{"title":"Leather dyes by COLOURLOCK","description":"\u003ch2 id=\"speakable-headline\"\u003eCOLOURLOCK leather dyes color smooth leather instead of painting over it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote id=\"speakable-summary\"\u003e\n\n  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat are COLOURLOCK leather dyes? The opaque stage of the coloring process for pigmented smooth leather: COLOURLOCK \"Leather Colour\" water-based dye restores worn seats, bolsters, and steering wheels in 32 shades, while the neutral COLOURLOCK \"Binder\" acts as a load-bearing foundation to stabilize brittle leather underneath. Application follows the data sheet, not instinct.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cp id=\"speakable-definition\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLOURLOCK leather dyes\u003c\/strong\u003e are coloring systems for the top layer of pigmented smooth leather — not for the hide beneath. They restore color to surfaces that have become dull and uneven due to denim abrasion, sun exposure, and skin oils. Two products share the work: the opaque COLOURLOCK \"Leather Colour\" for the visible color and the pigment-free COLOURLOCK \"Binder\" (Neutral) for the surface that must support the film of color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCustom-fit original color for your vehicle:\u003c\/strong\u003e If you want your leather to look exactly as it did from the factory, choosing a standard color is a detour. COLOURLOCK mixes these same color systems based on original color samples for common car brands — you select the brand and shade directly, and the dye is mixed per order. Get started here: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-original-lederfarben\"\u003eOriginal leather dyes by car brand\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater-based and elastic instead of hard like paint.\u003c\/strong\u003e The color film bonds with the existing pigment finish of the leather and remains flexible after drying. This means it flexes with every movement of the seat instead of cracking at the edges — exactly where spray paints from a can fail.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eTouch-dry in 5 to 10 minutes, load-bearing after about 30 hours.\u003c\/strong\u003e Warm air from a hair dryer pulls the polymer chains between the layers into a clean bond. Full mechanical strength develops over the course of a whole day — anyone who test-sits the seat in light jeans the next morning will undo yesterday’s work.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003e32 standard shades, three container sizes, one logic.\u003c\/strong\u003e From black and jet black to Havana, caramel, and reddish-brown, all the way to luminous and metallic effects. 250 ml covers about four to six steering wheels or two to three seat bolsters using the dabbing method; the one-liter bottle is suitable for an entire interior with a compressed air sprayer; 100 ml is the format for metallic and luminous accents.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote class=\"praxistipp\"\u003e\n\n  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePro-tip from Detailing1:\u003c\/strong\u003e We regularly receive inquiries from customers whose steering wheel looked like it did before after only two weeks — and it is almost never the fault of the dye. It is because the surface was only clean before coloring, not free of grease. Skin oils, sunscreen, and care product residues form a separating film on which the color film merely sits rather than bonding. The test takes one minute: pull a white cloth soaked with degreaser across the surface in strips. As long as the cloth turns gray or yellow, grease is still present. Only when the cloth stays clean and the surface appears uniformly matte should you apply the first coat of color. And the second classic from the same inquiries: using brake cleaner as a supposedly thorough degreaser. It doesn't just strip the grease; it destroys the tanning in the fiber — after that, no color system from any manufacturer will hold on that spot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCOLOURLOCK views leather dye in terms of the repair process\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt COLOURLOCK, a leather dye is not an individual product, but rather the fourth step in a fixed sequence — which is why it sits between the primer and the top coat on the shelf, rather than standing alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe brand was established in 1995 at the Lederzentrum and has been supplying saddlers, detailers, and smart-repair businesses for three decades. Anyone who spends their day building up cracked side bolsters and recoloring faded steering wheels does not work with a single bottle, but with a process: degrease, prime, fill, color, top coat, additives. Every product in the line occupies exactly one position within it. Since the acquisition by Koch-Chemie, the line has been in our shop as Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK — this logic remains unchanged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor you, this has a practical consequence: the dye is not given a task that does not belong to it. It does not fill cracks, it does not replace a primer, and it does not seal itself. Instead, it