MSD53X,

I don't have the references, but my understanding as far as dying black, is that you want to dye your item brown first (more so with fur/hair). Others may be able to confirm or deny this little trick. Feathers should take black RIT without doing the brown. You need to make sure your item is oil free by washing in Dawn dish detergent first. Add a little vinegar and salt to help the material soak up the dye/salt/ vinegar solution. Also remember that the feathers will always look darker in their wet state. Rinse your materials well - any dye on the out side, will not stay there, it will bleed off (also because you want to get ALL the salt off too). Dye loose feathers in a ladies nylon, that way you can squeeze the excess water out, and you can dry the material with a hair dryer without it looking like a chicken just exploded in the room! Hope this helps. These hints come from a taxidermist, and since the title ends in 'ist', he's a doctor of dead stuff, so he's got to be right!! LOL!!!

Best regards, Dave S.