Can you alter the color of amber bone handle by leaving in sun?

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cards94

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Jul 23, 2013
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i have a case peanut amber bone and i've been thinking about darkening the handle a little bit. i read about the tea bags method along with using dyes, but do you think leaving a knife in the sun over and over would darken the handle a little? consider it a sun brewed handle. :D

 
i apologize moderator. just realized this should have been posted in tinkering/embellishment?
 
I would bet that leaving it in the Sun would bleach it rather than darken it.

Best regards

Robin
 
Pipeman said:
I would bet that leaving it in the Sun would bleach it rather than darken it.

Best regards

Robin
Click to expand...

hmm you got a point. when i got the knife about a year ago it didn't come with alot of scales and i didn't feel like sending it back so i kept it. still looks ok to me but thinking about making a little darker.
 
I use Fiebings leather dye for dyeing bone, antler, wood, leather. Medium brown and dark brown, both the spirit based and the oil based work well. Lots of folks are using Rit dye in the liquid form and are getting great reds. Personally I'm not wild about the Tea staining by soaking in water. If you're going to dye the handles I would suggest a dry scrubbing with super fine steel wool to get any coating off the bone, it takes the colour better.

Best regards and good luck.

Robin
 
Pipeman said:
I use Fiebings leather dye for dyeing bone, antler, wood, leather. Medium brown and dark brown, both the spirit based and the oil based work well. Lots of folks are using Rit dye in the liquid form and are getting great reds. Personally I'm not wild about the Tea staining by soaking in water. If you're going to dye the handles I would suggest a dry scrubbing with super fine steel wool to get any coating off the bone, it takes the colour better.

Best regards and good luck.

Robin
Click to expand...

With regards to either flebings or rit dye, it's going to depend on which one is easier to find. i'm going look into either one but i'd like to try that flebings medium brown. just a few more questions if i may, thank you. how long or how many times you dunk the knife or leave it in the dye depends on how dark you want it?
also, once i'm finished with the dye part, should a sealant be applied over the new color?
 
i just thought about it. what would happen if after lightly sanding down, using a miniwax polyurethane stain?
 
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