dying hair n feathers

[j74snook 0]

whats the best way to dye materials such as deer hair and feathers? I have some beautiful bardrocks ready to eat and i dont want to waste the feathers and deer season is coming soon so i want to try and dye some hair. I was told kool aid can be used but I dont know about that. :help:

[halcyon 0]

While you can use things like KoolAid (without the sugar to avoid a serious mess) and Rite etc. the best way is to use dyes specifically designed to dye protein material such as those sold by Fly Dye. You can purchase them directly from ORCO the dye manufacturer here http://www.organicdye.com/fproducts.asp or from Anglers Workshop here http://www.anglersworkshop.com/items.aspx?catid=1440. Information on how to dye can be found here for example, http://www.organicdye.com/fprep.asp.

[j74snook 0]

WOW that stuff is expensive.

[flykid 0]

you can get RIT dyes in craft stores. It's not too pricey.

[James Daly 0]

J74snook,

Acid dyes are the best way to go. Jacquard acid dyes are slightly cheaper than FlyDye. But, FlyDye has great colors. I've had no problem with Jacquard and they are about $4 cheaper.

[Guest]

Rit or Kool-aid are not nearly as effective as acid dyes. Acid dyes are a little pricey but you only use a quarter of a teaspoon at a time. I use Veniard dyes, but the Fly Dye is good too.

[nemoblackdog 0]

KoolAid works great - is cheap (nearly free), permanent and smells pretty good too!

 

The only real downside is the colors are not "official" in any sort of way and the end result is sort of an experimental / guessing game.

 

Mainly green (Lemon-lime) + a bit of orange, red or purple makes some pretty nice olive colors

 

Mainly orange + a bit of purple and green makes some good rusts/browns

 

KoolAid does NOT work well on nylon (or likely other synthetics). Natural proteins are (hair, feathers) are where it works best.

 

 

[St Croix Boy 0]

I use FLY DYE it is pricey but it works great!

[James Daly 0]

Here are some colors rendered by Acid Dye. The material is mohair. No guessing with Strawberry Kiwi + Grape. Just an 1/8 teaspoon dye, Dawn dish soap and White Vinegar. I use an 1/8 tsp for 1 oz. of fiber. -Jamie

 

[Ribs1 0]

As far as technique goes, everybody should own Dying and Bleaching by AK Best.

 

[dontheo 0]

Sounds like you are using some of your own material, not store bought. The most important thing I can tell you is to make sure your hide and feathers are clean. No ils or grease, etc. Otherwise it doesn't matter what you use it will turn out like you know what.

 

There was a guy selling flydye on ebay in smaller amounts that made it reasonable for the occasional dyer and experimenter. I don't know if he is still doing it but it's worth a check.

 

Ted

[Bruce Derington 0]

Heres a little on Kool Aid http://www.ronnlucassr.com/docs/Dying%20Feathers%20101.pdf

[j74snook 0]

Thanks bruce. That is right up my price range. And looks like an easy process. thank you

[DaveB 0]

I have used the Rit Dye to dye duck feathers with success BUT only with the help of another forum member who already experimented to get the color mixture right. I tried the Kool-Aid method first and gave up trying to get the color I wanted and like nemoblackdog it is not exact.

 

With that said, I think the actual dyeing is not the hard part but getting the color right. That is where I think using Veniard dyes and Fly Dyes have the edge of having the colors already mixed (i.e. Claret or Insect green).

 

I also found out that the owner of Fly Dye is a fly fisherman so they know or should know the colors we need.

 

For me, I think it is worth the extra cash to get it done right with the color you want and get to tying than experimenting with color.

 

 

Good luck with your project and hunting season.

[flyline64 0]

I've never used the veniard or fly dye (or kook aid)--only RIT. I think these work pretty well, but if you are demanding about exact colors you may need to experiment a bit with mixtures and dying times.

 

For me (and I think for the fish as well) close enough is fine. Dying can save money when you are only tying a small batch of an odd-color and don't want to buy a whole new (neck, cape, patch).

 

A couple of tips: use disposable roasting pans, rubber gloves and apron, and be sure to cover all surfaces with newspaper or other protection. Also I find disposable chopsticks are useful for stirring and turning the material.