Dykem alternative

scott kozub

scott kozub

Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Messages
862
Anybody have an alternative for dykem. For some reason the stuff is liquid gold in Canada. $23 for a 4oz bottle and upwards of $65 for the felt or spray type on amazon. Id like to try the spray to make sure I'm getting all the scratches when grinding but I'm not paying that price. Ive hard a sharpie will work but id love a thin fast dry aerosol for an even coat.
 
I use a sharpie quite often (disclaimer, not a knife maker but car builder as hobby). When I have a small area to layout, I just put sharpie and then mark it. I see you mention that, and I will say I don’t use it for large areas.

What about regular old spray paint? I have used that before. It doesn’t leave as thin a coat, and sometimes scraps off easily, but might work?
 
scott kozub said:
Anybody have an alternative for dykem. For some reason the stuff is liquid gold in Canada. $23 for a 4oz bottle and upwards of $65 for the felt or spray type on amazon. Id like to try the spray to make sure I'm getting all the scratches when grinding but I'm not paying that price. Ive hard a sharpie will work but id love a thin fast dry aerosol for an even coat.
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I use this because can t find here that dykem :D Mat black to be precise
yxEGAOY.jpg
 
I believe you can make your own "engineer's blue" marking fluid with some Denatured Alcohol (Methylated Spirits), and some Prussian Blue, or I've also seen where guys mix some DA with Shellac and some kind of ink or dye. Not sure of the ratios, but I'm sure you can find some info on youtube or google.
 
I’ve tried spray paint. I had a can of high heat black laying around, but it didn’t allow a fine scribe line. Even a fine tipped tungsten carbide tip would sorta flake the edges away. Not a huge deal, but I prefer a very fine line. Sharpie....it also was just so-so for me. The scribe line is fine, but the sharpie didn’t “paint” a nice even coat. You know how sharpies can be on steel (even degreased), it’s not as uniform and deep of a color as Dykem. Also looking for alternative.
 
Ya its a real pain. I mainly want the aerosol to spray the blades between grits when grinding to make sure I got all the previous scratches. I do have a 4oz bottle of brush on but like the idea of the spray as the brush on doesn't leave a nice consistent finish, not that it really matters.

Frustrating. I looked again on amazon and the prices I had didn't include shipping. Upwards of $85 for a spray can. Extortion. I should be become an importer and make dozens of dollars.

Grainger has a can of spray for $16 but you need an account.

I wonder if automotive guide coat would work of it would be too thick?
 
Hmmm. Maybe I’m missing a key point, but how will dykem ensure you removed all the scratches from the previous grit? The first pass you make will erase the dykem, but one single pass doesn’t ensure previous scratch removal. I alternate the scratch pattern just slightly. 50 grit vertical, 120 slightly angled right, 220 slightly angled left, 400 vertical. Immediately next to the plunge line you obviously can’t angle your pass, but it’s a good way to know for the rest of the blade.
 
Someone really needs to come up with a new layout dye that isn't so toxic. Don't get me wrong, i use it on every knife i make too, but the stuff is surprisingly bad for ya after reading into it. Can mess with fertility, cause birth defects, has carcinogens, and can cause serious eye damage. they won't even let Dykem be shipped via air carrier, which is a major reason why it's hard to find retailers of it. Not even the brush on versions are allowed on planes.
 
I have had a Grainger account for years. All they need is your personal information and you are good to go. I would call in an order and pick it up at will call.
 
samuraistuart said:
Hmmm. Maybe I’m missing a key point, but how will dykem ensure you removed all the scratches from the previous grit? The first pass you make will erase the dykem, but one single pass doesn’t ensure previous scratch removal. I alternate the scratch pattern just slightly. 50 grit vertical, 120 slightly angled right, 220 slightly angled left, 400 vertical. Immediately next to the plunge line you obviously can’t angle your pass, but it’s a good way to know for the rest of the blade.
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When you start to refine your final grind put some dyechem on the blade and you may be surprised what is not the same
 
samuraistuart said:
Hmmm. Maybe I’m missing a key point, but how will dykem ensure you removed all the scratches from the previous grit? The first pass you make will erase the dykem, but one single pass doesn’t ensure previous scratch removal. I alternate the scratch pattern just slightly. 50 grit vertical, 120 slightly angled right, 220 slightly angled left, 400 vertical. Immediately next to the plunge line you obviously can’t angle your pass, but it’s a good way to know for the rest of the blade.
Click to expand...

This has also been my experience. The Dykem rubs off much faster than the steel grinds, even with the Dykem in in the deeper scratch areas. A few good lights and even an optivisor will help. You can also take a quick pass with a higher grit belt as well which will expose any of the deeper scratches more clearly than the difference you get between only one step up (or down) in grit.

For general layout, as Drew mentioned above, a Magnum sharpie works well and covers good surface area relatively fast.

11969569.jpg



https://www.staples.com/Sharpie-Chi...MIvsqr08Gd5QIVCf5kCh3gOwDzEAQYAyABEgJl7fD_BwE

Black and red are also available.


~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Just some older videos of some knives I've made in the past)
 
AVigil said:
I have had a Grainger account for years. All they need is your personal information and you are good to go. I would call in an order and pick it up at will call.
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Maybe its different now , its been 15-20 years since I ordered from them but you used to have to be a business (furnish tax id numbers) to buy from Grainger
 
Spalted said:
Maybe its different now , its been 15-20 years since I ordered from them but you used to have to be a business (furnish tax id numbers) to buy from Grainger
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You can walk right in their store and buy anything.
 
I tried that about 25 years ago, drove an hour to get there and had to drive back to the house and get my tax info and drive back to Grainger before they would sell to me. I guess its changed now, thats great if so
 
scott kozub said:
Anybody have an alternative for dykem. For some reason the stuff is liquid gold in Canada. $23 for a 4oz bottle and upwards of $65 for the felt or spray type on amazon. Id like to try the spray to make sure I'm getting all the scratches when grinding but I'm not paying that price. Ive hard a sharpie will work but id love a thin fast dry aerosol for an even coat.
Click to expand...
I have not tried it myself but I found a recipe on a machinist forum

1 part/ shellac
2 parts/ denatured alcohol
gentian violet/ until it is dark enough for you.

I would guess you could use some sort of dye instead of the gentian violet
 
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