Re-dying my 77 Elderberry Barlow

[FSUwelder1212]

Wow that is stunning!

 

[Pàdruig]

Very nicely done, Mark! Almost makes me regret not holding on to my Elderberry to try that myself. You turned yours into something gorgeous.

 

[Wurrwulf]

Looks great! Forgive my ignorance, as I have never dyed a knife (or anything else) before but is there any chance that the dye that you added to the knife could eventually come off/lighten after time? I assume so but wanted to ask.

In any event, good on you for having the guts to stick that beautiful knife in a cup of hot dye - not sure I could've brought myself to do it in fear that I would mess it up, but your results are showing why trying something for the first time sometimes produces fantastic results!

While not a camel bone GEC, I dyed an Amber Bone Case Mini Trapper a deep red about a year ago, and I have not noticed any color bleed. The knife doesn't see a lot of pocket time, but it's popped a lot of caps in the last year. That RIT dye is pretty potent stuff.

 

[Ramrodmb]

Looks great! Forgive my ignorance, as I have never dyed a knife (or anything else) before but is there any chance that the dye that you added to the knife could eventually come off/lighten after time? I assume so but wanted to ask.

In any event, good on you for having the guts to stick that beautiful knife in a cup of hot dye - not sure I could've brought myself to do it in fear that I would mess it up, but your results are showing why trying something for the first time sometimes produces fantastic results!

Thanks! I am not positive but the dye sure seems 'stuck' to me as it will not wash out or rub off on anything, yet. IMO it seems surprisingly stable.

Thank you very much, for revealing your secret brew. I can only imagine how much "intestinal fortitude" it took; especially the first step to actually carry through. But the reward was great.

Yeah, about the time I sprayed it with oven cleaner I thought, what is wrong with me?

That looks fantastic!

Absolutely and improvement!

Much improved, good job

So much better than PINK.

That worked out beautifully. Great looking knife! Definitely an improvement.

Yeah already seen 2 dye jobs on the elderberry and have no doubt there'll be many more. Just a great job right there!

Looks dang good to me.

Thank you for taking the time to share this!

Thanks, everyone!

 

[Ramrodmb]

Nice work, Mark! I've only done one RIT Dye job before, on this Rust Red #13 Speaker Jack. I like what you did with the tape! Good thinking.

Here's a before shot of my #13.

And here's the after. I used a dark brown dye, which came out very dark, but I was pretty happy with the results.

As you can see, I definitely didn't use tape or anything else to protect the blades and backsprings.

I'll have to give that a try next time. I wasn't too bothered by the patina/spotting on my #13, but it was probably a good move on that #77 Barlow.

I also like your suggestion of using a coffee mug for dyeing. I did mine in a small saucepan over low heat on the stovetop, which meant I had to set the knife down in the bottom of the pan, with the blades half open sticking out of the liquid. A taller container, where you have the blades fully open and the handle sitting vertical in the dye makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing your whole process.

Barrett, thanks for adding those pics! That turned out great!
The tape did work out even better than I had hoped, as the blades and bolsters were basically protected from everything. As I said, if I had thought ahead to lock down the strip around the back springs with the piece around the bolster it may have been even better. Like you said, it does not matter at all if your going to use it anyway. I just scuffed the back springs off so it can get its own honest, working patina.

Very nice job, much better

Really looks great. That deep red is my favorite color on a knife.

I predict after all the pink 77's get dyed, the lone remaining pink 77 will sell for 10,000$.

A cool color done in very even shades all around. I'm sure that's not an easy task. Congratulations and thank you for sharing the process with us Mark.

Wow that is stunning!

Thanks a lot, friends!

 

[Half/Stop]

It looks a great! It's a huge improvement! Thanks for sharing those detailed instructions. They were very good!

 

[Ramrodmb]

Very nicely done, Mark! Almost makes me regret not holding on to my Elderberry to try that myself. You turned yours into something gorgeous.

Thanks, Dylan! I regret not buying it! My son likes this one now...
Thank you again, my friend!

While not a camel bone GEC, I dyed an Amber Bone Case Mini Trapper a deep red about a year ago, and I have not noticed any color bleed. The knife doesn't see a lot of pocket time, but it's popped a lot of caps in the last year. That RIT dye is pretty potent stuff.

