All About Pocket Knives

I have an older Robeson; that I want to have cleaned up for an EDC. The handle color has faded out with age; and don't match anymore. If removed can they be redyed; a darker color? Guess I could buy some new scales; but like the look of the old bone.


Paul

I would not try & remove old bone & then put it back on, especially if I was planning to carry it.
The old bone can be brittle and have hidden cracks in it.
I love the old bone handles but they are not my favorite to work on.
Now, when you dye bone, most of the dyes soften the bone for a while.
After dying the bone would need to be throughly dried at least 30 days in summer heat, IMHO, longer if you are in a humid or cool climate.

IMHO, the best bet to dye the handles is a dye that you can wipe on & will dye the handles in place.
Then let it dry throughly before carrying.
Unfortunately, I do not know of any such dye that would be effective.

Dale

Thanks Dale; hadn't considered bone drying out and being brittle.


Paul

orvet wrote: IMHO, the best bet to dye the handles is a dye that you can wipe on & will dye the handles in place.
Then let it dry throughly before carrying.
Unfortunately, I do not know of any such dye that would be effective.
Dale

This sounds like it might (might) be an application for potassium permanganate solution. I quick wipe-on/wipe-off would darken the bone, then you could burnish the high points with a piece of canvas. Possible confounds would include oils or waxes on the bone, but I think you'd have that with any stain. IIRC, potassium permanganate is an oxidizer; you'd probably want to wax or seal off the surrounding metal.

Paul,
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I suppose that's true. I think your knife looks great just the way it is now. The color of those bone scales can only come with the passage of time. The coloration gives it a rich, classic look IMO. I'd be proud to pack it around just the way it is.

Phil

personally I think the bone is fine, I believe thats the color it was originally.