Tie-dye anyone? The Idube Sebenza (lotsa pics)

grnamin

grnamin

Joined
Oct 6, 1998
Messages
2,269
I got my new regular large lefty Sebenza last Tuesday, and, as any crazy tinkerer worth his salt would do, I decided to mod it. Enter some rubber bands, Oxi Clean, a Pyrex dish, and some boiling water. Out comes the Idube Sebenza! In keeping with Chris' tradition of naming his knives in Zulu, Idube means "zebra" (hope I'm not mistaken there), as you can see from the pictures below. :)

Can't have tie-dye without rubber bands: :D
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Oxi Clean is a mad scientist's dream detergent:
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Funny how the rubber banded areas of the handles produced DNA test-like formations in the bubbles:
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Almost finished. Some assembly required:
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The finished product:
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Me and my tip-down carry: :rolleyes:
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Bitchin' :thumbup: .

That is a bold statement that I wouldn't take with a spankin' new pig sticker.

Also noticed you modded the clip. Nice job.
 
wow thats awesome! ive never even heard of anyone doing that to one of their knives, very cool!
 
all you need is the little plug for the clip


[where it used to go]
 
Thank you, all. Fulloflead, it's the fact that I can't use fire as in a torch here in the apartment that lead me to experiment with Oxi Clean instead. :)

LaBella said:
all you need is the little plug for the clip


[where it used to go]
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan. :thumbup:
 
:thumbup:

Yep, I like it too.

You know, a Z-Plus (insert for a zippo) could be just the tool you need for torching the colors. Inexpensive and way cool in the gadget factor...

Nice job!
 
grnamin said:
Thank you, all. Fulloflead, it's the fact that I can't use fire as in a torch here in the apartment that lead me to experiment with Oxi Clean instead. :)
Click to expand...

Chicken! Actually, go to a cigar or smoke shop and they have these little $5 lighters that are like tiny blowtourches. I've got a couple and have been tempted to try it with one of those...


in my apartment. ;)

.
 
LOL! I do have a Blazer Z-Plus Zippo insert. I tried it on a titanium scale I had. Wouldn't go red hot, just blackens, even after a minute of contact. That's about as long as I can hold the torch before it gets too hot. I think no less than a propane torch will do.
 
Now that is a damn fine Sebbie. Smoother thumbstuds, tip-down carry, one - of - a kind zebra finish ....

Great job. :thumbup: :)
 
grnamin said:
LOL! I do have a Blazer Z-Plus Zippo insert. I tried it on a titanium scale I had. Wouldn't go red hot, just blackens, even after a minute of contact. That's about as long as I can hold the torch before it gets too hot. I think no less than a propane torch will do.
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Thanks! Saved me the trouble of the same experiment.

When I was in Art School we would "paint" with rubber cement and then airbrush over it and then remove the rubber cement. I imagine you could use the same system.

Dribble and/or paint with the rubber cement. Immerse in the OxyClean. The titanium would be protected where the rubber cement was, then you just rub it back off.

Got another Sebenza? ;)

.
 
fulloflead said:
Thanks! Saved me the trouble of the same experiment.

When I was in Art School we would "paint" with rubber cement and then airbrush over it and then remove the rubber cement. I imagine you could use the same system.

Dribble and/or paint with the rubber cement. Immerse in the OxyClean. The titanium would be protected where the rubber cement was, then you just rub it back off.

Got another Sebenza? ;)

.
Click to expand...

Sorry, no more Sebenzas to experiment with. :D Will the rubber cement hold up in high heat? The Oxi Clean is mixed in boiling water. I know from previous statements Chris made that the Sebenza can be run through a dishwasher, so I was sure it could withstand hot water. I tried making patterns with triangular pieces of masking tape first. That didn't work. All the masking tape dislodged and floated to the top of the solution. :D
 
grnamin said:
Sorry, no more Sebenzas to experiment with. :D Will the rubber cement hold up in high heat? The Oxi Clean is mixed in boiling water. I know from previous statements Chris made that the Sebenza can be run through a dishwasher, so I was sure it could withstand hot water. I tried making patterns with triangular pieces of masking tape first. That didn't work. All the masking tape dislodged and floated to the top of the solution. :D
Click to expand...


Oh, I've GOT a mint large classic I could mess with. :D
I'm just not feeling that brave yet.... YET.

...which is part of why I'm so interested in this thread... I'm interested in techniques to use...

I also MIGHT have a really beat-up sebenza coming that I could "pimp".

I imagine the rubber cement could stand the boiling water. It might shrink and expand a bit with the changing temperatures which may give a softened edge appearance to the final product.

How permanent is that oxy finish? How's it work, exactly? Would it work if the handles were first hand-rubbed to a satin finish?

.
 
fulloflead said:
How permanent is that oxy finish? How's it work, exactly? Would it work if the handles were first hand-rubbed to a satin finish?

.
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The treatment is fairly permanent. It won't rub off, but can be scratched or sanded off. The Oxi Clean mixture reacts with the titanium to form a titanium oxide layer. A hand-rubbed finish would end up darker. Bead-blasted finishes, even darker.
 
grnamin said:
The treatment is fairly permanent. It won't rub off, but can be scratched or sanded off. The Oxi Clean mixture reacts with the titanium to form a titanium oxide layer. A hand-rubbed finish would end up darker. Bead-blasted finishes, even darker.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Maybe a hand-rubbed, oxycleaned, flame-colored finish is in my future. :)

Do I need a giant bucket of Oxyclean? I really have no other use for the stuff.

.
 
I love it all except the pocket clip. I have no idea why you'd want to carry it that way, but to each there own!
 
fulloflead said:
Hmmm. Maybe a hand-rubbed, oxycleaned, flame-colored finish is in my future. :)

Do I need a giant bucket of Oxyclean? I really have no other use for the stuff.

.
Click to expand...

Oxi Clean comes in different sizes. I eventually got the bucket. Takes stains off clothes very nicely. :)

Smegmalicious said:
I love it all except the pocket clip. I have no idea why you'd want to carry it that way, but to each there own!
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Less chance of the blade opening with tip-down carry. When drawing the folder out of my pocket, my fingers are already in a good position to open the blade. Deep pocket clip makes for inconspicuous carry. You're right, though. To each their own. :) There are tip-up, tip-down and no-pocket-clip camps here.
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