Dyeing bone

R

Randy3000

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Jun 3, 2017
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I take the bones my dog is done with and saw them up and make scales for slipjoints. It is a fantastic system we have going, and she hasnt chewed on a knife yet.

I have several small jars with different dyes in them and one jar with xylene. When i get around to it i will sand a set to thickness, jig, and then drop in the xylene. I will take the set currently in the xylene and drop in one of the jars with dye. I probably have a dozen sets of scales in dye now. I periodically pull a set out, wipe off, and check the coloration. If one scale is lighter than the other, i drop the lighter scale back in the dye for a day or two or three.

Well, it was bound to happen, but i got a set i just couldnt get the color close on, i just was alternating which scale i put in the dye. So i went ahead and used them anyway. After gluing to the liners, the two scales look identical in color! I guess the liners block some of the light and that made a difference? That, or the scales changed color slightly while drying. Not sure what the explanation is.

Also, it seems to me bone can stay in the dye for a long time and not get too dark. Is there a soak time that is too long? How long is too long? A month doesnt seem to be too long for me.
 
Without using pressure or vacuum, bone will only absorb dyes so deep.
I agree on the potassium permanganate.
 
Randy PP is fine for a surface treatment like we do on antler. Limited to
just the brown color. When soaked in xylene or gasoline then into oil dye
bone takes dye colors fine and its thru and thru not surface like PP,
plus you can do any color you want.
Ken.
 
Have a look at Case knives (pocket knives) from the 60's and 70's. That's PP. It's harmless, you can get a boat load of it (1lb.? or there'bouts) on ebay for a song. It's an oxidant. Used in baby chicks and chicken water as well as aquariums. Pretty cool stuff. Additionally, it will "oxidize" may woods (horn and antler as well); like maple for instance. Jeez does it do a nice job on maple.
 
Never heard of the "gasoline" treatment... but I love gas, (especially for outdoor yard fires!) so I'll try it.
 
Hengelo_77 said:
I'd love to see some pics
Click to expand...

This is the two most distinct colored i have right now in the "dark brown" Fiebings dye. I will leave the dark one out, that is about as dark as i want, but i dont really know if it i were to neglect it if it would have gotten any darker. The lighter one, it will probably stay in for another two weeks, and may get some heating, and probably wont get as dark as i would like. FYI the jigging is different because these arent from the same set.
oc4WliW.jpg
 
I use leather dye but only as a topical stain. It doesn't penetrate deeply. It does allow me to layer tones, though... and sand in highlights.

2v2upfabjxAhgEC.jpg

2v2JNVr6vxAhgEC.jpg
 
Rick Marchand said:
I use leather dye but only as a topical stain. It doesn't penetrate deeply. It does allow me to layer tones, though... and sand in highlights.

2v2upfabjxAhgEC.jpg

2v2JNVr6vxAhgEC.jpg
Click to expand...

I have wondered about layering. Do you have to do anything special? Also, are there glazes that one could use? Not sure how Culpepper gets there bone the way they do.
 
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