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I recently got a machete with a great looking leather sheath from costa rica for a late Christmas gift from my friend. It's good, but someone wrote some numbers on the leather, in a very noticable and ugly way. How can I remove ink from such leather?
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2769/p1250137.jpg
try rubbing with a little hair spray on a rag, if not you can find ink remover at fabric stores. These might just stain the leather so you take you chances on what is going to look worse.
Eric
In my saddle making days, I would have made duplicate pieces and replaced the ink stained ones. It is that difficult to remove ink.
I have heard, but not tried, that it is possible to remove ink from leather with dish washing detergent. As ink is a dye, I doubt this will do much. The ink gets into the pores of the leather and is very difficult to remove. You can try it, but if it doesn't do the trick, let the leather dry completely before trying something else. I never had any luck trying to wash ink out.
Do not use any kind of bleach. That will damage the leather. It will also remove the patina which is very hard to try to restore.
The best thing to try will be 90% Isopropyl Alcohol and a soft WHITE cloth. Colors can run and compound the problem. Saturate the cloth and work at the stain, turning the cloth to keep from smearing the ink. At best, you will minimize it some. The alcohol will dissolve the ink, but the ink is going to be carried farther into the leather.
Be sure to oil the leather with pure neetsfoot oil or olive oil after you give up. Do not use Neetsfoot compound as it will contribute towards thread rot. Any animal or vegetable oil is OK for the leather but certain oils like corn oil attract mice. Mice don't like olive oil and it is nice and light and will penetrate deeply.
While you are trying to remove the ink with dish washing liquid, scrub the whole thing with a soft bristled brush. Work up a good lather and rinse well. Once it is dry, oil it up and seal with a light coat of neutral shoe polish or good carnuba wax.
I you happen to have some Avon Skin So Soft, give that a try. The stuff is amazing on the number of things it will do, i.e. remove tar from a car.
I'd have to try something like DD7, GOOP, or one of those white jelly type laundry/hand cleaners. They might darken the leather a bit, but they are great on ink.
If they are water based, the darkening will lighten back up as the leather dries out. If oil based, you can even it out any blotches with more oil, warmed in the microwave until it is just almost too hot to touch. Not too hot. The leather is just like your skin. It will burn.Quote:
Originally Posted by bubba_orvis
How about getting someone who's handy at it, to overwrite it with something decorative. Turn it into something pleasing to look at.
Just a guess.... Maybe a tattoo artist might have something to try....