Brass black pins

B

badge 405

Well-Known Member
I have a customer who doesn't like the look of brass, and wants the pins black. I like to use corby for the extra mechanical connection. My thought was, after final sanding, to tape around the pins and use brass black on the pins, then finish the handle with true oil. I know I could use fiber pins, but like the extra connection of the corby bolts. Anybody done this, or any ideas?
 
badge 405 said:
I have a customer who doesn't like the look of brass, and wants the pins black. I like to use corby for the extra mechanical connection. My thought was, after final sanding, to tape around the pins and use brass black on the pins, then finish the handle with true oil. I know I could use fiber pins, but like the extra connection of the corby bolts. Anybody done this, or any ideas?
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If you’re confident that the black will not wear off that would be the way to go. Having never used it I can’t comment on trying to use it after the pins have been installed- seems like it might get messy.
I’ve use both carbon fiber and micarta pins with no issue. How large a knife are you making?
 
opaul said:
If you’re confident that the black will not wear off that would be the way to go. Having never used it I can’t comment on trying to use it after the pins have been installed- seems like it might get messy.
I’ve use both carbon fiber and micarta pins with no issue. How large a knife are you making?
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It's a 8" skinner, and he wants green dyed buffalo horn handles. I have been using gorilla glue, and j-b weld 2 part epoxies.
 
The brass black will wear over time and I am not sure if Tru-Oil will help that process or not. If the Buffalo Horn is stabilized the brass black “should” not affect its color if not there are no guarantees the horn will look the same around your bolts. Tape will not stop all of the brass black from touching horn. I am not saying its a bad idea, Just some things to think about before you go that way. Do they make nickel silver corbys?
 
You could use black bolts and just recess them in the handle material some BUT that would allow blood, fat and stuff to collect there perhaps a bad thing for a skinner. I would use the Micarta Or G-10 pins myself.
 
Chris Railey said:
brass black will wear over time
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Chris Railey said:
I would use the Micarta Or G-10 pins
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I agree. I use a lot of metal patina chemicals for various projects. This stuff chemically reacts with the base metal to form a very very thin color change. But, any kind of abrasion on the surface and the color rubs right off. In fact if most patinas are not coated with lacquer or similar top coat, frequently the patina will rust or change to some other color over time.
Badge405, If you are interested in messing around with patinas, Sculpt Nouveau is one of the leading manufacturers of these chemicals.
 
I dabbed a little ferric on large copper pins to take the shine off. They're darker. No issues with any of that rubbing off and it's a knife we use a lot in the kitchen. However It doesn't go into a drawer with other knives and also doesn't go in and out of a sheath.
 
What if you put your Corbys on, recess them a little deeper for the mechanical hold your looking for then color some Epoxy Black and seal them up??
 
Thanks for all the replies. Really appreciate it. Was skeptical about it my self. I'll do an experiment on some scrap and see. Thanks again for all the input
 
Lastly, and I've done this a few times, if you aren't sold on having to use Corby's, use carbon fiber pins. They are incredibly strong, and polish up completely black. Didn't see until now your comment about fiber pins.

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badge 405 said:
Thanks for all the replies. Really appreciate it. Was skeptical about it my self. I'll do an experiment on some scrap and see. Thanks again for all the input
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Hey I just found a couple pivot pins I bought from midwest and it made me think of this again.

My internets not fast enough to go on their site right now to check but I think I remember some different kinds of fasteners that were colored and had tight threads. I remember titanium ones in blue, yellow and turqoise, but I can't check right now if there were anything black oxide.

Actually I have an old catalog. They're listed under "connectors"... the catalog says they're also called stand offs. They've got a threaded bushing, black screws, and tight threads.

BTW when I etched my pins I didn't wipe them off. I used a paper towel to collect the puddle which surface tension held on the metal pin.
 
Those are camo G10 scales. I generally just hand sand to 2500, and a very light buff on a buffing wheel. G10 will burn on a buffing wheel so you have to be very careful not to get it hot. I think I just used pink no scratch to buff it. Since this one, I've started using the Ultrex Suretouch G10, which adds a layer of rubber as the black layer. Gives a tacky grip in addition to the polished G10. To me, that's the one downside to the G10, is that it is somewhat slippery when is polished up really well. I think Ed may put a single layer of Tru-oil on it to finish it up, and I may have done that one this one as well. It's been a little while.
 
I love the suretouch, I've just never been able to get that kind of shine. I'm not going g near that high of grit on my sanding. I'll give that a try. Thanks a bunch!
 
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