishing with green rather than brown, it is slowly knocking the red out...neutralizing it. What I want to try is to do your RIT technique but put in a dash of green as well! That might really do the job (not to say that your standard technique hasn't done the job...your shoes look great!). "Green - it gets the red out" ...

-John

This is a good idea, I will leave it up to you to be brave and try it first, lol!

...cyan neutralizes red, not green. Yes, I WAS once a photo print technician at the Florida Highway Patrol homicide lab, but that's another story, and another lifetime ago. Proceed cautiously when mixing and matching colors. You may get something you REALLY don't like on your expensive gear. Regards. Michaelson

Well yes...technically green is a complementary color to magenta...but a pure red is magenta and yellow - and the aldens are not a pure red (God forbid!!!). I found my Aldens to be more of a magenta purpley red...so I added green...seems to be working. Art school is good for some things... But I will definately be careful...the last thing I want to do is end up with a blotchy dark mess...

-John

Just an FYI - I dyed my Aldens back in July with Fiebing's Leather Dye, and they're still the dark color I colored them with. Very easy to do and so far after 3 1/2 months, no color bleed, stiching has lightened up, and they're great looking. I did wait a few months after getting them so they had a more worn in look before I colored them. Oh, and lots of Pecards. You can't do this without Pecards when you're done.

OK, I've had some good luck darkening my 405's with albeit 'unorthodox method. Bear with me...

First of all, when I took them out of the box the color nearly knocked me over, I was SO disappointed. So I decided to take matters into my own hands:

1. Polish the boots with brown Kewi polish, buff only lightly taking off any excess and leave them dry for 24-48 hours.

2. I found a real nice leather balm by Doc Marten. Apply balm on to the boots liberally and let sit for 24-48 hours.

This technique won't change the color of your 405's completely but it does result in a much 'browner' (if that's a word?) appearance -they look GREAT!

Also, the color won't run -unlike many dyes. Once the boots have the chance to soak in the brown polish you're in business. I wear mine in any weather (and I live in New England) and they still look great a year and a half later.

3. Regular maintenance: Aplly the Doc Marten balm every couple of months.

I know, I know...where are the pictures? -I'll try to post a couple tonight.

-Dan

Hey ddplus2,
What color were your Aldens originally? Were they orange or red-brown? I just got a red-brown pair and I'm considering trying to darken them to more of a brown.
PBG

Hi PBG,

They are the red-brown color. I wanted to add a more 'brownish' look to them rather than try to dye them a completely different color. I know the process I posted earlier sounds a little un-scientific, but it did work really well. The shoes came out looking more aged than anything else. The process softened the color and took the red 'edge' off.

I'll attempt to post pics tonight -last time had some difficulties.

Regards,
-Dan

Anyone had any luck dyeing Aldens with Nu-Life Color spray? The can claims that it is specially formulated to change color on leather shoes. I went to a leather shop looking to buy Fiebings dye...but got coddled into buying the Nu Life stuff along with a leather "preparer" which basically looks like it strips finish off an existing shoe (I am a little bit hesitant to apply this to my 250 dollar shoes). So...if anyone has used the Nu-Life color spray I would love to hear about it. How long does it last? Does it work? Does it run or stain pants?

-John

Don't do it. Turns the leather into plastic. Seriously. The leather loses all the texture and depth and the spray basically looks like you painted your shoes. Stick with the liquid always. I speak from experience.

Or you instead of worrying about mixing and color variations, and which color neutralizes what....Just use Pecards brown weatherproofing, two coats and they look spot on! IMHO that is.....

Cheers!

Thanks for the advice, but unfortunately...too late !!! My impulsive side took over during the weekend before I even had a response, and I applied the Nu Life to one Alden. I would second LJHood's remarks...DONT DO IT. To this I would add "EVER!" It is almost like a thin coating of vinyl. It seems akin to having the leather shrink wrapped with a very thin, matte rubber. I am worred the leather won't "breathe" but I applied Pecards immediately afterwards and it did soak in, but I still have my suspicions. The natural feel of the original leather is gone, as is the pleasant smell. Now, I don't feel like I have completely ruined my 250 dollar kicks, as there is no cracking or anything going on, and the color is rather lovely, but I am completely and utterly displeased with this product...I don't know why anyone would want to put it on leather at all...it seems more like a plastic coating, and I sprayed really thin. I feel like going back to the guy who sold me this stuff and spraying his expensive shoes with it. Nu Life is AWFUL. It doesn't DYE at all, it COATS. Horrible stuff...

-John

as it left a high sheen finish?

Not a high sheen, the sheen is the same as the original leather...it has, however, left a matte "skin" on the leather...when you bend the leather this "skin" on top shows it's own little micro-wrinkles in addition to the wrinkles of the leather itself...again...awful stuff.

Well, unfortunately, the coloring wore off with time. I have just resulted in useing Kewi brown scuff remover/ liquid polish. It works nicely and I think will hold up better then my last attemp, I think this stuff now may be darkening them slowely but surely. One thing is for use, my Aldens need new heals, BAD!!