performs its own part very precisely — a thin, elastic layer of color that traces the grain rather than clogging it. Products that promise to do everything at once generally provide a rubbery surface that feels like brushed-on paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn our daily life at Detailing1, we see how differently this category is used. One customer dyes a single driver's seat bolster on a lease return, the next restores the entire interior of a classic car, and a third does their steering wheel on a Saturday. Same two bottles, three completely different project sizes — which is why there is a small and a large container size next to every product in the line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eLeather Colour covers the surface, the Binder supports it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two products in this category solve two different problems: one provides color, the other provides adhesion. Anyone who confuses them will be coloring on a substrate that cannot hold the color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-deckende-lederfarbe\"\u003eopaque leather dye\u003c\/a\u003e COLOURLOCK \"Leather Colour\" is the water-based polymer mixture for surface-dyed smooth leather with an intact pigment seal — in other words, for the standard case in a car. It dries into a thin, elastic color film that bonds with the existing top layer. Translation: not a rigid skin of paint on top, but a color bond that works with the material. Available in 32 shades and in 100 ml, 250 ml, and 1000 ml \/ 1 liter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-fuellfarbe\"\u003efiller dye\u003c\/a\u003e COLOURLOCK \"Binder\" (Neutral) intentionally contains no pigment. Its flexible binding agents penetrate into the brittle top layer, cross-linking loose pigment particles and filling the micro-cracks that would otherwise become actual cracks. You can tell because the surface appears smoother and calmer afterward, without the color or gloss level having changed. It is the supporting base that ensures the dye covers evenly and does not blotch. Container sizes: 250 ml and 1000 ml \/ 1 liter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe if-then logic is simple. If the surface is structurally sound and only looks dull and worn, Leather Colour alone is sufficient. If the leather on the seat bolster, steering wheel rim, or furniture edge is already rough, fibrous, or has micro-cracks, first apply the Binder in thin layers — and then the dye. And if your fingernail gets stuck in a real tear, both are still too early: then you first need a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-reparatur-leder-fuellstoffe\"\u003efiller\u003c\/a\u003e to compensate for the material loss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eMatch the color using a sample, not a color code\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe color code from the vehicle registration or equipment list names the shade your leather had when it left the factory — not the shade it has today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYears of UV light lie between the factory color and the current state. The sun-exposed driver's side is regularly a shade lighter than the back seat in the same car, and beige, light gray, and sand-colored leathers shift the most significantly. Those who order by color code and dye a spot onto a faded surface will then see the very stain they wanted to remove — just in the opposite direction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTherefore, there are two methods that work in practice. For the factory shade, the sure way is via the original color sample: with the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-original-lederfarben\"\u003eoriginal leather dyes by car brand\u003c\/a\u003e, you select the brand and shade, and the dye is mixed per order — plan for more time than with in-stock items, but in return, the shade comes from the same database that detailers use. The second way is the standard palette: using a pipette, adjacent colors from the 32 shades of Leather Colour can be mixed until a test spot in an inconspicuous position — such as under the seat — matches. A quarter hour of testing and you save yourself the waiting time for a custom mix.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat applies in both cases: color from seam to seam, not just on the spot. The eye immediately recognizes an edge in the middle of a surface; a seam, by contrast, is already a dividing line. This is the most frequent question we receive before a purchase — and the honest answer is that finishing an entire seat surface is faster and looks better than three carefully retouched individual spots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe process determines whether the dye holds\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 80 percent of the durability of a leather dye job happens before the first drop of dye touches the leather. The rest is patience during drying.