chartreuse observations

[fish_4_all]

I did a batch of chartreuse x2 last night and I was thrilled. 2 reheats on the initial batch adding srpues and scraps with no darkening at all for the 6 injections I got. I was very happy with the results.

Today, however, I reheated the same batch and the color was noticeably darker.

This got me to thinking, does the colorant only get darker if you let it cure from the initial heating and then reheat it? Is it more important when using chartreuse to get all you want done in one sitting and not let the plastic cure overnight than other colorants?

Is there another colorant that does this so I know to make sure I get as much out of the batch as possible?

[ghostbaits]

GREAT QUESTION!!!!!!!!!! 

My GUESS is that all of the flouro and chartruese type colorants will do this. CCM X2 dominates the other brands out there for this for sure! Other chartreuse will darker far quicker!!!

Do you add your chartruese prior to heating or after?

Jim

[andrewlamberson]

In my experience, I can get multiple reheats of X2 Chartreuse if I add a few drops of heat stabilizer each time. Might not be necessary...but....

I always add my light colors to completely heated plastic...mainly because if I burn it....I change my mind and do watermelon brn instead...might be why I have so many watermelon brn baits!!!!

[fish_4_all]

I added it cold, didn't add anything to the reheat. 6 drops in just over 4 ounces.

The plastic wasn't ruined by any means, it was just noticeably darker. I kept 1 set of the eggs and the skirt I injected with it. The larger eggs were just darker than I prefer.

I am glad you mentioned that Andrew, I was going to throw it out but I will keep it now to use for a darker color and experimenting. Cinnamon or purple might look really cool with it.

[ghostbaits]

Reason I asked is that other manufacturers recommend that chartreuse be added PRIOR to heating. Most flouro colors as well.

Didn't see that on CCM X2 so I assume to add it when warm??? May not matter with X2!!!

I am not surprised it looks that good after that many reheats though. I don't go over 2 usually but now I know I can!  Thanks!

Jim

[fish_4_all]

I could probably reheat what is left and get an acceptable chartreuse color. To me it would be off color and I might not use it for steelhead or salmon but would use it for trout or tying eggs sucking leech type fly patterns

I will have to reheat the fl. orange X2 and see if there is any noticeable darkening of the color at all.

[pjmcla]

I add some pearl white to it ( and maybe a drop of white ) and make pearl chartreuse if it discolors.   

[ctom]

Put just a touch of raw plastic in the cup first and add some stabilizer to it. Stir it good and then chop up and add you scrap. Heat this in stages and stir it between shots of heat. DON'T hurry the process. My x2 chartreuse reheated in this manner has been warmed from cold in the cup as many as ten times. Every time I hear of problems with chartreuse its simply putting too much into the reheat at a time. You have to handle rehated plastic in an entirely different way than you handle newly cooked plastic. Part of this process means you need to use stabilizer in a small amount of raw plastic and go slow. If you think your color is going to thin out, add a drop of the x2 to the raw plastic/stabilizer before you do the reheat. Not using stabilizer is going to lead to wasted plastic.