Help with edges.

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

Joined
Mar 19, 2007
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I was going to call Paul today and get his advice but I wanted to open this particular one up to the Hive Mind.

I have been working on my edges as all of us do and I run into the following problem. I use my drum sander and level my edges at 120 grit - switch to 220 and then run an edge beveler over the edges.

If I add black dye to the edges at this point and let them fully dry - The black dye is even. I can then use my 400 grit and 600 grit to my edges to get them to be smooth - but I end up sanding off too much dye to keep it even. The result is sort of a deep gray and not black.

To solve this I will sand to 400 grit and higher before dying I note that the dye is resisted some and I get a mottled look on the edges. This happens no matter how long I allow the dye to cure.

I seem to have one or the other of these issues depending on how I approach the issue - but I have not been happy with my edges thus far.

I can either get them black and even - or glassy and mottled black.

Any advice?

Jason
 
What kind of dye are you using?
I use my belt grinder to get my edges cleaned up. I usually go up to 120 Grit on the grinder. I then hand sand all the way up to 400 grit or sometimes higher. I then dye my edges. I use fiebings pro dye. I then come back and knock off any fuzzies with whatever the last grit of sandpaper was. I then burnish the dog out of the edges with a hardwood dowel rod. My edges usually are very even with nice color.
If you want to look at my work (if it helps) I’m on Facebook ( Jim Veader) or on Instagram ( Veader blades). I’ve posted a couple of videos in my feed outlining the process i use when making my sheaths. Fair warning I’m a bit country and tend to ramble, but hopefully you might find something useful.
 
I seldom dye edges Jason (kinda frowned on in our world), so not much help there for ya. However, since switching from gum to Wyo Quick Slik to rub, I haven't found the need to sand any higher than 120 anymore. I use to sand at 120 and then hit it again at 400. With the Quick Slik sanding agin at 400 didn't do anything, just wasn't necessary anymore.
 
I use to just get my sheath edges cut cleanly, then put the on my buffer wheel with old red rouge. Darkened and smoothed them off.
Rich
 
Black is one of the most difficult to get done well, I feel your pain.
A lot of frustration.
Pro Dye wants to go grey, I found standard black dye tends to stay the darkest without going uneven. USMC black being the best for making a good solid color. For best penetration you want to dye before the wet sand, then after the wet sand to fill those areas that got a little thin after. Even then you stand a chance of it going a bit mottled, just stick to it and if you need to dye a few times to get it in there dont be worried about it, simply buff off the excess residue and go at it again. Eventually it will even out. Good luck!
 
Horsewright said:
I seldom dye edges Jason (kinda frowned on in our world), so not much help there for ya. However, since switching from gum to Wyo Quick Slik to rub, I haven't found the need to sand any higher than 120 anymore. I use to sand at 120 and then hit it again at 400. With the Quick Slik sanding agin at 400 didn't do anything, just wasn't necessary anymore.
Click to expand...
That reminds me, I have got to look up that Quick Slik. Sounds like a dream
 
Don't often do my edges black, but I learned from a local knifemaker to always dye blue before black, requires less black and black stays more even. Might give that a try. rtmind/Randy
 
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