All About Pocket Knives

Can anybody advise me how to darken the light metal birds head pommel on the end of the handle? I think the metal is some alloy of aluminum and other light metals. I'm trying to give it an aged look.

I also have a finger guard that I'm trying to darken. It looks like brass but I think its just some sort of plated metal. When I got the knife, I noticed that this piece did not tarnish the way you would expect brass to tarnish. It was still bright and shiny.

Neither piece seems to react to white vinegar.

Wow... I just remembered I had an old bottle of Birchwood Casey's Aluminum Black. That did the trick. The pommel took the aluminum black extremely well in one application. The finger guard took two applications to get a complete coating. My knife is starting to get a aged look to it and I'm pleased. Maybe I'll have to post pictures when I have time.

Mark in PA wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 5:03 pm Wow... I just remembered I had an old bottle of Birchwood Casey's Aluminum Black. That did the trick. The pommel took the aluminum black extremely well in one application. The finger guard took two applications to get a complete coating. My knife is starting to get a aged look to it and I'm pleased. Maybe I'll have to post pictures when I have time.

I didn't have an answer for you. I'm glad you figured it out.

Never knew they made such a thing, good to know and thanks.

Yep, they also have a product called Brass Black. I think I'm going to restock on both. My own experience with the Aluminum Black is that you never know for sure what it will take to. Must have something to do with the alloy of the metal. On the pommel, I couldn't have asked for anything better. However, I have tried it on fine scratches and scuff marks on rifle scopes and it didn't do a thing. The best thing I have found to use on rifle scopes is a fine tip black Sharpie permanent marker and then smear the excess off before it dries.