Dyeing for a Buck scale

300Bucks

300Bucks

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Apr 19, 2005
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Its gun deer season tomorrow. Have orange selector I will have in daypack. Got a new fancy Vantage select in light scale. Thought, I remember NM Kim dyeing one I will give it a try. Did a 'little' research went to mart and got only orange dye they had in laundry soap area. That was a start.

After a little more, ('little' again) reading, I started water boiling in tea kettle. I would recommend if you are going to try this go to garage sale or flea market and buy you a SS used sauce pan big enough for your knife. Some folks dyeing micarta, G10, etc take the scale off the knife, I wan't interested in in doing that and didn't, of course on the 55 there was no way. Here is the formula I found.
3 cups water
1/2 bottle dye
2 tbsp. white vinegar (I found the vinegar reference in the 'after' reading of others efforts).

1 tbsp. of Rit powder equals a 1/2 bottle

After oil removal by washing with dish soap and hot water, some folks boiled scales a while in the mixture but I was concerned about that so I poured boiling water in glass cup and added dye. Thought what the heck and poured in whole bottle. Had glass on electric burner on about 2 and put in both knives for 30 minutes. Took them out and wash and dried them and there you go. Be careful pouring out dye or wash water so you don't spill any on something that will stain or you will be eating wheaties for a few nights...ha

300

Before photo


After photo Steel normal, just looks dark in photo. Will report on how it wears in future.


Working photo



 
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Very nice. Looks like it came out great. :)
The Mrs. wants me to try yellow next with black stripes, kind of like a bumble bee.
 
300, it looks good to me... I like that yellow... I use to dye Hot Wheels... (little toy cars)... They came out great... :thumbup:
 
Great job!! Thanks for the info. I will have to try that. I am trying to find the thread on removing the white in the black scaled 300's. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving everyone.
Harold
 
Harold,

Tooth brush, tooth paste. Or Mothers Mag wheel polish. Then a good dose of mineral oil, for the knife not you......The thread was way back.

Here , from my friend Knarfeng, is an explanation of the white stuff.

It used to be common to toughen plastics by incorporating plasticizers into the batch of plastic. It is still common for some types. Plasticizers are low molecular weight chemicals which stay in the interstitial spaces between the strands of polymer. They act as internal lubricants and help the strands to flex when put under stress, as when the plastic part is impacted.

Plasticizers don't actually cure in the plastic. They migrate around in it. Over time they can be lost and the plastic becomes brittle, cracking more easily.

I'm not certain that this is what has happened to yours. But, it is a possible explanation


There you go Harold the plasticizer is migrating.......ha I think this is what the mineral oil does, it goes interstitial.......what ever that means......300
 
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Hi 300---The scales are good just turned grey. Thanks a million for the info, as I looked and tried all I knew to find the thread with no luck. It is a 311 that I want to carry some. I have a 311 Winchester that is a safe queen. Thanks so much again.
Harold
 
RIT dye is the most common die used on Plastics and fabrics, it always works (if changing color is your goal).

You may not realize it, but that turned out REALLY good. Usually people get a shade of brown or less vibrant result. The initial handle color makes a difference too.
 
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