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStep one is a pre-wash with a leather cleaner, step two is degreasing with the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-reinigung-entfetter\"\u003edegreaser\u003c\/a\u003e COLOURLOCK \"Degreaser\" until the surface is uniformly matte. Step three is the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-grundierung\"\u003eprimer\u003c\/a\u003e: the Leather Primer as an adhesion promoter on difficult surfaces, the Blocker as a barrier layer if discoloration could bleed through the new color, the Plastic Primer ND for plastic parts that need to be color-matched. Only after this do Binder or dye follow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe color application itself is unspectacular and precisely that is why it is prone to errors. Apply the dye to a sponge, never directly to the leather, and dab it on in circular micro-movements — wafer-thin, without puddles. A steering wheel typically needs three to four layers, a heavily yellowed seat bolster four to six. Between each layer, use warm air on a medium setting for 5 to 10 minutes, followed by a short intermediate sanding with a 4000-grit leather sanding pad for about 30 seconds, and a microfiber wipe afterward. The processing temperature should be between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius; below 15 degrees, the dye does not bond reliably; above 30 degrees, the surface dries before it has been absorbed into the grain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, apply the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-top-coat\"\u003eTop Coat\u003c\/a\u003e as a finishing lacquer — matte, satin, or high-gloss, depending on how the surface looked before. You can fine-tune the result using \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-additive\"\u003eadditives\u003c\/a\u003e: the Crosslinker makes the dye and top coat more mechanically resistant, the Duller lowers the gloss level toward a factory look, Soft Slip and Wax Slip change the feel, and the Stitch Covering Gel hides seams and logos that should not get any color. Then comes the uncomfortable part: do not sit on it for about 30 hours. In practice, this means the car remains unused for two to three days — and anyone who respects this time will get a surface that withstands denim abrasion for years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAniline leather, airbag seams, and brake cleaners are the hard limits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA leather dye is a precise tool for a narrowly defined substrate. Three limits determine before purchase whether this tool is even the right one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe first limit is the type of leather. Leather Colour and Binder belong on pigmented, surface-dyed smooth leather and on pigmented artificial leather. Aniline leather without a pigment seal, nubuck, suede, and Alcantara are open-pored — there, the color film glues the fiber structure, the soft feel disappears, and the surface becomes stiff and plastic-like. A drop of water in an inconspicuous spot clarifies this in thirty seconds: if it soaks in and darkens the spot, dyeing is the wrong way — then the leather belongs in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-pflege-anilinleder\"\u003eaniline leather care\u003c\/a\u003e or requires the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-farbauffrischer\"\u003ecolor refresher\u003c\/a\u003e Nubuck Fresh, with an acceptance of the patina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe second limit is structural. Seats with side airbags have a predetermined breaking seam that must tear open in a precisely defined way if triggered. Dye, Binder, and Top Coat stiffen the material locally — none of the three have any business being on this seam. Likewise, torn seams, detached covers, and worn-out upholstery with visible foam are not a job for dye, but for a saddler. We prefer to say this beforehand rather than afterward: anyone who coats over a crater will just have a smoothly painted crater afterward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe third limit is the one we see too late most often. Customers contact us with surfaces that were \"really thoroughly\" degreased with brake cleaner, acetone, or spirits before dyeing. These solvents don't just remove the grease; they attack the tanning in the fiber. The substrate is permanently damaged afterward, and the polymer bond finds no more anchor — the dye peels off after days, regardless of which system is applied. A solvent-free degreaser is not a precautionary measure at this stage, but the only option.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the honest durability limit: on normal seat surfaces and on furniture, a cleanly executed dye job lasts for years. On a steering wheel rim that is gripped daily, where hand sweat, rings, and watch straps constantly rub, the strain is in a different league — there, a touch-up after some time is part of the plan, not a product defect. The Crosslinker in the Top Coat pushes this point noticeably further back, but it does not eliminate it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich leather dye suits your damage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fastest way to a decision involves two quick checks on the damaged area: run your fingernail over it once, and apply a drop of water once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf the nail does not get caught anywhere and the drop beads up, your leather is pigmented and structurally intact — then