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Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate

us Offline SteveC

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Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
on: May 08, 2019, 07:54:49 PM
I have a couple of knives where the bone covers were badly mismatched in color so I had read about using Potasium Permanganate to darken bone. I decided to get some and give it a try. I found some on ebay and it arrived yesterday. I had some luck darkening the bone on a couple of really old knives and it worked fairly well.  I suspect that there is too much oil and contaminants in the old bone for it to be  completely effective. It did work fairly well in matching them better.

I also have this GEC Harness Jack that I've done some work on reprofiling the blade  and adjusting the tangs as it was a bit of a nail breaker. One other thing about it is that I've never really like the light honey color on the covers. I decided to try and darken them with the  PP and it really worked well.


Here are some before and after pics


Before/After





Very pleased how this turned out !


link

Potassium-Permanganate


gb Offline Wspeed

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #1 on: May 08, 2019, 07:59:43 PM
Looks much better nice job Steve  :like: :tu:
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il Offline pomsbz

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #2 on: May 08, 2019, 08:08:17 PM
Great job! I used it myself for the first time recently on Elk handles. Worked nicely. I just had to be patient and work slowly. Neither of which I'm very good at.  :rofl:

From this:



to this:

"It is better to lose health like a spendthrift than to waste it like a miser." - Robert Louis Stevenson


gb Offline Wspeed

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #3 on: May 08, 2019, 08:10:07 PM
Makes it look much nicer  :dd: :like: :like:
fail to prepare prepare to fail


us Offline SteveC

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #4 on: May 08, 2019, 08:16:32 PM
Great job! I used it myself for the first time recently on Elk handles. Worked nicely. I just had to be patient and work slowly. Neither of which I'm very good at.  :rofl:

From this:

(Image removed from quote.)

to this:

(Image removed from quote.)


Nice job !   Yes, it does require some patience and in my case quite a few coats. I wasn't sure how strong to mix it so I started with it too diluted. Worked my way up to fairly strong mix that did the trick.


us Offline Nix

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #5 on: May 08, 2019, 08:21:09 PM
Nice work, guys!   :tu:


il Offline pomsbz

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #6 on: May 08, 2019, 08:32:07 PM

Nice job !   Yes, it does require some patience and in my case quite a few coats. I wasn't sure how strong to mix it so I started with it too diluted. Worked my way up to fairly strong mix that did the trick.

I had to apply quite a few coats also. Gently working the darkness in. As the PP burns the bone I experimented with leaving the liquid on for longer periods of time for more effect, allowing it to pool into the grooves, applying each time with a q-tip and I had to be very careful not to allow it to leak into the areas I didn't want to burn at the edges. I can't remember how much I diluted by, possibly 1:20 with water? When it was done I sanded it down gently then buffed for a pocket worn effect. I got a good shine from the bone.

"It is better to lose health like a spendthrift than to waste it like a miser." - Robert Louis Stevenson


spam Offline comis

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #7 on: May 08, 2019, 08:33:09 PM
Steve, that's great job!  It gave it a more seasonal feel. :like:


Do you apply Potasium Permanganate evenly on the entire covers or just the part you'd like to darken? 


us Offline SteveC

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #8 on: May 08, 2019, 08:45:45 PM
Just the parts you want to darken. I let it pool in the jigging and left it in there for longer than the shiny parts. I stayed off the light areas by the bolsters. I found that at first the liquid would bead up and I had to rub it in a few times until it started sit more evenly. I suspect the less polished the bone the easier it would work.


spam Offline comis

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #9 on: May 08, 2019, 09:57:31 PM
Just the parts you want to darken. I let it pool in the jigging and left it in there for longer than the shiny parts. I stayed off the light areas by the bolsters. I found that at first the liquid would bead up and I had to rub it in a few times until it started sit more evenly. I suspect the less polished the bone the easier it would work.