Agreed, Shawn! You guys doing it before me gave me the confidence to get it done on mine. Glad to hear yours is still with you and still poppin' tops!

 

[Ramrodmb]

It looks a great! It's a huge improvement! Thanks for sharing those detailed instructions. They were very good!

Thank you!


Pics today.
It evened out some, I like it

 

[Fodderwing]

Ramrodmb Mark that is absolutely gorgeous!

 

[SteveC]

Nice job ! It looks way better

 

[jwb01]

Ramrodmb That turned out amazing!

 

[flatblackcapo]

When she first came out of the tube I could only think of "A Christmas Story" and the pink bunny suit. Let's just say I wasn't real fond of the neon pink scales! I wanted to try to die the bone to more of an elderberry color. (Or any other color, really!)

One of the drawbacks to dying scales on a knife is that the metal parts tend to take on some patina during the process. It is not a big problem as long as you can be quick about it, so it doesn't have too long to develop. I still like to avoid it as much as possible, so I tape off all the metal with masking tape. Just a strip down each side of each blade, one around the bolster and then I cut a strip as wide as the liners and back springs and run it all the way around them. (that thin strip did come off about halfway through, which still helped limit exposure to 7 min instead of 15min). Next time I will run the thin strip first, then lock it down with the piece around the bolster.

sorry for the crappy pics

Ok, prepped and ready to start. Since this was Camel bone, I thought it could use a little help to open up the grain or basically degloss the top layer of bone. I sprayed the bone with easy off oven cleaner. Just a thin spritz. I held and watched it for about a minute, then wiped off and looked for any change. None. I sprayed another thin layer on both sides and let it sit for about 3 minutes. At that point I could see neon pink being drawn out of the original scales by the oven cleaner. I rinsed the knife thoroughly under hot water and could just barely notice a few pores in the bone were visable now. Perfect.

While the prep work was going on, I had mixed up about 1/3 packet of Scarlet red #5 Rit die in a coffee cup with hot water. Also added were one teaspoon of vineager and one drop of Dawn dish soap. I warmed this up to just below boiling in the microwave.
Now, I put the knife (still warmed up from the hot water rinse) into the cup of die, which just covers the bone.

After about 4 minutes, I remove the knife and lay it on the plate while I warm the cup back up in the microwave. I still want it to be darker, so repeat the 4 minutes in the die, then remove and inspect while warming the cup up again. While it is on the plate this time, I sprinkle some dry die powder (purple) in just a few spots/splotches while I wait for the cup to warm in the microwave. Back in for 4 more minutes, then out on the plate again with another light sprinkle of the purple dry powder. (next time I want to try a burnt umber or black in addition to the purple dry powder)

At this point, I run under a little hot water and give it a wipe. It looks pretty good and I want to be careful NOT to overdo it, so I call it good and start to rinse it off. I feel like rinsing in cold water kind of 'sets' the die, but I don't want to go from hot water in the cup right to cold water to rinse. So, slowly go from warm to a cold rinse.
Immediately, I remove the tape, go to the compressor and flush with wd-40 and compressed air. I use toothpicks to 'scrub' the inside of the blade well. Since the thin piece of tape came off halfway through, I did have some discoloring on the back spring, but a few passes on a piece of scotchbrite fixed that up. I put the scotchbrite down flat on the table and move the knife across it. It is easier to stay parallel and straight when sanding that way. The rest of the metal (blades & bolsters) were completely protected by the tape. The only thing I did to the bone was polish it a little the same way as the scotchbrite only with just a soft rag, then applied a thin coat of mineral oil.

So, here is the outcome. I went from not liking it at all, to not being able to stop looking at it!! Hopefully, I didn't drone on too long with all that and hope it helps someone else take the plunge on fixing up something they don't like. If you do try it yourself, please post a pic here!

Thanks for sharing your process, I learned a thing or two.
Your knife looks great, btw.

 

[meako]

From Crass to Class .
Well done.
I thought elderberries were dark red...they must have used unripe ones. I can see them plopping off the end of the production line like something out of Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory.
That pink colour was disgusting .

 

[mrknife]

neat! very good job!