the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-deckende-lederfarbe\"\u003eopaque leather dye\u003c\/a\u003e COLOURLOCK \"Leather Colour\" alone is sufficient. If the surface feels rough, fine hairline cracks are visible, or the top layer is fraying in the grip zones, apply the neutral \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-fuellfarbe\"\u003eBinder\u003c\/a\u003e first and the dye afterward. If your nail gets caught in a real tear, you first need a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-reparatur-leder-fuellstoffe\"\u003efiller\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor those who just want to freshen up a surface that has become dull and tired without going through the full process, a lighter option is better: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben-farbauffrischer\"\u003ecolor refreshers\u003c\/a\u003e based on Leather Fresh are the lighter answer for minor cases, and they require less preparation. This is not a stopgap solution, but often simply the right choice — dyeing is only worth it when color is genuinely missing. You can find all other components of the process one level up: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/koch-chemie-colourlock-faerben\"\u003eBack to Dyeing \u0026amp; Finish\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the thought that carries the whole category: a leather dye job almost never fails because of the dye. It fails because of the surface underneath and the 30 hours afterward. Anyone who takes both seriously will turn a seat that looked like it needed reupholstering into a surface that no one will recognize as a repair, using two bottles and one weekend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","products":[{"product_id":"koch-chemie-colourlock-binder-neutral-neutrale-fuellfarbe","title":"COLOURLOCK \"Binder\" (Neutral) — neutral filler for brittle, cracked leather","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCOLOURLOCK Binder (Neutral) — neutral filler for structural leather repairs\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat does COLOURLOCK Binder Neutral do? — The neutral binder stabilises damaged leather surfaces, fills fine cracks and worn spots, strengthens the structure and forms the load-bearing base before colour-specific products like Leather Fresh or Fluid Leather go on.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLOURLOCK Binder (Neutral)\u003c\/strong\u003e is the professional base coat for structural leather repairs. The binder firms up the top pigment layer, fills micro-cracks, masks light fibre damage and preps the leather so coloured products grip better afterwards and cover evenly. As the neutral version it carries no pigment and works purely for stabilisation, not colour correction. Ideal for cars, furniture, fashion and all pigmented smooth leather showing wear, scratches or early cracking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStabilises weakened leather surfaces\u003c\/strong\u003e – Firms up the pigment layer and stops small cracks from opening up further.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEvens out micro-structures\u003c\/strong\u003e – Fills fine worn spots and gives you a smoother surface as a repair base.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNeutral base for colour\u003c\/strong\u003e – No pigment, no tint – pure structural reinforcement before Leather Fresh or Fluid Leather.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBinder technology \u0026amp; how it works in worn leather\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinder Neutral\u003c\/strong\u003e uses flexible, high-grip binders that work into the damaged areas of the top coat and build a new, elastic structure right there. As leather turns microscopically brittle over time through friction and UV, the binder acts like a repairing „primer-filler“: it links loose pigment particles, closes small breaks and stops further fraying. Koch-Chemie says the layer stays elastic so the leather keeps its natural give. The neutral binder changes neither colour nor sheen — it just delivers the structural stability that makes the next colour coats grip far better.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePrep, application \u0026amp; the right repair sequence\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore you use the \u003cstrong\u003eBinder\u003c\/strong\u003e, the leather should be cleaned and degreased thoroughly so the filler can work in evenly. You lay the binder down thin with a sponge, dauber or brush and build it up in several fine coats until the surface feels structurally sound again. Let it flash off briefly between coats so you don’t get uneven patches. On slightly deeper damage you can lightly sand in between to smooth things out. After the binder phase comes the colour build-up: Leather Fresh for light colour touch-ups or Fluid Leather for heavier repairs. Only on a stabilised surface will these products cover evenly and hold for the long run.