Bone handle advice needed

[wyldwylliam]

Howdy Boys.

I just hung a Green River blade with bone scales, which at this point are a shiny white.

I would like to get them looking like the old yellowish color you sometimes see on old ivory-handled pistols and knives.

Any info I can get on how to do this without waiting a hundred years or so would be mighty appreciated.

Thanks.

[St. George]

Try tea or coffee...

Make sure that either one's strong - then swab it on - the pores will absorb it.

Scouts Out!

[Slickshot]

Are Green River Knives that good?  I am thinking about buying one...


Slickshot

[Camano Ridge]

Coffee and tea will work. Also Ptassium Premanginate crystals in water or fiebings leather dye. Cut the leather dye with alcahol for better penitration. I usually collor my antler before putting on the knife. Is your knife stainless or carbon steel?

[St. George]

Green River knives are basically old-time butcher knives - with several blade configurations.

They're made of decent steel and are easily sharpened - and for those who need a 'period' working knife - they were actually there during the period.

Scouts Out!

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I am working on the personna of an old buffalo hunter ... who has been known to butcher occasionally ... Big T put bone handles on my new Green River, and it just looked too pretty and cute ...

So I had this walnut stain sitting around from and done leather project ... I used a bush to wipe it on and it 'looked' like it could have been used on a buffalo ... 'course the blade is still pristine ...

The smaller knife is a matching knife that Big T gave me  ....... I am in the process of making non-studded 'indian style ' plain holsters to put on the cartirdge belt ...Chuck Burrows is stamping the chape and tongue for it and after they are applied I am having it suede backed ...

I am of two minds about the grips for he smaller knife .... I would like to have them in matching stained bone ... but then again they are the original grips .... I would love to hear comments ....

[wyldwylliam]

Thanks for the suggestions fellows, good info there.

As to the GR knives, as St George says, they were there, becoming widely available, iirc, in the early 1850's. There were many similar types of butcher and utility knives available, but the GRers were the most famous, used by most buff hunters, Indians, cowboys, trappers etc. Some folks will try to tell you they were used by the Mtn. Men, but they were a bit too late for that.

They are certainly not the last word in blade steel, but they were and are inexpensive and I have butchered a number of big game animals with them and they work admirably. They take a wicked edge very easily, any I've ever seen or used are carbon steel but I think they may also make some in stainless for modern kitchen use.

[wyldwylliam]

Hi again.

I ended up using Fiebing's leather dye, first a wash of yellow followed by brown, wiped off and repeated several times. When dry I re-polished on a 20 micron belt and the whole works actually did turn out looking like old ivory.

Thanks for the help, all.

[Camano Ridge]

So wheres the pictures?   

[wyldwylliam]

Sorry 'bout that, way beyond my skill set.

[dusty texian]

Wyldwylliam ,I'll help a pard out . Just send that ole gegaw down here too Texas,and I'll take a pic. of it fer ya. .......Dusty.