Suggestions for EDC color?

[ringzero]

Recently got a FRN VG-10 Dragonfly:



A rather homely looking little knife, but as is usual with Spyderco, form follows function.  Opened smooth and easy, locked up solid, and was shaving sharp out of the box.

Ergonomics is superb, with the textured FRN providing a solid three finger grip for my large hand.  Choking up on the blade, by placing the index finger into the choil and thumb into the concave area on the back of the blade, allows a four finger grip for tougher cutting chores.

Immediately the Dragonfly was put to work cutting off the top end of a blister pack: two layers of tough plastic with a cardboard insert in between.  Once the cut was started, that little flat ground blade seemed to glide all the way through the blister pack without once hanging up.  Not quite like butta, but didn't require much force push the blade all the way through.  Very impressive.  Compared to a few other knives I tried out making that same cut, the Dragonfly did it the smoothest and with least effort (although the flat ground Boker Trance was a close second.)

Anyway, I ordered this white Dragonfly because it was on sale for 30 bucks, and because I'm tired of the monotony of EDCing black handled knives.  People over on Bladeforums have been dyeing these white FRN knives with great success:















Also had pics of orange and bright yellow dye jobs, but seem to have mislaid them.

What color should I dye my little Dragonfly?  Keep in mind it will be EDCed and the dyed clip will show on the outside of my pocket.

The tan looks nice, but sort of drab.  Red doesn't hold any appeal for me.  Bright orange or yellow?  Maybe I should go with a cheerful purple or blue like in the pics above?  Maybe lime green?

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[jzmtl]

Dye it hot pink, will definitely stand out from black EDC. 

[ringzero]

Dye it hot pink, will definitely stand out from black EDC. 

Tnanks for the suggestion - NOT!  You mangaged to pick the one color that is less appealing to me than basic black.

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[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I think the Tan looks very cool

I used to have an old ATS55 Dragonfly, and they really are a truly great everyday knife

[WhichDawg]

that tan is really nice but I bet it would be easier to lose/not see then black.

orange is one of the most visible yet appealing colors, I'd suggest that.
(halloween now anyway )

[ringzero]

I think the Tan looks very cool

I used to have an old ATS55 Dragonfly, and they really are a truly great everyday knife

that tan is really nice but I bet it would be easier to lose/not see then black.

orange is one of the most visible yet appealing colors, I'd suggest that.
(halloween now anyway )

Yeah, the tan is growing on me...

I also had a Dragonfly a few years back and liked it a lot.  Can't remember what the blade steel was.

Stupidly traded it away - can't even remember now exactly what knife it was traded for.

Great things about Dragonfly for EDC:
-lightweight at 1.2 oz
-shorter than a SAK so is comfortable to carry loose in pocket
-choil for safety and control
-easily opens and closes one handed
-cuts about as well as a typical three inch EDC folder
-inoffensive to most sheeple

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[jzmtl]

Dye it hot pink, will definitely stand out from black EDC. 

Tnanks for the suggestion - NOT!  You mangaged to pick the one color that is less appealing to me than basic black.

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Joking aside I like green or red.

[Screwtape]

Is a tie dye finish possible 

Ifso i suggest lights and dark green with white strings then you could call it a Cthulhu handles blade 

[nuphoria]

I'm all about black and red really.... so probably red

[ringzero]

Dye it hot pink, will definitely stand out from black EDC. 

Tnanks for the suggestion - NOT!  You mangaged to pick the one color that is less appealing to me than basic black.

.

Joking aside I like green or red.

Hoped you were joking about the hot pink.  ;>

Red just doesn't do it for me.

But a bright, toxic-looking green is very appealing - probably because it's an uncommon color for a knife.

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[ringzero]

Is a tie dye finish possible 

Ifso i suggest lights and dark green with white strings then you could call it a Cthulhu handles blade 

Don't know about tie dye, but it should be easy to mask off portions of the handle with tape during the dye dip.  Then romove the tape for a second dip in another color dye.

An artist could probably produce something really cool looking.

But I'd be doing good to produce a handle that looked like zebra stripes.

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[ringzero]

I'm all about black and red really.... so probably red

It's not that I dislike black, it's just that I already have so many black handled knives.

Red just doesn't do anything for me, but to each his own.

Now I want a tan Dragonfly, and a bright orange one, and a toxic green one, and maybe a bright purple one.

May have to order a few more white D'flies while they're still on sale.  ;>

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[Gareth]

I like any of the more subdued colours in this pic (or is it poor light?) but a darkish, burnt orange makes top place IMO.

[ducktapehero]

Actually I like the bright yellow like they have on some of the Salt series knives.

And yes, the Dragonfly is a wonderful sized knife. I have a Navigator II which is very similar in size. It's small enough you could carry it to the office but with the way Spyderco builds them you could probably gut a deer with it.

[GraysonK]

Forgive my ignorance but exactly how do you go about changing the color?  What kind of dye?  How?

[ringzero]

Forgive my ignorance but exactly how do you go about changing the color?  What kind of dye?  How?

Inxepensive fabric dye - they all used Rit brand, IIRC.

Brew up the dye and then dip your Spydie like dipping an Easter egg.

One guy mentioned using a 10 to 15 minute dip.

Imagine that you'd want to dip it and then keep a close eye on it to avoid getting it too dark.

If it comes out too light you can always go back for more, but if it's too dark you're stuck with it.

One guy tried dying a yellow handled Spydie with blue dye to get a green handle, but it didn't work out too well.

The white FRN can be dyed any color.

Color appears to be durable - unless you chip the FRN deep enough to expose the un-dyed white FRN beneath the dyed surface layer.

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[GraysonK]

Thank you, I didn't know you could do that.  I might have to try it now.    I personally would go with the bright green or maybe a deep blue.  LOL  That stuff doesn't mess with the steel does it?   

[Screwtape]

Does the dye, now whats the word here  leech up the plastic if you half dipped it?

If so you could do a 2 tone, or perhaps with the right colours a 3 tone utilising the white as the middle.

Of course if it doesnt leech it might be rubbish