CIVIVI Mini Asticus Quick Look (Modified)

Published: 1 year ago

Damascus blade with Jade G10 over steel liner lock handle

Partial red and yellow fade dye over the jade G10

Brand CIVIVI
Model # C19026B-DS1
Model Name Mini Asticus
Retail USD 79
Maker WE
Designer Unknown
Construction Backspacer
Steel Damascus
Grind Hollow
Edge Factory
Pivot Bearings
Blade Shape Drop Point
Lock Liner
Handle Material G10
Handle Material 2 Steel Liners
Handle Length (in) 4.275
Blade Length (in) 3.256
Cutting Edge (in) 3.313
TBE (in) 0.0140
Height (in) 1.042
Pivot Width (in) 0.519
Handle Width (in) 0.483
Blade Stock (in) 0.117
Overall Length (in) 7.531
Weight (Oz) 2.91
Ratio: Cutting Edge:Weight (In/Oz) 1.14
Ratio: Blade:Handle (In/In) 0.76
Hardware Steel
Blade Finish Etched
Origin China

DYE DIRECTIONS
The Jade G10 Mini Asticus from CIVIVI used Daffodil Yellow and Apricot Orange RIT Synthetic Dye for this fade dye job. I did warm and cool versions of three models and this was one of them. The contrasting cool one is Tropical Teal and Sapphire Blue.

I mix the dye:water 1:3 in a jar and sit the jar on a piece of Silicone mesh in a pot of boiling water. I use canning jar tongs to handle the jars and I use small stainless dishes on top of the jars to keep the temp from dropping and the water from boiling out of the dye so quickly when I'm not using them. The dye temperature is usually about 180°F or so.

Prep all material by cleaning them well with dish soap using melamine for any stubborn grime

Hang the parts on a wire and slowly dip into the dye from one end. Be smooth about lowering it down into the dye bath. The least dyed part with each color will have very brief exposure. Just take 10-15 seconds to lower it 75-80% of the way in.

Slowly or quickly lift it back up out of the bath. Just be aware of how this affects your soak time.

Rinse it off in the sink and you will see light color. Just keep going back in till you're happy with the color. It does look different dry than wet.

A quick rinse is all it takes to make them safe to handle. If I'm doing a fade like this, the last 20% or so sees zero time with the opposite color. Be careful to keep your dyes labeled and separate. Rinse well between dips. And make sure you stir the dye before you use it. I use disposable chopsticks and they're pretty now.

This yellow/orange probably had a total of 3 min in hot dye at both ends to achieve this saturation while only 3 seconds of momentary exposure for the least dyed part with that color and at no time was I holding the material static in the dye. You will get a darker line at the surface if you do that. I’m probably slowly lowering it three times for a minute each or so except for the sapphire blue. That one dyed fast and was probably half the time as the other colors.
sovrn