has anyone ever dyed white skates black?

[twokidsskatemom]

My son needs new skates and his sister has a pair of jacksons his size.He is fine with us making them black.We have only a few boys who skate here and two of them have done the white to black skate thing.
Someone told us to dye them black, not just use black shoepolish. Then use the shoepolish on top.
Anyone done this before? I am nervous, I dont want to ruin the skates.
Thanks !!!:)

[VegasGirl]

Dying works just fine and black leather shoe paint is readily available.
A friend of mine just colored her white skates pink with just regular acrylic fabric paint and it looked pretty good. 8-)

[sj702]

If you are nervous about it, take them to a shoe repair place that does shoe dying... I wonder though about the pvc coating Jackson puts on it's skate boots and how the dye might take to it...
Or you could always use SK8 Tape.

[beachbabe]

If you are nervous about it, take them to a shoe repair place that does shoe dying... I wonder though about the pvc coating Jackson puts on it's skate boots and how the dye might take to it...
Or you could always use SK8 Tape.


i think shoe repair places have a solution to take the protection off the leather, then they dye it and polish it.


I'd take it to a shoe expert to be on the safe side.


using sk8 tape is a good idea but it seems to me like there would be problems with white showing through and it would just look weeeeird.

[twokidsskatemom]

Our only boot/shoe repair place closed last year. I just looked in the phone book and didnt see any.Our next largest city is 375 miles away.:frus:
Im going to look for the dye and make some phone calls.
thanks

[Cactus Bill]

A friend of mine here has her two sons skateing in second-hand girls skates for economy reasons, as well as there aren't a whole lot of used mens/boys figure skates around. For a while they just skated in them (looked kinda weird at first, then it was no big deal). Eventually she got them black skate covers, which work fine (until they get a run or a hole...)

[twokidsskatemom]

I know he doesnt mind use dying them white but he wouldnt go for leaving them white or even using boot covers every:) time he skates. He also has a comp coming up next month, so they need to look nice.
Keep those ideas coming !!

[sj702]

Hmmm...
Joe's Shoe Service

http://www.joesshoeservice.com/products.cfm?sid=69919811V00320011506002P114733218 0515Q4I228I225I15P32815581B6246&c=9

They have many products, this one looks interesting...

Nu-Life Spray Paint
A specially formulated top coat spray paint used to enhance or change the color of smooth leather, plastic and vinyl. Available in 50 colors.Please click on the picture for a color chart.

[Casey]

They have many products, this one looks interesting...
I could make my skates a new color every 2 weeks! :o :lol:

[blue111moon]

There is a solution used to prep leather for dying. A shoe store that dye shoes for weddings may have it.

My coach (who is known for her penny-pinching ways) would probably suggest plain flat black latex paint.

[Summerkid710]

I had to dye my white skates beige for synchro. Remove the laces. Put masking tape on the sole, heel, and blade. Use acetone to strip the white finish off the boot with steel wool. I think it's 00 grade steel wool and it's best to wear rubber gloves because the acetone is very drying. When you are down to the grey leather, use the spray polish to dye them. Use a sweeping motion. It's good to do a few coats and let it dry in between. You don't want to spray too close to the boot because the paint will run. After they have dried, use a clear spray poly-urethane to seal them. Don't forget to buy new laces. All in all, it can take 3 to 4 hours to do it well. It is the stripping that takes the longest.

[SDFanatic]

I've seen boys skate in white skates before, usually since it can be hard to find black ones, or as you said, hand me down are available and cheap.

Worst thing is of course is the stigma (corrected from astigmatisim!) attached to the color of white skates.

My skates are white, goes much better with most of my non black outfits, and even when I wear black, they still look nice.

Steven

[Kelli]

I've seen boys skate in white skates before, usually since it can be hard to find black ones, or as you said, hand me down are available and cheap.

Worst thing is of course is the astigmatisim attached to the color of white skates.

My skates are white, goes much better with most of my non black outfits, and even when I wear black, they still look nice.

Steven

If all you face is astigmatism a good eye doctor can help you out; unfortunately stigmas are much harder to deal with.

[samba]

If all you face is astigmatism a good eye doctor can help you out; unfortunately stigmas are much harder to deal with.

Wish I hadnt spent so much money on new glasses, when all I needed was some shoe dye 8O

Sorry Steven but you have to admit it is funny :lol: I'm always getting my words wrong, glad someone else does it too.

Back to the original question, I found the white came through quite quickly with my sons boots but he was doing doubles at the time.

[SDFanatic]

If all you face is astigmatism a good eye doctor can help you out; unfortunately stigmas are much harder to deal with.

Agreed! :lol: :lol:

Steven

[twokidsskatemom]

I've seen boys skate in white skates before, usually since it can be hard to find black ones, or as you said, hand me down are available and cheap.

Worst thing is of course is the stigma (corrected from astigmatisim!) attached to the color of white skates.

My skates are white, goes much better with most of my non black outfits, and even when I wear black, they still look nice.

Steven
I understand your feelings.
However, In a very hockey city, in a club that only has 4 boys, all of which are teens but my son,I know he would feel better looking like the male skaters we watch on Tv.

[SDFanatic]

Understandable,

Steven

[Hannah]

Just be sure to dye the boots outside with good airflow. I have a friend who has dyed boots before (not skating boots, but he had to somehow strip the first color out and re-dye, so I imagine it was the same sort of thing), and whatever he uses, he does it outside with an air-filter mask (he also paints houses).

[VegasGirl]

Back to the original question, I found the white came through quite quickly with my sons boots but he was doing doubles at the time.

Did you prep them correctly (as Summerkid710 explained)?

[luna_skater]

I had to dye my white skates beige for synchro. Remove the laces. Put masking tape on the sole, heel, and blade. Use acetone to strip the white finish off the boot with steel wool. I think it's 00 grade steel wool and it's best to wear rubber gloves because the acetone is very drying. When you are down to the grey leather, use the spray polish to dye them. Use a sweeping motion. It's good to do a few coats and let it dry in between. You don't want to spray too close to the boot because the paint will run. After they have dried, use a clear spray poly-urethane to seal them. Don't forget to buy new laces. All in all, it can take 3 to 4 hours to do it well. It is the stripping that takes the longest.

Nailpolish remover will work as well (for stripping), but takes a lot longer. Magix brand also makes a "leather dye preparer" specifically for cleaning/stripping leather. I use the same method for spraying my skates for synchro. You can also get a type of wax to finish the skates with, so the dye will hold better.

If you get any spray on the blades, it will come off with nailpolish remover.

[twokidsskatemom]

We are off today to look for some dye !!! Thanks for everyones help !!!His coach told him today his skates he has now have just about no toe pick left.Hopefully next week he can be in jackson freestyle skates.
:) :)