I have wanted to learn to get this effect form my handle for years so I saw another makers work and they were nice enough to share the method with me and I thought in the spirit of pasing along information I would make a post about it. Anyway you will need a few items and I will mention a couple of tips. First off you will need various grits of paper usually ranging from; 150 grit to 800 grit. I sand all my handles to 800 Grit. You will also need Fiebings leather dye in the colours you desire. Two wool Daubers and a natural hair brush. Lastly some extra fine steel wool will be needed. A note on the dye you don’t have to drop a big buck on a large bottle you can often get sales on the small bottles.
The top knife is an example of one I have already stained with black and brown dyes it started out looking like the bottom one.
First I shape and sand the handle as mentioned to 800 Grit. Along the way the dust tends to ruin your obscure your vision of the woods grain so I use the natural haired brush to clear the dust allowing me to see any sanding grit marks that I might have missed from the previous grain. Using your hands just pushes the dust around especially after your hands become coated in the stuff.
A trick I use to make a holding stand for the knives to dry is just simply using the old Styrofoam inserts from an appliance packing system.
Now simply take your darkest dye colour first and coat the entire handle. The first thing that will come to mind is OH MY GOD I JUST RUINED MY KNIFE. Don’t worry it will turn out ok.
After the coat dries take the steel wool and rub the handle vigorously till the grain starts to pop
Next apply a coat of the actually colour you want the handle to be. The second coat will lighten up the first and cause the grain to pop even more. In this case I am using medium brown.
Take your steel wool and again rub the handle to expose the grain. You can repeat the second lighter colour till the desired tones are reached.
Allow to dry and then buff with paste or conservators wax to sheen.
The top knife is an example of one I have already stained with black and brown dyes it started out looking like the bottom one.
First I shape and sand the handle as mentioned to 800 Grit. Along the way the dust tends to ruin your obscure your vision of the woods grain so I use the natural haired brush to clear the dust allowing me to see any sanding grit marks that I might have missed from the previous grain. Using your hands just pushes the dust around especially after your hands become coated in the stuff.
A trick I use to make a holding stand for the knives to dry is just simply using the old Styrofoam inserts from an appliance packing system.
Now simply take your darkest dye colour first and coat the entire handle. The first thing that will come to mind is OH MY GOD I JUST RUINED MY KNIFE. Don’t worry it will turn out ok.
After the coat dries take the steel wool and rub the handle vigorously till the grain starts to pop
Next apply a coat of the actually colour you want the handle to be. The second coat will lighten up the first and cause the grain to pop even more. In this case I am using medium brown.
Take your steel wool and again rub the handle to expose the grain. You can repeat the second lighter colour till the desired tones are reached.
Allow to dry and then buff with paste or conservators wax to sheen.
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