Custom Dyed GEC’s by Nathan & Travis

I sent this one to get dyed and just got it back. I'm extremely pleased with how it turned out.

Before.
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After.
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Time to put an good edge on it and throw it in my pocket. Thanks again Nathan & Travis!
 
This one came from the factory as an unsatisfactory lighter red with light pink edges. I couldn’t stand looking at it so, I added dark red many times and used a hairdryer to give it just enough heat for the dye to absorb into the bone.
IMG_5883.jpeg


I have been using Angelis Leather Dyes for the past two years. I use lacquer thinner to dilute the dye if I’m going to submerge a knife into the liquid. https://angelusdirect.com/collections/angelus-dye-1

BTW, the clean up of the knife is hard work. It isn’t easy getting all the dye out of the areas of the knife, especially if the knife had been submerged in the liquid. After physically removing as much dye as possible with paper towels, I then wash the entire knife with soap and water. This is where it gets tricky, because if you use super hot water, it will instantly patina the blades. So you want to use slightly warm water, but not super hot. If the knife is a user and you’re not worried about putting a little patina on a new satin blade, then it doesn’t matter. I will then completely dry the knife with compressed air. Then I spray the whole thing down with Basistol oil or WD-40. Then after a few minutes, I clean the whole thing again with paper towels. Then I wrap the knife in clean paper towels with a rubber band around the whole package. Then I carry it in my pocket and the action of carrying it around and the heat of my body helps displace any extra oil or dye and that will reach out onto the wrap of the paper towels.

Now, if the knife is still leaking out any dye then I have to do the whole washing, drying, and oiling process again. If after all this, the knife color did not turn out the way it was supposed to, then we start all over and work even harder and longer with even more heat to get the dye to absorb. Many of the knives I have dyed and shown off are the result of several weeks or months of working on them. A few of the knives have been very easy and only took one attempt. The easy ones tend to be white bone knives that came from the factory as white bone knives.
 
Last edited:
Travman said:
This one came from the factory as an unsatisfactory lighter red with light pink edges. I couldn’t stand looking at it so I added dark red many times and used a hairdryer to give it just enough heat for the dye to absorb into the bone.
IMG_5883.jpeg


I have been using Angelis Leather Dyes for the past two years. I use lacquer thinner to dilute the dye if I’m going to submerge a knife into the liquid. https://angelusdirect.com/collections/angelus-dye-1

BTW, the clean up of the knife is hard work. It isn’t easy getting all the dye out of the areas of the knife, especially if the knife had been submerged in the liquid. After physically removing as much dye as possible with paper towels, I then wash the entire knife with soap and water. This is where it gets tricky, because if you use super hot water, it will instantly patina the blades. So you want to use slightly warm water, but not super hot. If the knife is a user and you’re not worried about putting a little patina on a new satin blade, then it doesn’t matter. I will then completely dry the knife with compressed air. Then I spray the whole thing down with Basistol oil or WD-40. Then after a few minutes, I clean the whole thing again with paper towels. Then I wrap the knife in clean paper towels with a rubber band around the whole package. Then I carry it in my pocket and the action of carrying it around and the heat of my body helps displace any extra oil or dye and that will reach out onto the wrap of the paper towels.

Now, if the knife is still leaking out any dye then I have to do the whole washing, drying, and oiling process again. If after all this, the knife color did not turn out the way it was supposed to, then we start all over and work even harder and longer with even more heat to get the dye to absorb. Many of the knives I have dyed and shown off are the result of several weeks or months of working on them. A few of the knives have been very easy and only took one attempt. The easy ones tend to be white bone knives that came from the factory as white bone knives.
Click to expand...

Awesome dedication with amazing results. One of my favorite threads to follow. Thanks for the details on your process.
 
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