Is it possible to darken jigged bone on an existing folder?

B

Beaver

Joined
Nov 24, 1999
Messages
616
Is it possible to darken jigged bone or carved stag bone on an existing folder?

I have a Queen #9 stockman with carved stag bone handles. The bone is fairly light in color with darker highlights. Is it possible to darken these handles (e.g. staining) without taking the bone handles off the knife?
Thanks for the help.
Jay
 
I'm not sure, but you could try potassium permanganate crystals dissolved in water. Wayne Goddard recommends it for dyeing his stag, and from biology lab, it'll stain just about everything it comes into contact with. This is just a guess, though. I really don't *know* if it'll work on jigged bone.
 
I'm not sure about your #9 stockman, but most Queen knives use Delrin cut to look like stag. If your scales are real bone, the above suggestion will work, as will leather dyes.
Bill
 
I have a CSB Whittler that I wanted to darken a bit and used a flame to "carmelize" it. Pretty easy to do and the end result looks nice.
 
Warden and Bill,
I believe the handles are bone, you can see the cellular structure of the material. Regarding the Potassium Permanganate, where does one find the crystals. In what concentration do you dissolve them? In water? Is it painted on or is the knife emersed in it?

CDM,
You mentioned using a flame to carmalize the bone. What did you useto heat the bone? how close to the knife handle? what does this to the surface of the knife?
Jay
 
Having never used the Potassium Permanganate crystals myself, I'm not really sure where to find them. Wayne Goddard claims in his book that he got some from the hardware store. If you find them, though, he doesn't really go into detail on it, other than saturate it, then sand the high portions. He claims the potassium gives a more natural brown color than the leather dyes, which tend toward an unnatural redness. I can vouch for that part, anyway, as I've used alcohol-based leather dyes on other things.
 
Heat tends to open the pores on bone and dry it out. It makes it look funny. I have had good luck with Fiebings leather dyes. You can use dark brown, cordovan, black, or even mix them.
Bill
 
Sounds like I need a trip to the local hardware store to pick their brains about using the Potassium, and/or the leather dies.

Thanks for the feedback.
J
 
warden41272 said:
Having never used the Potassium Permanganate crystals myself, I'm not really sure where to find them. Wayne Goddard claims in his book that he got some from the hardware store. If you find them, though, he doesn't really go into detail on it, other than saturate it, then sand the high portions. He claims the potassium gives a more natural brown color than the leather dyes, which tend toward an unnatural redness. I can vouch for that part, anyway, as I've used alcohol-based leather dyes on other things.
Click to expand...


I buy my potassium permanganate at the pharmacy. Cost me approximately 2 dollars for a 25g (film canister size) quantity. Quite useful and versatile stuff, can also be used as a disinfectant, a water purifier, an antifungal, can create chemical fire if mixed with glycerine, and dyes your hands a nice shade of brown :)
 
Balefire,
In what concentration do you dissolve the crtstals? How is it applied to the bone handles?
Jay
 
The only way that bone will take the dye is if the bone has not absorbed any oil already. When most manfuacturers ship knives, the blades are usually coated with oil. The oil will usually run, get absorbed some into the bone handles, which will block any dye from substantially absorbing into the bone (if you try to dye it).

It may absorb some, but it will not dye uniformly.
 
Beaver said:
CDM,
You mentioned using a flame to carmalize the bone. What did you useto heat the bone? how close to the knife handle? what does this to the surface of the knife?
Jay
Click to expand...

I used a small hand torch that came in a crem broulet kit. I'll post some pictures later this evening, and there were no opening of pores or anything. After burning it I did some sanding and it came out very smooth.
 
If it is real bone you could try this. Get some de-natured alcohol , rag and wipe down the handles vigorously , that should take off any varnish or sealer , the leather dyes suggeste will work and so will plain 'ol coffee.
Make a cup of strong coffee and dip in a q-tip and apply to the bone , let it soak in and polish off , repeat until desired color , same goes for leather dyes.
Mind you since bone is pourous , once it soaks in and changes the color you will most likely be SOL if you dont like the end result.

Good luck.
 
Here is how mine came out. Also, the smell of the toasting bone actually smells tasty.

Just some quick snapshots here of each side but it feels good and looks nice to me. This knife gets lots of use, as is evident in the photos.

Bone is a porous material but this finish is deep (sanded it myself to a "pocket-worn finish) and with all of the use/abuse is not getting pale.

1767605DSCF0954.JPG


1767607DSCF0966.JPG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top