So...what To Do When "dye It Black" Isn't An Option?

[TwinOaks]

I started this little project as a test drive for a swivel knife, and decided to go ahead and bevel and dye it.

And here's where I ran into a problem......I didn't get enough Resist/Block on the 'rope', and had some bleed through.

Since I didn't want to "dye it black", I decided that covering the error would be the best solution, but just painting it didn't seem to be enough. So......I went with the MUCH LONGER process....

If you didn't know it, gold leaf that doesn't go exactly where you put it, well it comes off it's sheets in little flakes. If you don't have it stuck down, the little flakes go EVERYWHERE. And if they get in a place you don't want them....it's a nice afternoon eating project to pick off the little flakes that don't want to brush or blow off.

However....I think the result is well worth the effort. I originally set out to just complete it, and now I think I'll cut it out and mount it on proper background.

Incidentally.....this is not actual gold leaf.....I'm a poor, broke, leatherworker after all.

[TwinOaks]

And the last pic is take with no flash. That's just reflections of lights around the room.

[Chief31794]

Looks great!! I don't have your patience, it would have been USMC Black if I'd done it. This is way better.

Chief

[Curley Fryes]

I have the same problem and this is what I found through testing. No matter how much block/resist I used on an area, the dye always adhered to the blocked/resisted areas. I did find that antique gel does not adhere to resisted areas.

[Chief31794]

I use clear lac as a resist and I haven't had anything get through it. Pro Oil Dyes, Fiebings Normal Dyes, Angelus and Forget Eco-Flo it ain't got a chance.

Ken

[TwinOaks]

Yeah, I KNOW to use one of the -lac's to resist, but since I was working at my table and didn't want to go outside to use the high VOC products, I tried some supersheen. I didn't really want to break out the airbrush and spirit dyes, so I grabbed a seldom used 'all in one' (now I remember why it's so seldom used) and went to town. The intent was to block the stain, then tan-kote, antique, and top coat with the lacquer.......well, I made more work for myself by trying to 'cheat' the process....There's another lesson - just do it right the first time, and you don't have to spend EXTRA time to fix it.

[shtoink]

There's another lesson - just do it right the first time, and you don't have to spend EXTRA time to fix it.

True, but I think in this case things turned out better by fixing a mistake than what you originally planned.