My Bluing die has gone brown

[tmuir]

About a year ago I bought one litre of blue marking out die.
When I got it, it was a dark blue.
Have noticed it was lately giving me a pale yellow / brown colour.
I just figured this was because the blue was settling but tonight I shook it all up and just ended up with a slightly darker yellow / brown.

I've just been leaving it on a shelf that would be getting indirect sunlight.

Does light fade this stuff or does it have a limited shelf life?

Thanks,
Tony

 

[BobWarfield]

Not sure which brand you are using. My 4 year old Dychem is good as new color-wise.

Best,

BW

 

[compound driver 2]

shake the bottle

 

[Maryak]

Like the other Bob mine has not changed in 8 years.

Maybe it was cross contaminated somehow ??? ???

Best Regards
Bob

 

[tel]

I didn't mean to treat you bad
Didn't know just what I had
But honey now I do
And don't it make my brown eyes
Don't it make my brown eyes
Don't it make my brown eyes blue


Sorry - couldn't stop meself

 

[baldrocker]

Sacrilege
Don't apologise to us,
apologise to Crystal Gale
A devoted fan.
Anonymouse
PS
Try dropping bathroom blue tablet in it.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Hmm I worked at a couple of places that bought Dykem by the Gallon . I have never seen it turn color. I have a little tin Yes tin of red that I have had for years that still works. I suppose it could sun bleach. Did a piece of steel get dropped in ? I learned the hard way that one can not store the dauber for cold bluing in the bottle. It will turn the stuff to browning solution in a few days.
Sounds to me it may have been contaminated with steel filings or something . Just a guess.
Tin

 

[joeby]

Metal or plastic bottle. I have some in the metal containers that apparently died of old age. It leaves a very faint tint, and that's about all (either blue or red).

The last bottle I got was plastic and it seems fine at about 2-3 years old.

Kevin

 

[gr8life]

Tony I had the same problem a while ago so I called Dydem 1-800-443-9536 www.dykem.com. I spoke to a nice lady who explained the code on the little paper label on the bottom. If I can recall 07c10D means date of mfg. 2007 and the c means March. The product is only good for one year, but lasts longer if kept cool and less if hot. My solution is to buy it in the small plastic bottles.
ed

 

[tmuir]

It's kept in a plastic bottle, unlikely to be contamiated as I open it to dip my brush in it and close it straight back up.
I have shaken it (a lot).

I think gr8life may have it as it's over a year old and my workshop gets hold. At peak summer temperature I'm guessing it could reach 50 to 60C inside there.

Will need to find a new supplier as the only one I know of only sells it in one litre containers and if it only lasts a year a 100ml container would do me.

 

[max corrigan]

I got some engineers blue that i've had for at least 25yrs it even rotted through the tin container, transferred to glass jar and still perfect apart from thickening in the cold weather, so i don't think shelf life is the problem!
i know this is not the answer your looking for but takes shelf life from the equation, unless of course there are different kinds of engineers blue mixes, where maybe this could happen
regards Max...............

 

[tel]

From the Skinflint Files -

About 40 ml metho
The ink out of a blue ballpoint.

Mix together and keep in an airtight jar.

 

[tmuir]

From the Skinflint Files -

About 40 ml metho
The ink out of a blue ballpoint.

Mix together and keep in an airtight jar.

Well thats better than forking out another $35

 

[rleete]

All the machinists at work use sharpie pens. Layout dye is only used if it's a very large part.

 

[steamboatmodel]

I think I still have a bottle of Layout Dye in the shop somewere, but most of the time I use Markers form the Dollar store.
Regards,
Gerald

 

[tel]

Well thats better than forking out another $35

Even better if you dissolve a few flakes of shellac into it - if you can find any.

 

[rake60]

I think I still have a bottle of Layout Dye in the shop somewere, but most of the time I use Markers form the Dollar store.
Regards,
Gerald

I thought I was the only one who does that.

Rick

 

[ksouers]

Rick,
That's all I use. Marks-a-lot brand. Sometimes Sharpie.

I haven't even seen a can of Dykem since the 70's.

Kevin

 

[Tin Falcon]

I thought I was the only one who does that.

Rick

No rick you are not alone I use the big fat marks a lot for large areas and fine line sharpies for marking stock to cut.
I leaned this in USAF Machining Tech school. The big fat Marks-a lot was a required item for each student to buy.
Tin

 

[jwsvandr]

I use the markers too. Found it frustrating until I figured out you have to wait for it to dry completely before marking.