Is it possible to "re-dye" a leather coat?

[Worf]

I guess the title says it all. I'm receiving an old English leather car coat that started out black and has aged brown. Could I or SHOULD I re-dye it black? Just curious.

Worf

 

[archbury918]

Shouldn't be any problem. When you have a leather jacket "cleaned", they reapply the color.
Kinda like repainting.
M

 

[ButteMT61]

They used to do it for WWII jackets before they reissued them. Depot redye.
In some cases I think they were painted!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Yes..you can re-dye a leather coat back to black...or probably better yet for most..have one professionally re-done. It is according to what you want to achieve. Some of the best looking worn and weathered leather jackets revealing great charactor that I've ever seen were black leather fading to an antiqued brown/black appearance. A lawyer here in town had a long vintage leather weatherbeaten black trenchcoat that had turned more brown than black. The burnished finish had developed a magnificent smooth worn transformation that he wore with everything (formal suit and ties..to denim). He told me that his trench was only around fifteen years old...but he liked the style and fit so well that he wore it practically everywhere during fall and winter months...thus it's strikingly unusual rustic 'go with anything' presence that you don't see every day...
HD

 

[Peacoat]

It has taken years to develop that patina; it is a desirable characteristic of leather. I would leave it like it is.

 

[Tony B]

If it is aniline or semi aniline which as it has worn to brown it almost certainly is it can be dyed.

Deglaze the leather (feibings deglager, rubbing alcohol etc) to remove any coating or grot and then just use a bit of feibings spirit dye (usmc black) NOT the oil based PRO dye, that is for veg tanned leather for holsters etc. Then you need to seal it with either a commercial finish or wax or something to keep the dye where it belongs and not all over the rest of your clothes. This coat makes it balack again as when you first dye it it will ave a horrible bronze tint to it which will only go once covered with a top coat.

But if I had an old black jacket that had worn to brown the last thing i would do would be to dye the thing, an pics of how bad/good it is.

 

[Worf]

When I get it, I'll take pics of it and my other "car coats". Thanks for the advice. I think I'll leave it as is.

Worf

 

[ButteMT61]

It takes decades to get a jacket to look like that Worf - I too have a friend with a long car coat that is fantastic. A re-dye might make it look new, but to me, it would be destroyed!
Post pics please. I think Van offered good advice.

 

[kanyewest1195]

Shouldn't be any problem.