I've got an old Stanley plane I'm refurbishing (#4) and I'd like to keep the tote and knob black, but I'm not all that keen on painted handles. The old paint was two thirds of the way chipped off, so I stripped the rest of it and sanded it smooth. Trouble is, they're two different woods, and one has a reddish stain to it while the other is a grey/green color. I'm thinking about trying to dye them black. Could I use an aniline dye, or maybe india ink or something? My other concern is that the dye will just rub off on my hands when I use the plane. I'll probably paint them if no one has any great ideas. It only cost me $12.00 and a couple hours of fettling so far.
JP