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eResults, typical uses \u0026amp; how it differs from coloured products\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter application the area feels smoother, sturdier and far better prepped for a colour refresh. \u003cstrong\u003eBinder Neutral\u003c\/strong\u003e earns its place wherever there’s structural damage: seat bolsters, steering wheels, furniture edges, the high-wear zones of bags and jackets. It doesn’t replace a full colour repair — the coloured versions of the Binder range or Leather Fresh are ideal for that. Neutral is deliberately the „invisible“ base that dials in structure, firmness and grip. In the car interior especially it lays the groundwork so later repairs don’t flake or look blotchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions about COLOURLOCK Binder (Neutral)\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes the binder colour the leather?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The neutral version carries no pigment at all and works only for structural stabilisation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIs binder the same as leather paint?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. Binder is a filler and firming product. For colour touch-ups you use Leather Fresh or Fluid Leather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow many coats do you need?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne to several thin coats depending on the damage. The key: always work sparingly and let it dry well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCan I use binder without primer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith good grip conditions, yes. On tricky or silicone-heavy surfaces, Leather Primer beforehand is the way to go.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDoes binder make the repair last longer?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Stabilised areas hold colour better and are less prone to cracking open again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eLast updated: 02.12.2025 — Author: Daniel (Detailing1)\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK","offers":[{"title":"Neutral \/ 1000 ml \/ 1 liter","offer_id":56320202899791,"sku":"D1-KCX-481-1L-01","price":49.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Neutral \/ 250ml","offer_id":56320202932559,"sku":"D1-KCX-481-250ML-01","price":18.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0800\/3272\/7375\/files\/481-1L-01_1.png?v=1762116834"},{"product_id":"koch-chemie-colourlock-leather-colour-lederfarbe-fuer-oberflaechengefaerbte-glattleder","title":"COLOURLOCK \"Leather Colour\" Leather Dye for Surface-Pigmented Smooth Leather","description":"\u003ch2 id=\"speakable-headline\"\u003eLeather dye for worn smooth leather in the OEM shade\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote id=\"speakable-summary\"\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat is COLOURLOCK Leather Colour? A water-based leather dye for refreshing surface-pigmented smooth leather in cars and on furniture. 32 shades from black and havana to bright pink and metallic effects, in 100 ml, 250 ml and 1 litre. Not suitable for aniline, nubuck or suede, and it's no crack repair — that's what Fluid Leather is for.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cp id=\"speakable-definition\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLOURLOCK Leather Colour\u003c\/strong\u003e is a water-based \u003cstrong\u003eleather dye\u003c\/strong\u003e from Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK for pigmented, surface-dyed smooth leather in cars and furniture. For decades the product was known as \"Leder Fresh\"; since Koch-Chemie took it over it goes by Leather Colour internationally. The water-based polymer blend dries to a thin, elastic colour film that bonds straight into the leather's existing pigment layer. What that means for you: no rigid coat of paint sitting on top, but a flexible colour bond that moves with every shift on the seat and won't crack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOEM colour match by VIN or colour code from 32 standard shades.\u003c\/strong\u003e The range covers the most common car and furniture colours — from black and tar black through havana, caramel and chocolate to red-brown, bordeaux, fir green, deep blue and violet. On top of that, seven bright colours (bright yellow, bright green, bright orange, bright pink, bright red) and five metallics in gold, silver, copper, brass and pearl. BMW Dakota, Mercedes Nappa, Audi Valcona and Porsche Club can usually be matched straight from this palette with no custom mix — an edge that cheap rivals just don't give you.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScales from the steering wheel up to a full interior.\u003c\/strong\u003e A 250 ml bottle, dabbed on with a sponge, is good for roughly four to six worn steering wheels or two yellowed seat bolsters. The 1 litre bottle is built for upholsterers and reconditioners — with a compressed-air sprayer and a reactive hardener it covers about a full saloon interior, seats and door cards included. The 100 ml size is the metallic and bright-colour format for creative accents or smaller design areas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTouch-dry after 5 to 10 minutes of hot-air drying, but only fully load-bearing after about 30 hours.\u003c\/strong\u003e This is the most important number in the whole guide. Sit down in light jeans the next morning and you'll rip open yesterday's work — the colour film needs the whole following day to build its final bond with the leather. Respect the 30 hours and you get a surface that shrugs off years of jeans abrasion in one go.