Potassium permanganate

Anybody want a 5 pound can of the stuff? Unfortunately, it is hard to ship because it is an oxidizer. I had to have a business account at Grainger to buy it, but I had one already. But seriously, Rusty, try dark brown, medium brown, light brown, British tan and yellow Fiebings in various combinations.
 
PP is also known as Condies crystals ( not sure of the spelling ) Mix a teaspoon full to around half a litre of water. A pasta sauce jar or similar works great, use the lid to seal the mix and you can use it over and over. Put your scales or taper in the jar and leave for a couple of hours. Take them out and let dry, put them in again if you want it darker. The color can be sealed with mineral oil or similar, I like to use sandle wood oil.

PP will only color the surface, if you are after the amber effect right through the bone, this process won't do it. If you are going to use dyes re-read what the other guys have recomended. Different dies use different base colors. Do a test run or you might end up with a pink or blue stained interior.

PP is used on comercial quantities of stag to enrich color and kill bugs and fungus. If you are going to do scales get rid of as much pith as possible as it really soaks up the color and can leave the ends looking crappy.

Peter
 
boiling or soaking your antler bone in warm water will enable thee pp to wick farther deeper into the surface.
 
Found out Lowes does carry Potassium permanqanate. Just not all stores carry it but you can buy it at Lowes site online and have delivered to one of their stores!
 
Rusty McDonald said:
Ok I know this is what is used to dye antler and stag. But how do you use it. I have heard many differant ways to do this with tea/coffee and shoe polish. but I want it to be a deeper more amber color and was told this is what to ues. Lets hear all those secret recipies.
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Rusty, I too have been on this persuit for years. I'm still looking but here is the results I want and have never found them anywhere else except Culpepper Co. There must be a main ingredient they use but nobody seems to know what it is. I doubt it is Potasium Permanganate or leather dye. They charge $20 per pound so I pay it.

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Bruce Bump said:
Rusty, I too have been on this persuit for years. I'm still looking but here is the results I want and have never found them anywhere else except Culpepper Co. There must be a main ingredient they use but nobody seems to know what it is. I doubt it is Potasium Permanganate or leather dye. They charge $20 per pound so I pay it.

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This is one outstanding hunter Bruce!
 
Try Dixie Gun Works in Union, TN. Ask for "Old Bones". This is concentrated liquid PP and you dilute it with water.
 
I recently found a small bottle at sears, & got lots of funny looks when I told the sales person I didn't want or have a water softener, but wanted to use it to darken up antler for a knife handle. The handle turned out great. I just mixed up about a teaspoon with a little water in a small cup & brushed it on with a foam brush, let dry & hand sanded it just a little bit.
 
Question for Bruce, I ordered the bone scales from Culpepper the other day, and was looking for advice on how to finish them, when I found this thread. Should I just buff some wax on the scales as the final step? Anything with these dyed scales to watch out for?

Thanks!
 
tomh said:
Question for Bruce, I ordered the bone scales from Culpepper the other day, and was looking for advice on how to finish them, when I found this thread. Should I just buff some wax on the scales as the final step? Anything with these dyed scales to watch out for?

Thanks!
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Hi Tom,
thanks for trusting me with the Culpepper scales.
They are simple to use. Just clean the excess dye off with paint thinner and surface the back side. I like to super glue a very thin black fiber liner to the back to help seal the back side, then simply sand and polish to a mirror finish. Seal with paste wax or just oil them.
Show us your results.
 
Thanks Bruce. I think you make nice enough knives that I can trust you on about anything knife related!:D

I can't wait to try these out, especially after seeing the knife you posted in this thread and the one that you won with at Blade West. I know those are stag, but hopefully the stag bone slabs will be reminiscent of stag...

How thin is thin on the spacer material? I only have the vulcanized black fiber from Jantz. I think it is about .025"

Have a Happy New Year!!
 
tomh said:
Thanks Bruce. I think you make nice enough knives that I can trust you on about anything knife related!:D

I can't wait to try these out, especially after seeing the knife you posted in this thread and the one that you won with at Blade West. I know those are stag, but hopefully the stag bone slabs will be reminiscent of stag...

How thin is thin on the spacer material? I only have the vulcanized black fiber from Jantz. I think it is about .025"

Have a Happy New Year!!
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The fiber liner material I have is only .010" thick but your .025" will be fine.
Be sure to give us a peek when youre done.
 
I purchased my potassium permangenate at Sears, but I had to convince them they had it and explain it was for water softeners. I found putting it on with an artists paintbrush (narrow) and applying it unevenly looked a lot more natural then wiping down the whole piece. If it is too even it looks fake. Take a look at a fresh antler to see how variegated the color is.
Alden
 
Just a update for any future searchers, Menards has it in the softner section with a scew number of 647-1325 for $26.37 thats a 5lb jug.

Filter Mate is the Company name on the jug.
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