Thanks, these are all helpful tips and am sure it will be helpful down the road as I collect more knives with bone covers :tu:


Offline Ray S

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #10 on: May 09, 2019, 12:36:58 AM
I am surprised you can even purchase potassium permangante  as it is an essential ingredient in:1) rocket fuel and 2) high explosives.Is it pure or is it in solution?


us Offline David

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #11 on: May 09, 2019, 12:40:20 AM
I have a couple of knives where the bone covers were badly mismatched in color so I had read about using Potasium Permanganate to darken bone. I decided to get some and give it a try. I found some on ebay and it arrived yesterday. I had some luck darkening the bone on a couple of really old knives and it worked fairly well.  I suspect that there is too much oil and contaminants in the old bone for it to be  completely effective. It did work fairly well in matching them better.

I also have this GEC Harness Jack that I've done some work on reprofiling the blade  and adjusting the tangs as it was a bit of a nail breaker. One other thing about it is that I've never really like the light honey color on the covers. I decided to try and darken them with the  PP and it really worked well.


Here are some before and after pics


Before/After

(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)(Image removed from quote.)

Very pleased how this turned out !


link

Potassium-Permanganate

That turned out rather well!     :drool:     :like:
What? Enablers! Are you serrrrious? Where? I dont see any.
Hold Fast


us Offline David

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #12 on: May 09, 2019, 12:41:46 AM
Great job! I used it myself for the first time recently on Elk handles. Worked nicely. I just had to be patient and work slowly. Neither of which I'm very good at.  :rofl:

From this:

(Image removed from quote.)

to this:

(Image removed from quote.)

Looks very nice!    :drool:     :like:
What? Enablers! Are you serrrrious? Where? I dont see any.
Hold Fast


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #13 on: May 09, 2019, 01:39:10 AM
Nice work, guys  :cheers:


The cantankerous but occasionally useful member, formally known as 50ft-trad


il Offline pomsbz

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #14 on: May 09, 2019, 06:36:19 AM
I am surprised you can even purchase potassium permangante  as it is an essential ingredient in:1) rocket fuel and 2) high explosives.Is it pure or is it in solution?

It's also used as a disinfectant and drain cleaner or drain something or other.
"It is better to lose health like a spendthrift than to waste it like a miser." - Robert Louis Stevenson


spam Offline comis

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #15 on: May 09, 2019, 07:52:32 AM
It's also used as a disinfectant and drain cleaner or drain something or other.


Yes, and also good for water purification or fire starter(for survival kit/emergency use) before all the water tablets become popular.


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #16 on: May 09, 2019, 03:07:12 PM
Never heard of PP.  Would the covers darken over time with use?  I like the final product a lot on both examples I especially like the knives. 
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline SteveC

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #17 on: May 09, 2019, 03:12:11 PM
Never heard of PP.  Would the covers darken over time with use?  I like the final product a lot on both examples I especially like the knives. 

I don't think bone darkens much over time unless it's bleached bone.  Two of the knives I used it on are 50-80 years old where one side was significantly lighter than the other.


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #18 on: May 09, 2019, 03:42:17 PM
Very interesting.  It sure came out nice thats for sure.  There always seems to be a way.  Its nice to get the look you want and enjoy the knife even more. 
Esse Quam Videri


gb Offline Sparky415

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #19 on: May 10, 2019, 08:59:58 AM

Very interesting Guys  :salute:
Everything’s adjustable


mc Offline Gerhard Gerber

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #20 on: May 10, 2019, 10:26:24 AM
 :salute:

I have a little tub sitting waiting........good bone is hard to find!


scotland Offline Gareth

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #21 on: May 10, 2019, 11:28:15 AM
Looks like it works very well indeed.  Nice job gents.  :hatsoff:
Be excellent to each other and always know where your towel is.


us Offline SteveC

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #22 on: May 10, 2019, 05:41:05 PM
Thanks    :cheers:


us Offline VICMAN

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #23 on: May 12, 2019, 06:49:48 PM
I have a couple of knives where the bone covers were badly mismatched in color so I had read about using Potasium Permanganate to darken bone. I decided to get some and give it a try.

Very pleased how this turned out !



Very nice Steve! :like: :tu: :tu:


us Offline SteveC

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Re: Bone covers and Potasium Permanganate
Reply #24 on: May 12, 2019, 09:58:34 PM
Thanks !    :hatsoff:


 

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