Staining a bone handle?

[Ephraim]

Hello y'all! This is my first post but have been lurking for a while. Been finding this forum a fantastic source of information.

Question: I recently purchased a Dan Burke Barlow / Queen - the small one with two blades.

http://www.agrussell.com/queen-cutlery- ... hhDB9868B/

It's a really amazing knife. Has a really wonderful snap, opens easily and is just superbly made.

But, the handle is far more orange colored than I expected. As it is now I am happy with the knife and would not consider returning it - but is there a way I could stain it a darker color?

It's bone. So what would happen if I painted it with coffee? Or put a match to it?

Any other ideas how I could darken the handle a few shades?

Thanks in advance for any wisdom!

Ephraim

[knives-are-quiet]

Hello y'all! This is my first post but have been lurking for a while. Been finding this forum a fantastic source of information.

Question: I recently purchased a Dan Burke Barlow / Queen - the small one with two blades.

http://www.agrussell.com/queen-cutlery- ... hhDB9868B/

It's a really amazing knife. Has a really wonderful snap, opens easily and is just superbly made.

But, the handle is far more orange colored than I expected. As it is now I am happy with the knife and would not consider returning it - but is there a way I could stain it a darker color?

It's bone. So what would happen if I painted it with coffee? Or put a match to it?

Any other ideas how I could darken the handle a few shades?

Thanks in advance for any wisdom!

Ephraim

Welcome to the forum.

By all means, DO NOT put a match or any type of high heat source to the bone on that knife.
The bone will crack.
The process of dying bone is an art in itself and takes many different stages of soaking the bone in different solutions to soften and open up the pores to let the dye permeate all the way through the bone. The dye is usually made from leather dye but there are many different ways to darken bone and all of them involve submerging in a solution.
I can't see being able to dye a knife with the handles attached.
Just painting on some dark liquid will only make the surface darker and will quickly ware off.

If you are not satisfied with your knife, can't you just return it, explaining that you would like one with a darker shade?
No two bone scales are the same and color varies.
Post pictures of this knife.
It can’t look that bad.

JW

[rigwelder]

I dont really know about bone? But I darken or burn stag with a cigarette lighter. Gives it that pretty burnt look really fast and easily.
It would prob give it a burnt orange look pretty easy.
This is just a idea!!!!!!

And yeah,,I read whats said above,,I'm not saying to burn the handle away,,just lightly run the flame across it.

[Ephraim]

I will post pictures later today. It's actually the last of this make that was in stock - so it's a return or nothing. And given that it really is a wonderful knife with great feel and locking, I would prefer to keep it. It's just the color is almost a neon orange...

And though I am tempted to put a lighter to it, breaking the bone would be really heart breaking. Would be just a sad waste!

I can't help but suspect that something out there could easily stain it...

[knives-are-quiet]

I will post pictures later today. It's actually the last of this make that was in stock - so it's a return or nothing. And given that it really is a wonderful knife with great feel and locking, I would prefer to keep it. It's just the color is almost a neon orange...

And though I am tempted to put a lighter to it, breaking the bone would be really heart breaking. Would be just a sad waste!

I can't help but suspect that something out there could easily stain it...

Hey, maybe one of these other knife tinker's out there have a solution to your problem?
Maybe you can darken it by brushing a flame across it? I myself wouldn't chance it.
Holding it too long in one spot using a buffer might give it that burnt look?
Or have the bone changed with the shade and type you prefer.
Lot of highly skilled people on this site that could change em' out in a snap for ya'....

J W

[ea42]

Ephraim,

JW's right, don't put that bone anywhere near a flame, the bone will immediately blister and actually turn a mottled and nasty off white. Stag covers on the other hand will toast up nice and brown.

There's really not much you can do to stain it. Bone's not so easy to stain as it seems, most times it's boiled in solution for many hours, and even then the dye doesn't penetrate all the way. Add the buffing compound that's now in the pores, which will actually repel any dye attempt, and all you're likely to achieve is to darken the edges. I believe the pins are spun on that knife (daddy barlow?), plus the covers are sawcut, so material removal is definitely not an option. I think some pocket time might darken it up a bit , definitely a nice knife!

Eric

[glennbad]

What about a nice mineral oil soak? I have seen that darken things a bit on bone.

Glenn

[orvet]

You can dye the surface of the bone by wiping on some leather dye.
I have used Lincoln shoe dye successfully. I would not recommend soaking the whole knife in dye, though that would be the most successful method to get the dye to penetrate the bone.

I would remove the wax or any sealer from the bone with #0000 steel wool. Then wipe the bone with a rag that is damp with alcohol. Allow it to dry. Then I would wipe on a coat of light brown leather dye. Allow it to dry thoroughly. Repeat the process until the bone is as dark as you want. Buff off the excess dye then wax the bone with carnauba wax and buff with a soft cloth.

Now, this dye won’t penetrate deeply and won’t likely be uniform, but it should be darker. You may have to repeat the dying process from time to time if the bone gets lighter.

That is about the only method I can think of to darken the bone while it is on the knife.