Simple Simon met a Pieman

I've yet to see a cowbell shield on any knife. :D
 
338375 said:
Mack sent me a link to check this one out. Very nice. I really like it. I guess I need to start gettin out a little more again. I'm missin some cool stuff :D
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I seem to remember you having a really nice design for a hunter. Perhaps this is the place to get it made to your specs.
 
protourist said:
I seem to remember you having a really nice design for a hunter. Perhaps this is the place to get it made to your specs.
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I is all ears.
If you guys ever want to work up a design or play with an idea, start up a thread and have at it:thumbup:

Or maybe some kind of design spitballing thread? Whatever you guys want to do, it's your house, Spark keeps the lights on and I do a little sweeping up.
 
She's not the prettiest, but she's sturdy.
That reminds me of a.... nevermind:D

 
Thanks Mack, I went with black to see how it would look. What do you think, black or an antiqued dark brown?
 
That looks really good John, what brand dye did you use?
 
I like the black but antique brown sounds better to my ears. Probably depends on the grain of the blackwood. The blacker the wood the blacker the thing you stick it in.
 
Scott Hanson said:
That looks really good John, what brand dye did you use?
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Thanks Scott, I'm slowly battling the leather nemesis. I used a batch of vinegaroon I made with steel wool and vinegar, neutralized with baking soda and water.
protourist said:
I like the black but antique brown sounds better to my ears. Probably depends on the grain of the blackwood. The blacker the wood the blacker the thing you stick it in.
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Ok, I'll go with dark brown, I may try blackening the outer edges underneath to give more of an antique look. Kind of blend it in towards the center if that makes sense.
 
I've tried a lot of different dyes and for black and edge coating I think I like Fiebings cordovan or chocolate brown leather dye the best, I have used Fiebings USMC in the past but that seems to have a slight blueish hue to it in the sun light, so I switched to the dark browns if I want something to be absolutely jet black I put the USMC on then go over it again with one of the dark browns.
 
I think I might try some vinegaroon for the edges and inner parts of the sheaths like inner part of the belt loop.
 
It's an instant black thats for sure. Kind of amazing how fast it works. The second it's on leather it turns black as coal. I was having all kinds of problems with dyes bleeding (my own stupidity, I wasn't wetting the leather first and using waay too much dye), that got me turned onto vinegaroon, since its a chemical reaction and not a dye, it can't bleed. Since then I've learned to dye without all the bleeding (Tim straightened me out, he does some really nice dye jobs).
 
Just white vinegar and steel wool? Do you neutralize with baking soda after you turn the leather black or before you put it on?
 
I read all kinds of recipes to make it and a lot of them are way more difficult than it needed it to be. All I do now is put regular white vinegar and steel wool in a baby food jar, hit it with a heat gun as hot as you can get it,mix it up a little, and it's ready the next day. Really it will work after a couple of hours, but it seems to blacken better the longer it sits. I used to strain it with cheesecloth and get it clear, I dont even do that anymore, as long as you dont shake it up, everything will settle to the bottom and the top stays clean.

When I'm gonna apply it, I mix up a cup of water and baking soda, and have a cup of clean water so they're ready. Wipe on the vinegaroon, wait a couple of minutes and then really soak the area down with the soda water. I let that sit in for a few minutes and then clean the soda water off with clean water.

If its not neutralized, it will eat the leather and stink like vinegar. I've never noticed a smell after neutralizing and never had a problem with it eating the leather. Another thing is make dang sure it doesnt touch any leather you dont want black, because there is no going back. After that I sno seal it up under heat,and topcoat it with the Bees/Ren/Sno mix.
 
You're welcome Scott, let me know how it goes when you do.
 
There is no peace in my shop. Apparently, Tuco finds changing tool arms is fascinating.
 
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