- Joined
- Dec 4, 2000
- Messages
- 169
Hi... I'm in the process of personalising a knife I bought and need some info (what I'm actually doing to my knife is detailed in the post about making micarta black).
I was toying with the idea of staining my knife... for no more complex reason than the fact that I've never done it before. By the time I'm done with the current set of work on that knife, It should ahve a satin finish. Can you guys suggest ways that I can stain the knife? Also note that the micarta scales cannot be removed... I've already tried.
Now, blueing comes to mind, but gun blueing chemicals are in severe short supply here in Singapore... considering there's NO gun industry. what else can I use? I'm not keen on magic markers and spray paint
...
I have heard that ammonia will stain steel yellow, and potassium permanganate will turn it deep brown... but I have no idea what the processes are. Can anyone elaborate?
I have also heard that the sap from a banana tree will blacken the blade (from someone who went chopping banana trees with a khukri, but no more details) but I'm not sure about consistency or process (wash the blade after sap or leave on and bake in the sun?).
I have also heard that pineapple juice will act on high carbon steels to colour it... but I have no idea what colour or what type of steel (I mean, ALL steel has carbon and I've never seen a kitchen knife turn black after cutting pineapples).
One idea I am almost willing to try is to for the blade to oxidise - RUST (ack)... and then buff that to get a deep dark brown/black patina. HOWEVER I'm not sure what the outcome will be like and the thought of MAKING my blade rust seems... blasphemous! Still, I'd like to know if there's a way to make the blade rust consistently with no hotsputs that might cause pitting. I vaguely remember someong talking about soaking in alcohol... has anyone got any experience in this?
What about immersing it in an oxidising agent... any household compounds to suggest?
Any suggestions at all would be much appreciated. Thanx guys!
I was toying with the idea of staining my knife... for no more complex reason than the fact that I've never done it before. By the time I'm done with the current set of work on that knife, It should ahve a satin finish. Can you guys suggest ways that I can stain the knife? Also note that the micarta scales cannot be removed... I've already tried.
Now, blueing comes to mind, but gun blueing chemicals are in severe short supply here in Singapore... considering there's NO gun industry. what else can I use? I'm not keen on magic markers and spray paint
...I have heard that ammonia will stain steel yellow, and potassium permanganate will turn it deep brown... but I have no idea what the processes are. Can anyone elaborate?
I have also heard that the sap from a banana tree will blacken the blade (from someone who went chopping banana trees with a khukri, but no more details) but I'm not sure about consistency or process (wash the blade after sap or leave on and bake in the sun?).
I have also heard that pineapple juice will act on high carbon steels to colour it... but I have no idea what colour or what type of steel (I mean, ALL steel has carbon and I've never seen a kitchen knife turn black after cutting pineapples).
One idea I am almost willing to try is to for the blade to oxidise - RUST (ack)... and then buff that to get a deep dark brown/black patina. HOWEVER I'm not sure what the outcome will be like and the thought of MAKING my blade rust seems... blasphemous! Still, I'd like to know if there's a way to make the blade rust consistently with no hotsputs that might cause pitting. I vaguely remember someong talking about soaking in alcohol... has anyone got any experience in this?
What about immersing it in an oxidising agent... any household compounds to suggest?
Any suggestions at all would be much appreciated. Thanx guys!
