My dyed Bonestag case stockman

JM2

JM2

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I bought this knife new and carried it bout a year. It was looking pretty sad so I polished it, but it still didn’t look too good. So I did some research on this forum and found a thread on dying scales.

I used whole packet of Rit powder, black, in nearly boiling water. No salt. A squirt of dawn and let it cook about 20 minutes. It took okay but needed more in some parts as it wasn’t super black. I had degreased by using a scotchbrite pad and dawn and as hot of tap water as I could stand.

So I got more dye and commenced again. This time I used half a pack and added salt. It darkened up the spots that didn’t take as well but it caused some rust pitting. There was already some light rust staining here and there as I carry the knife during summer sweat season. Well I guess it caused the already present minor rust to become more pronounced. The salt caused the rust staining to take the dye and there is a few specks on the nail nicks mainly. It probably wouldn’t have done this if it was a new knife, It’s a working knife though.
Before




After


The main damage. That’s actually pitting and you can catch it with a fingernail. I have sanded the blade side with 600 grit then 1000, then polish. I first thought it would sand out but didn’t realize how deep it was.

 
JM2 said:
I bought this knife new and carried it bout a year. It was looking pretty sad so I polished it, but it still didn’t look too good. So I did some research on this forum and found a thread on dying scales.

I used whole packet of Rit powder, black, in nearly boiling water. No salt. A squirt of dawn and let it cook about 20 minutes. It took okay but needed more in some parts as it wasn’t super black. I had degreased by using a scotchbrite pad and dawn and as hot of tap water as I could stand.

So I got more dye and commenced again. This time I used half a pack and added salt. It darkened up the spots that didn’t take as well but it caused some rust pitting. There was already some light rust staining here and there as I carry the knife during summer sweat season. Well I guess it caused the already present minor rust to become more pronounced. The salt caused the rust staining to take the dye and there is a few specks on the nail nicks mainly. It probably wouldn’t have done this if it was a new knife, It’s a working knife though.
Before




After


The main damage. That’s actually pitting and you can catch it with a fingernail. I have sanded the blade side with 600 grit then 1000, then polish. I first thought it would sand out but didn’t realize how deep it was.

Click to expand...
You have done a great job, have a look around Youtube, i have seen a re-dye job done with leather dye. It did not cause any rust issues because you don't use salt. May help you in your future projects, but job well done with this project.
 
I appreciate the kind words and advice. I went black mostly because I figured it would hide the remaining imitation stag coloring. And I liked the look of others id seen in black.
 
Great job.... looks a lot like buffalo horn...

Your whittling is very nice, as well... whittling hollowed out sections is not easy... at least to me, it's not..
 
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Thanks. I use the spey blade for hollowing work like that. The one on my case there is okay, but it’s got a blunt point. I have an old timer 34ot that has a more rounded spey tip and it does better. It’ll do a sharper radius without scoring the adjacent surface.

I’ve been whittling since I was a kid, and I do fine carpentry work by trade.
 
Well I’ve carried the knife a good while now. Whittled with it some, repolished it once, and let the pocket junque have its way once again. The color has worn off some. It doesn’t stain my pocket or hand (though the first couple times I whittled with it after dying, it did lightly stain my hand). I do like the wear I think.

Anyways I wanted to give an update.



 
JM2 said:
Well I’ve carried the knife a good while now. Whittled with it some, repolished it once, and let the pocket junque have its way once again. The color has worn off some. It doesn’t stain my pocket or hand (though the first couple times I whittled with it after dying, it did lightly stain my hand). I do like the wear I think.

Anyways I wanted to give an update.



Click to expand...
Looking good, i like that a re-dye job does start to wear a bit, adds to the character and gives that antique look. Well done.
 
Here she was about a year ago. Wearing in pretty good.

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