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Dandy Dyes: #TheGopherProject Spotlight

This month, the spotlight is squarely on Martin Dandy aka Dandy Dyes!  Now if you’ve been on Instagram over the last few years, you’ll more than certainly know Dandy Dyes.  If haven’t been on Instagram, I highly suggest looking up his account (@dandydyes). It’s worth the “trip.” He’s our spotlight on this week’s edition of #TheGopherProject.

So, what makes Martin so good at dyeing?  That’s difficult to answer because what makes his dyes so exceptional is a collection of all the parts.   For me, if I have to sit there for a few minutes and look at “how” a dyer did something on a head, it’s because they’ve done something really well.  I do that on nearly all Martin’s dyes.  

Let’s get a little insight on Martin and Dandy Dyes….

Kevin– “Let’s start with a softball question, what’s your favorite vinyl/dye to use?”

Martin–  “White Oracle 651 12×12 sheets.  I like dealing with sheets because they don’t get curled up on the mats like rolls do.  I like white because it’s the cheapest. I use Rit for mostly everything because I’m old and I like to go the store to buy things.  I’ll use Laxdip for Black, Navy, and Grey.

Kevin– “From start to finish, what’s the average time you spend on a typical dye?”  

Martin–  “A quick dye is like 2-4 hours.  The stuff that kind of “put me on the map” takes 6-10 hours.  That includes a lot of computer time.”

Kevin– “You’ve been churning out dyes for Pros, Companies, and players at a high rate, what’s your typical lead time?”  

Martin– “Lead time is typically 3-4 weeks.  Which can turn into 4-5, if you don’t like it, I’ll send it back.  I understand.”

Kevin– “Favorite style to dye?”

Martin– “I love tri-fades, they are the best looking and will be forever classic.”

Kevin– “Anything you want to say to the community?”

Martin– “I just want to thank everyone for the support.  The community has been great, from people who love the work, to the people who do what I do.  If you have a question, hit me up.” 

Kevin– “One of the things you do so well is color mix, how much trial and error did that take?”

Martin– “Honestly, I just throw it in a pot and see what happens.  It’s really not as complicated as it may seem. The most important thing is to be aware of colors these dyes will turn if you add too much powder.  Keep a pot of black just incase you want to get it a hair darker.”

Let’s address color mixing for this section of the spotlight, it’s not as easy as it seems.  Currently, there are a myriad of color options available from the dye companies. However, there are a select few colors that are not available.  For example, maroon is one that is tricky. You need to mix a few colors and even then, each head will take that color differently. Several months ago, Martin and I had a discussion on getting the green I use in my logo (the non Laxallstars version).   So, we’re going to test this out on a Warrior Evo 2 (whip 2) head.  

Here’s what you’ll need:

1.  A Lacrosse head

2.  Kelly Green and Dark Rit Dye (based on Martin’s “recipe”)

3.  Dye Pot

4.  Rags and cleaning supplies

Step 1: 

Bring a pot to boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  

Step 2: 

Add one full bottle of liquid Rit Kelly Green (or 2 powder packets) and stir to completely incorporate.

Step 3: 

Add ¾ a bottle of Dark Green Rit dye.  Easiest way to measure is dump half the bottle and stir, then pour half the remaining bottle.

Step 4: 

Drop the head in.  As usual, I treat this as a dual fade.  That way I can see how the color is taking and if anything needs to be added.  If the color as is desired, keep going.  

Tip: If the color isn’t as dark as you’d like add a pinch of laxdip black and test.  If you add too much to this mix, you’ll get an Olive Green. Less is more.

Step 5: 

Clean off head, place in freezer, and clean up.

dandy dyes #thegopherproject

Martin’s Final Thoughts!

“I get asked all the time for advice, my biggest piece of advice is to have patience and to practice. Use old head that are non- playable, or even broken heads, to test color and design.  Most importantly, watch YouTube videos. There are dozens of great videos from the best in the business. These are what I started with, and are the foundation of my business.”

Thank you for reading.  Remember to tag all string ups with #thegopherproject to earn string up of the week honors, and to give Dandy Dyes a follow!