Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

[Forrestcavalryman]

Hey ya'll! I am trying to to redye my federal jacket, I've been told that I have to take the dye out of it first. What I need to know is
A) Do I need to remove the dye?

B) If so what is the best thing to use (a friend told me bleach, but I'm afraid it will eat through the wool)

[coastaltrash]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

Andrew,
Was your jacket made of a correct material to begin with? Was the garment correctly made with a good pattern and good material? The reason I ask this is that the process to actually redye a garment would probably be a lot of work, first removing the lining, and then getting the indigo dye right. If the material is bad to begin with, it might be worth it just to scrap the project and start over. Often times with things like that, the juice just isn't worth the squeeze.

[Matt Woodburn]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

Andrew,

Using pure bleach on it will disolve the wool. I don't know how a diluted solution of bleach would do. I have dyed over a faded jacket without bleaching it before to make it darker. It worked pretty well. Pat is correct that if it has a liner, you'll have to remove it if you don't want that dyed too.

[Silas]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

Is the reason for the question related to the infamous order from Forrest about dying overcoats? If so, try this : http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...=dying+federal There is some interesting info in this thread as well as the usual advice and sarcasm from that lady who carries the large woooden spoon.

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

Patrick, No my jacket does not have a liner, however I think it may be of a good material (I bougth a Confederate shell jacket from a gentleman in my unit and he threw in the fed jacket with it) Mark, yes this does have to do with Forrest having the men re-dye their jackets. Thank you all for your input.

[Spinster]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

Andrew,

Your good friend gave this Federal jacket to you. Likely it is DARK blue.

Forrests' order had to do with overdying the much lighter blue Federal greatcoat, rather than a standard dark blue Federal fatigue jacket.

Bleach in any form will damage whatever wool content it has--whether a 100% wool jacket or a sutler-row grade jacket with some unknown amount of wool, bleach will most certainly get the color out--but it will also gobble the wool UP. In fact, the test for wool content is whether a swatch dissolves in bleach.

Now, as Silas points out, whenever somebody really is ready to sacrifice a Federal greatcoat on the altar of experiemental archeology, I'm all over the idea.

But the best solution to owning a Federal dark blue jacket is to wear it to an event as Federal.

Oh and another thing---IF this jacket was dyed with indigo in the first place, yes I can lighten it by stepping it though the first parts of an indigo process. No guarantee of it being even color however, and if its modern dyed, then all you'll have is a lot of money out to me and a jacket that smells bad. Either way, it might shrink.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

Hallo!

Within the spirit of the question, but from without of the culture of the AC Forum...

:) :)

Why are you thinking about dying a Federal blouse again? Hisotrically, blouses came in a range of "dark blues" when new, and faded' when old and used (or sooner if dyed with cheaper logwood rather than indigo).

Or, are you wanting to dye a nylon/wool blend Sutler Row Run-of-the-Mill "sack coat" that is now Barney Purple and covered in pills? If so, just over-dye it in with the washing machine method on the navy blue Rit berry box- and hope the nylon content is low enough not to stand out.
By and large, as shared "getting the dye out" will involve chlorine bleach or bleaching salts (as in color remover) that will leave your item partially dissolved and/or weakened, and likely leave it splotchy to the eye as the dye often is absorbed unevenly throughout the fabric (as possibly will your over-dye effort based upon the fabric, your tools, and your dye-skills.

Curt
Occassional Dyer Mess

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

I guess I should have worded my question different (not that I don't appreciat the input) What I am wanting to do is take my Federal Sack coat and dye it black. I just want something that's not a Columbus, or Mobile depot shell jacket. I didn't relize though that the jackets they were dyeing were greatcoats though.

[Spinster]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

I guess I should have worded my question different (not that I don't appreciat the input) What I am wanting to do is take my Federal Sack coat and dye it black.

Not to be too awfully snarky here--but in keeping with the standards of this board---the next question is, WHY?

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

I did say why in my last post. Most of the men in my unit where Columbus or Mobile depot jackets, I want something that is authentic, but not "cookie cutter" Confederate.

[lukegilly13]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

I think what people are saying is that they would recommend researching your unit and situation (time/theater) you are portraying before you risk ruining your blouse. It could be that a federal blouse or two in the ranks might be accurate. It could also be that you are portraying a particular time and place where/when it is correct for everyone to have the depot jackets.

Now, if you have documentation that folks in the unit you are portraying dyed military sack coats black....or wore sack coats that were originally black then you're in business. There are a handfull of folks on this forum and throughout the hobby that can successfully turn that sucker black.....but as Mrs. Lawson told you, shrinkage is a near certainty.

[brown]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

You ought to do this outside, cause it is liable to create quite a stink.
Take a large pot of simmering(not boiling) water and add in a large helping of research. The shade of research matters less than it's source.
In the absence of research, you could use a lock, but I'd keep an extra lock on hand just in case one isn't enough.

In all seriousness, an overdyed Fed fatigue blouse isn't something I've heard of having been used. My ancestor's regiment was scared of Roddy's men dressed as Feds, but when they actually encountered them, the men were wearing gray jeans (once described as copperas dyed jeans).
Good luck, but as previously stated, the only documentation I've seen to overdying and widespread use of Federal clothing in Forrest's ranks was the order about greatcoats. If you find anything else, I'm sure we all love to see it as it would be very interesting.

[Silas]

Re: Removin dye from a federal Jacket.

This thread is going downhill in a hurry. Before it rolls all the way to the gutter, I'm putting on the brakes.