Staghorn Dye process

"properley" is an awfully strong word Dave. Here are some of the methods me and my mates use.

-Soak in a bucket of strong tea (use a whole box) for a couple of days.

-Carefully scorch with gentle flame

-Traditional method. Mix a little water with potasium permanganate crystals (from drug store) and paint on untill desired depth of color. Don't freak out when it goes purple, it will go brown. Wash of excess, seal with wax or mineral oil. I use sandlewood oil, love the smell.

-Leather dyes. Pick a colour and really slap it on. Place dripping section into plastic bag and roll up bag. Sneak into the house when the missus is not looking and zap it in the microwave for 30 seconds on high a couple of times. The build up of presure in the bag really sends the stuff in. Seal as above.

Happy staining Dave.
 
actually Indian stag when it chould be imported, was died or stained with something
before they could export
I believe for legal reasons?? probably something in it to kill buggies or something.. :confused: it would be interesting to know just what they used.:)
 
Pete, can't thank you enough. Never would have thought of tea, and I certainly Never would have thought of microwaving it. Think I'll try the tea route though, sounds foolproof.

Dan, I understand the Sambar stag was soaked in potassium permanganate to kill fungus and bugs, thus giving it that rich brown color.

Dave
 
Pretty cool ideas! I can understand sneaking in and using to nuker. You got a wife, too! Wives tend to go to nuke level quicker than the microwave! Remember that great post about the fella that nuked something in the microwave with disastrous results? Now,THAT was FUNNY!
 
Originally posted by 30-30 Cal.
Pete, can't thank you enough. Never would have thought of tea, and I certainly Never would have thought of microwaving it. Think I'll try the tea route though, sounds foolproof.

Dan, I understand the Sambar stag was soaked in potassium permanganate to kill fungus and bugs, thus giving it that rich brown color.

Dave
Click to expand...

C@@@@L
besure to re-dry it before using it. Thanks:)
 
Here's another thing to do which I have not tried yet. This can be done after the knife is all finished. Put it in a smoker and this will also color it. Just make sure you have the temp way down.
 
Dan, would air drying be okay, or should i use another method. Right now, needless to say, the stag is residing in tea strong enough to dissolve skin.

John, haven't heard that story. But I once tried to "color" a meerschaum pipe by putting it in the micro. The pipe exploded. pretty messy.

I can see where putting the stag in warm smoke would color it, but I think the color would end up too dark in one area, too light in others.

After the soak in the tea, I may scorch it to even out any discolored areas.

Dave
 
personally I wouldn't soak it in any type of water before it's
on the knife and sealed somewhat
unless you didn't plan on using it on a knife some time down the road.

if you put it in a glass and marked the glass and covered it you could tell how much water it soaked up.

if you put it in the oven at about 150 deg for a few hours it may get the most of it back out.
but you should have a moister meter to tell for sure.

I think I'm going to mess with died Mineral oil to do this type job and see how it works out..:)
 
Dan,

well, it's been soaking for most of the day. Can't help checking it out every couple of hours. Silly, huh? however, it's already turning a nice shade of brown so the method seems promising. As for putting it on a knife, don't plan to for a few months. I'll put it on the floor vent, and hot air dry it. Since it's cold as hell here, the heats on a24/7. Should dry out in a few weeks.

by way of explanation, this is a nice Sambar crown. The problem was the section had a large cut where another antler had been; in carving it back to acceptable porportions, the stag color was ruined, also, and the most troubling, I had to go deeper than I wanted and went into the inner marrow portion of the bone. This area will always stand out as different, even after the coloring process, unless
I can somehow blend it.

Dave
 
Hi Gib, after the tea idea I thought of coffe too. Haven't done it yet, wasn't sure how the oil in coffe would work out. Still may do it, tho.

Dave
 
what the Hey!!!! :confused:

I went in to the Millers drug store tonight to get some
Potassium Permanganate
and they said, I have to have a doctors prescription
to get it..??:confused: they said it's an explosive

well yes if mixed with other things..
the Rite aid store say they can order it for me?? :confused:
prescription?? you can get the little tablets to purify water
and I'm guessing it's the same stuff,,

any way I did a little research and put it on the knife making page here. some warnings if you use it..
http://www.knivesby.com/Potassium-Permanganate.html

I found that lye can be used for hot bluing too
same stuff Brownell's sells.:D
 
damascus_montero.jpg


This one was done with Potassium Permanganate, using the traditional method described by Peter Del Raso above.
 
very nice

Peter if you don't mind I'd like to add that to the page..
as how to do..

-Traditional method. Mix a little water with potasium permanganate crystals (from drug store) and paint on untill desired depth of color. Don't freak out when it goes purple, it will go brown. Wash of excess, seal with wax or mineral oil. I use sandlewood oil, love the smell. by Peter Del Raso


:)
 
Hey Dan, you can get it at Sears near their humidifier/water treatment section. It's used in home water filtration and humidifier set ups. It's well hidden but I've seen it in at least two different stores. Swimming pool supply companies also carry it.
 
well, have to go to Sears then, for the next time. Silly Question moment, why would good old plain wood stain not work too? There's not much difference between the fiber in wood and that in Stag. Just a thought.

Dave
 
Thanks Tracy

today I went all over the place trying to find it
I got nope don't have it or what's that, to, we can't sell it with out a doctor prescription, it's an explosive...
not every body is trying to blow stuff up.

I'll try Sears I found out maybe a taxidermist supply out-fit
may handle it to..
I didn't think of that,, I get stuff from McKenzie's from time to time..
anyone know where to get lye now adays also?
I found this out too..for low temp Bluing salts and put it here..
http://www.knivesby.com/blueingsalts.html

Dave Stain will work
I just want to make the red deer antler I sell to be as close to
Indian stag as possible in the processing..
 
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