 

[Babalu32]

Using Ramrodmb's method with 5 parts to 1, cherry red and brown.
Lighting/photog is not my strong suit. It is a deep maroon.

 

[Behr95]

When she first came out of the tube I could only think of "A Christmas Story" and the pink bunny suit. Let's just say I wasn't real fond of the neon pink scales! I wanted to try to die the bone to more of an elderberry color. (Or any other color, really!)

One of the drawbacks to dying scales on a knife is that the metal parts tend to take on some patina during the process. It is not a big problem as long as you can be quick about it, so it doesn't have too long to develop. I still like to avoid it as much as possible, so I tape off all the metal with masking tape. Just a strip down each side of each blade, one around the bolster and then I cut a strip as wide as the liners and back springs and run it all the way around them. (that thin strip did come off about halfway through, which still helped limit exposure to 7 min instead of 15min). Next time I will run the thin strip first, then lock it down with the piece around the bolster.

sorry for the crappy pics

Ok, prepped and ready to start. Since this was Camel bone, I thought it could use a little help to open up the grain or basically degloss the top layer of bone. I sprayed the bone with easy off oven cleaner. Just a thin spritz. I held and watched it for about a minute, then wiped off and looked for any change. None. I sprayed another thin layer on both sides and let it sit for about 3 minutes. At that point I could see neon pink being drawn out of the original scales by the oven cleaner. I rinsed the knife thoroughly under hot water and could just barely notice a few pores in the bone were visable now. Perfect.

While the prep work was going on, I had mixed up about 1/3 packet of Scarlet red #5 Rit die in a coffee cup with hot water. Also added were one teaspoon of vineager and one drop of Dawn dish soap. I warmed this up to just below boiling in the microwave.
Now, I put the knife (still warmed up from the hot water rinse) into the cup of die, which just covers the bone.

After about 4 minutes, I remove the knife and lay it on the plate while I warm the cup back up in the microwave. I still want it to be darker, so repeat the 4 minutes in the die, then remove and inspect while warming the cup up again. While it is on the plate this time, I sprinkle some dry die powder (purple) in just a few spots/splotches while I wait for the cup to warm in the microwave. Back in for 4 more minutes, then out on the plate again with another light sprinkle of the purple dry powder. (next time I want to try a burnt umber or black in addition to the purple dry powder)

At this point, I run under a little hot water and give it a wipe. It looks pretty good and I want to be careful NOT to overdo it, so I call it good and start to rinse it off. I feel like rinsing in cold water kind of 'sets' the die, but I don't want to go from hot water in the cup right to cold water to rinse. So, slowly go from warm to a cold rinse.
Immediately, I remove the tape, go to the compressor and flush with wd-40 and compressed air. I use toothpicks to 'scrub' the inside of the blade well. Since the thin piece of tape came off halfway through, I did have some discoloring on the back spring, but a few passes on a piece of scotchbrite fixed that up. I put the scotchbrite down flat on the table and move the knife across it. It is easier to stay parallel and straight when sanding that way. The rest of the metal (blades & bolsters) were completely protected by the tape. The only thing I did to the bone was polish it a little the same way as the scotchbrite only with just a soft rag, then applied a thin coat of mineral oil.

So, here is the outcome. I went from not liking it at all, to not being able to stop looking at it!! Hopefully, I didn't drone on too long with all that and hope it helps someone else take the plunge on fixing up something they don't like. If you do try it yourself, please post a pic here!

Turned out great, i think!

 

[Behr95]

Has Mike L. made a statement regarding the color of these? Was this the "look" he wanted?

 

[TheFactor]

What a great job !! Looks beautiful and thanks for taking the time to share the procedure

 

[Will Power]

BEFORE I wouldn't even want to touch it Elderberry?? They're a nice dark colour I believe

AFTER Not only proud to own but I would like to buy a knife looking like that - and I suspect many others would too

It's not just because it was Hello Kittyshitty Colour but because it looked anaemic and underdone. I wonder if Camel is harder to dye than Bovine? A first rate job and a very useful Tute too, thanks

Regards, Will

 

[MerryMadMonk]

This one didn't ring my bell when unraveled from its wax paper. Using a process very similar to Mark's, I went about fixin' it

After some use and fish blood and such...

The dye job has held up very well.