There are a few things I have done to make my covers look vintage. One of the best products I have used is brown paste Kiwi shoe polish. It comes in a little round can and I rub it on with an old cloth rag. Clean out the holes with a Q-tip. It has worked well for me and the color seems right on too. I have used in on white binding that is lacquered or looks too white.

Another item I have used is Lipton Tea. I usually boil water and put the tea bag in a cup, let it cool down a little and put the covers in. Let them sit in the tea water for a period of time. Keep the tea warm if you can as it will work better. It is best to use a nylon molded bobbin as using other plastics will not work as well. Don’t get the water too hot as it can change the shape of the bobbin.