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote class=\"praxistipp\"\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDay-to-day from Detailing1:\u003c\/strong\u003e We see one mistake all the time that kills any leather dye on the spot — reaching for brake cleaner as a supposedly thorough degreaser on a heavily soiled steering wheel. Brake cleaner is a highly aggressive solvent mix. It doesn't just strip the skin oils, it wrecks the tanning deep in the leather fibre. After that the substrate is gone for good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eWhat we see day-to-day: no colour system on earth — neither Leather Colour nor rivals like Ledermax or Leather Expert — gets any grip on that. The polymer bond needs an intact pigment layer as an anchor. Once that's etched away, the colour flakes off after a few days. With a 5-euro brake cleaner you've done leather damage on the scale of a full re-trim. We've seen it more than once, and every time it's final.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eThe only right way to degrease runs in two clean steps. First a deep-pore pre-wash with COLOURLOCK Leather Cleaner and a soft leather brush worked into the grain. Then leather-grade naphtha (not methylated spirit, not acetone, not brake cleaner) until the surface is dead matt and a white microfibre cloth picks up no more colour. Only then does the dye go on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDabbing, spraying, airbrushing with the leather dye\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYou never lay the \u003cstrong\u003eleather dye\u003c\/strong\u003e down as one thick coat, but in several wafer-thin layers with a light sand between them. A steering wheel typically takes three to four such layers, a fully yellowed seat bolster four to six. Try to get full coverage in one go and you'll end up with a rubbery, rough surface that feels like brushed-on paint — which is exactly what Leather Colour is not meant to be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the DIY dabbing method you put a few drops of \u003cstrong\u003eCOLOURLOCK Leather Colour\u003c\/strong\u003e straight onto the sponge — never onto the leather. Then you dab from seam to seam in small circular micro-movements, evenly thin, no puddles. Between each layer, warm it for 5 to 10 minutes with a hairdryer on a medium setting. This forced drying is not optional. What that means for you: the heat pulls the polymer chains into a clean bond. On room air alone the film takes too long to close and the result stays patchy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the heat comes a 30-second sand with the leather sanding pad in 4000 grit, and a microfibre wipe after that. That way the colour builds a calm, satin-matt film that traces the grain instead of clogging it up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the pro workflow the dye goes on with a compressed-air gun or airbrush with a fine nozzle — above all on full seat sets or door cards, where dabbing would take days. Here the crosslinker from the COLOURLOCK range comes in at a low dose. In plain terms: a reactive hardener that ties extra bonds into the colour film and makes the surface far more abrasion-resistant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat matters is the pot life after mixing — that's a few hours, after which the blend in the cup is useless. So if you work with hardener, you mix only as much as you'll actually spray straight away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWorking temperature sits at 18 to 24 degrees. Below 15 degrees the dye won't cure reliably; above 30 the surface skins over before the colour film has pulled deep enough into the grain. In a cold garage in winter the rule is: preheat for at least an hour — the seats and the bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat Leather Colour can do and where Fluid Leather takes over\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLeather Colour\u003c\/strong\u003e is a pure colour refresh for intact or lightly worn smooth leather — not an all-round repair fix. It turns a matt, yellowed seat back into an OEM-clean surface, but it can't fill cracks and can't structurally rebuild a seat that's sat through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn \u003cstrong\u003esurface-pigmented smooth leather\u003c\/strong\u003e with an intact pigment layer (BMW Dakota, Mercedes Nappa, Audi Valcona, Porsche Club, standard aniline with a sealer) the dye builds the film perfectly. On pigmented synthetic leathers like Mediflex or most OEM faux leathers it works too — here the crosslinker helps for maximum durability. On hard interior plastics you can use the dye with the matching Plastics Primer as a bonding base, say to touch up cockpit trims, door handles or controls colour-wise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOff limits, on the other hand, are aniline leather with no pigment layer, nubuck and suede. These leathers are open-pored — the dye seals up the natural breathability, kills the hand feel and turns soft aniline into a stiff, plastic-like surface. If your seat still feels warm and soft and soaks up water droplets instead of beading them off, Leather Colour is the wrong product.