White Dye for Goat Leather New Skin on Shamisen

Building/Repair
#1

Goat Skins
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I thought I was buying white goat skin, but there is no pigment at all.
These are also somewhat translucent. These skins also don’t look 1 mm thick.
Do you think they are too thin? They seem quite tough and stiff.

Any suggestions on ink, dye or stain to change these skins to white? I found white acrylic leather paint, but not much for white stain or dye. Reviews say acrylic paint peels off from the leather…
I plan to use two of these to reskin both sides of a used Shamisen that I ordered from Japan.

Has anyone tried products to dye leather before stretching?

I Ordered the Clyde’s Leather Recoloring Balm in White and Maroon color. I would like to try those colors on a couple of the goatskins that I now have.

Has anyone tried using two different colors for the skins on one shamisen? How does it look?

Clyde’s™ Leather Recoloring Balm: https://clydesleathercompany.com/products/balm?variant=35773931290780. Youtube review- Clyde’s Recoloring Balm is WILD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O317FyWe9wE&ab_channel=BryanSosack

The Leather Element: Six Ways to Dye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qvHizUTvCo&ab_channel=WeaverLeatherSupplyLeather.
The Leather Element: Water Based Dye vs. Pro Dye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbOFSIQzVXc&ab_channel=WeaverLeatherSupply.
How to dye leather white (veg tanned belt):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GcDWBrDllg&ab_channel=SabetOutdoorSurvival.
Luxury Leather Repair Dye - Infiniti QX56/QX80:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82ExnVb_cMA&ab_channel=JustVlad.
Any recommendations for white leather dyeing or painting?

KIWI Shoe Whitener:

Used Tsugaru from Etsy Needs Repair- Any Advice?
#2

Ah, I run into similar issue. The first batch I have ordered was transparent.
The closest one to original skin I found was a vellum goat skin parchment so far:

#3

Thanks much Alexey for the tip. Would the 12x16 inch individual sheets be large enough to stretch for reskinning or is it better to buy a whole skin? It looks like the Shipping to my address in the U.S. is $34 regardless of how much is purchased. Would one full skin be sufficient to reskin two Shamisens?

12x16 White Goatskin Parchment
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#4

I went with whole skin as I was not sure of the sizing exactly. Those pre-cut are a bit small IMHO. There is the another one I have been using as well:
Mxfans 35cm Dia Goat Skin Drums Head for Bongo Drum / 10" African Drum Beige https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07N82KZC8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_SF3J569065453DKA8986?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

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#5

Thanks for sharing. Is 10 inch size large enough for the Shamisen?

#6

10" is a drum size, not skin size. The actual skin diameter is 35cm (~14")

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#7

So I received this white goat skin. Is it wide enough to use for the reskin?

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#8

I received Clyde’s white recoloring Balm and tried dying one of the 20 inch goat skins.

Clyudes White Balm
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It takes a lot of white to change the skin color I am not finished but have used more then half of the small bottle which was expensive.

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It doesn’t look like the paint like “recoloring Balm” will peal, but it will probably take one full small jar to just dye one skin. I am thinking maybe to conserve the amount of balm used would be to wait until I put the skin on the skin stretcher and just dye enough of the leather to cover the Dou and not waste the limited balm…

Another alternative may be to just dilute some white acrylic paint and either sponge on the paint or soak the leather for 30 seconds in a pan of paint and then hang it to dry…

What are you thoughts on dying goat leather White?

Question 2- Which side of the leather should I be using for the re-skin- the side where the hair was removed or the inner side? does it make any difference which side I choose? I dyed the inner side. The outer side still has some pieces of hair attached.

#9

I think it should be big enough. Looks approx. 2" per side

#10

As far as I know, the hair side goes outside

#11

I wonder what difference it makes in the sound or durability now that I may have dyed (painted) the wrong side.

#12

The back part of the skin would have better adhesion anyway compared to the haired side IMHO

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#13

Thanks Alexey for your insight

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