Dying Natural Bone And Q : Blade Length Case Swayback vs Teardrop

Wowbagger

Wowbagger

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Sep 20, 2015
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I'm really torn as to where to post this so move where ever I will get the exposure to get my questions answered.
THANK YOU !
I figured this could go in Tinkering or Traditional but more eyeballs would see it in General . . .
ohhhhhh Helllllp !

Without further nonsense :
How do the blade lengths compare ? I have the two blade Swayback (26014) and the long blade is two inches at the edge and about two and a quarter from the bolster.

Will someone tell me how the Teardrop (123ABC 22434) single spear point blade (see second photo) compares lengthwise ?
414Hwqu1PdL._SY355_.jpg
316NzgSK30L._AC_US218_.jpg

As far as dying I have a plain, smooth bone Teardrop ( 123ABC 22434 ) on order. I plan to dye it dark, deep, dark, did I mention deep/dark, red.

I want it to have some depth, if you have ever seen the photo shopped factory photo of the Boker smooth red bone stockman (shown below) that is what I am going for.

One thing I need to know is there any coating applied at Case that I need to try and dissolve; like wax or shellac that might impede the dying process ?

Another thing I need to know is am I better off trying to get the deep dark red in one go or should I dye it several times letting it dry and or fixing it between dye sessions ?

What the heck one more question : should I add a dye session using just grey or black to get the dark red I am after ?
This is what I am going for as far as color and depth
41L8UtFW2yL._UX395_.jpg


I lied; last question : Rit dye or something else ? Artist grade dye ? Dye from a woodworking or leather working supply ? I am going for some depth so the dye needs to have some clarity.

Or maybe I am just fantasizing of an impossible dream.
I WANT AND MUST HAVE THE HANDLE QUALITIES SHOWN IN THE BOKER PHOTO !
I have wanted this for years and can't seem to let go of it.
  • The actual Boker knife looks nothing like that, they are pink, I have bought two and sent them back.
  • I prefer a single blade knife and I prefer the teardrop handle to the stockman.
  • I finally found a plain, smooth bone knife to work with so now is the time.
I may buy more than one; I would like one to remain just plain natural color bone and I would, in addition to the red, like a dark, dark blue one. The dark blue I want is shown in the swayback above; the actual article looks NOTHING like the photo it is much, much lighter.

THANK YOU FOR ANY DIRECTION YOU MAY PROVIDE
 
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Can't help with dying questions, but the teardrop spear blade is about 1/4" longer, maybe a hair under, than the SBJ. I can't speak for the wharncliffe teardrop.
 
There are some threads in the Trad forum about dying bone. There are different methods, so it’s good reading.

In my experience, yes the bone has a wax coating. I removed it with rubbing alcohol and also a fine steel wool to open pores.

The density of bone can vary and getting an even deep dye isn’t alway easy. It seems like those using the “boiling” method had good results though.

I have used Fiebings leather dye. I applied, waited, wiped off excess, let it set awhile and repeated 2 or three times to get the level of darkness I wanted.

I have only dyed bone to darken the existing color, I don’t have experience dying white bone.

Good luck with your project. Please take before, during and after photos.
 
LastRodeo said:
There are some threads in the Trad forum about dying bone. There are different methods, so it’s good reading.

In my experience, yes the bone has a wax coating. I removed it with rubbing alcohol and also a fine steel wool to open pores.

The density of bone can vary and getting an even deep dye isn’t alway easy. It seems like those using the “boiling” method had good results though.

I have used Fiebings leather dye. I applied, waited, wiped off excess, let it set awhile and repeated 2 or three times to get the level of darkness I wanted.

I have only dyed bone to darken the existing color, I don’t have experience dying white bone.

Good luck with your project. Please take before, during and after photos.
Click to expand...

Oh interesting.
Good to know.
Yes I have asked about dying the red to a deeper red before but this natural color bone is a new project and I don't want to flub it up.
Thanks
 
Wowbagger said:
The actual Boker knife looks nothing like that, they are pink, I have bought two and sent them back.
Click to expand...

Bob I love it when I'm wrong ! ! ! ! ! !

Whewwwww
Problem solved !

Let me back up a little . . . (takes quick look at knife in hand, does diagnostic test of level of waking consciousness ((pinches self . . . then pinches self REALLY HARD !)) begins to type again with some level of relief but not complete confidence ) . . .

I was going to buy a knife i liked, what ever I could get in natural bone and dye it . . . right ?
So I got the knife (the white Teardrop shown above) and it has these dark pores as if some kind of process had been done to the bone to make the pores show up. That is all well and good for a knife that is going to remain natural bone but I began to think they would take away from the pure translucent maroon I was going for.
Crap.
Just as I was going to get on here and ask the verdict on that I inadvertently read a review of the Maroon Stockman shown above. Somebody in 2017 had bought one and they said it ACTUALLY looked like the photo shown.
Was this just a sinister plot by Boker to lure me in for another bash at my sanity and what little grace I had left ?

Quaking in the corner, staring at my computer across the room, I was afeared as to how to proceed.
Bing ! ! !
The light came on. This was an on line knife vendor. I could just call them and ask them to open the box or boxes and tell me what they saw; dark maroon or otherwise.
I did that.
They said the knife wasn't in stock and they would have to order one in to look at it.
. . . . . back to my corner . . . .
With grim determination to scale this wall of knife collecting or plunge into the obis trying . . .
I pressed the buy button for an in stock Boker that was in stock on the little "a".
If it came with the anemic dye I would dye it ! ! ! ! . . . at least the pores wouldn't be full of dark stuff.
. . . oh but . . . but . . but . but, but I forgot to ask the question I intended to ask on Blade Forums before ordering : Are there cases were areas on natural bone won't take the dye and so remain white or pink after being subjected to intense marroon dye.
heck
and I was so sure of what I was going to see when I opened the package of the new Boker that I searched out some dye and put it in the save for later list. Some little, little itsy, bitsy fragment of optimism smeared on the wall of the now empty room where I keep my optimism told me to wait and see . . .

Time for another look at the knife in my hand and the pinch test which of late has become an hourly ritual.
OW ! OW !
OK I'm good

So anyway . . . I feel like something is going to go POP ! and disappear or I'm going to wake up but . . .
I may not have to do any dying after all.
Shame . . . I was actually looking forward to learning how.

So without further BS and conversation. I give you . . .
My beautifully translucent, to die for Maroon, Boker, Large Stockman.
In dark Maroon !
Dark I tell you !
After more than two years of ordering, sending back, ordering again, giving up, pining . . . sleepless nights . . . lonely days . . .
I'm still curious does bone sometimes just refuse to take dye or was Boker just being stupid or what ?
TA DAAAAAAAAAA :
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