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere only the aniline products from the same range help, such as COLOURLOCK Aniline \u0026amp; Nubuck Cleaner followed by aniline cream. On bycast and pure PU leather the dye won't form a stable bond either and flakes off after days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDeep cracks, sat-through bolsters with the padding showing — that's not a colour problem, it's a structural one. Brush dye over that and you're pouring water into a crater. The right order: first work \u003ca href=\"\/products\/koch-chemie-colourlock-fluid-leather-lederfarbe-fuer-reparaturen\"\u003eCOLOURLOCK Fluid Leather\u003c\/a\u003e into the crack as a filler, smooth it with the GLD pen and let it set. Only then does Leather Colour go on top as the colour finish. The two products are complementary, not interchangeable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe simple if-then logic: if the seat is structurally sound and only the colour looks worn → Leather Colour. If the seat shows cracks or exposed padding → Fluid Leather first, then Leather Colour. If the seat is aniline or nubuck leather → no leather dye, but aniline care and accepting the patina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho buys 100 ml, who 250 ml, who 1 litre\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe size tells you straight away which league you're working in. The \u003cstrong\u003e100 ml bottle\u003c\/strong\u003e comes only in the metallic-effect colours (brass, gold, copper, pearl, silver) and the bright colours — special shades for accents on steering-wheel spokes, lettering or design seats. One bottle covers several small detail areas or a complete steering wheel in a special colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e250 ml bottle\u003c\/strong\u003e is the standard format for hobby users. A steering wheel or a yellowed seat bolster is covered without any worry — four to six steering wheels or two to three bolsters is realistic, depending on the number of layers and how thirsty the substrate is. It covers 25 of the 32 standard shades, from black and havana through to the big colour classics and the metallic effects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e1 litre bottle\u003c\/strong\u003e is the pro format for upholsterers, smart-repair outfits and ambitious detailers refreshing whole interiors. With a compressed-air sprayer and hardener, 1 litre is good for about a full saloon interior, seats and door cards. Per square metre of seat surface the material cost stays well below comparable pre-mixed sets from Ledermax or Geist, because here a concentrate is scaled up rather than a ready-made application solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut the real value only shows up through the whole range behind it. Detailing1 carries the complete \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lederpflege\"\u003eleather care line\u003c\/a\u003e from COLOURLOCK: leather-grade naphtha for degreasing, Leather Cleaner Mild and Strong for the pre-wash, the leather sanding pad for the intermediate sand, Fluid Leather for cracks, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/koch-chemie-colourlock-leather-shield-leder-versiegelung\"\u003eLeather Shield\u003c\/a\u003e for the final seal. Without that stack the dye delivers only a fraction of its durability — the life of the job hangs about 80 percent on the prep. Buy the bottle on its own and you dye once and curse the flaking a week later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd one pro trick the manufacturer's brochure won't print: on UV-faded seats the original OEM colour code often no longer matches exactly. Experienced users then hand-mix two or three neighbouring shades from the 32-strong range with a pipette — until a test spot in a hidden place (the underside of the seat, say) matches perfectly. That's fifteen minutes of trial and it saves the whole custom-mix order, which otherwise quickly means several weeks' wait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe second pro rule is mundane but it costs most hobby users their work: 30 hours of curing at room temperature is non-negotiable. The first 10 minutes of hot-air drying only build the visible film. The material reaches full mechanical strength only the next day — sit on it sooner and you rip open yesterday's work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK","offers":[{"title":"White \/ 1000 ml \/ 1 liter","offer_id":57637119656271,"sku":"D1-KCX-563-1L-01","price":53.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"White \/ 250ml","offer_id":57637119754575,"sku":"D1-KCX-563-250ML-01","price":24.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Havana (Havana) \/ 1000 ml \/ 1 liter","offer_id":57637119787343,"sku":"D1-KCX-567-1L-01","price":53.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Havana (Havana) \/ 250ml","offer_id":57637119820111,"sku":"D1-KCX-567-250ML-01","price":24.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Caramel \/ 250ml","offer_id":57637119852879,"sku":"D1-KCX-568-250ML-01","price":24.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry Red \/ 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