1095 - Patina?

B

bloodnut

Joined
Mar 22, 2001
Messages
87
Will plain, unfinished 1095 eventually develop a patina over time? I take fairly good care of my knives and I thnk rust resistance is overemphasized; also I've about had my fill of black knives. Assuming I properly care for a plain high carbon blade, will it develop that nice patina?
 
I have a Schrade 125OT that I have had for over 30 years and it has that nice patina you are talking about. Routine care and wiping it off after use has kept it clean and mean. I also have several other knives that do the same. I have some 1095 that I have kept spotless (not users) but I like the colors that you get with use.


Dean
 
but the iron content in blood will put an unique patina on a carbon steel knife over time. You see it a lot in knives thats seen use in fierce h2h combat.
 
Accidental spillage of canned stewed tomato's on my 1095 blade produced a beautiful rich purple and blue finish that looked custom done.
First I was irate, then passive, then began to really like what the
acidity of the tomatos had done overnight.
I am not recommending anyone try this...but it was a nice accident on an inexpensive knife.

Cheers,
Hal
 
I have an old schrade that has the blood patine on it, really interesting look. part of it's use as hunting knife, and also blade that I use to cut up steaks and stuff for jerky(works a hell of a lot better than any kitchen knives).
 
I tried the Acetone/Lime application mentioned above on 52100. I had to keep putting on lime juice several times before it started turning, but it finally did and turned out nice.
 
I have used lemon juice and it works fast. I soaked a blade for an hour once and it was darker than I wanted , make sure you clean it off after or it will keep darkening.
 
A patina that is aquired without time as a major ingredient doesn't look quite right.It looks as artificial as it is,but a carbon steel blade that has been used for years,field dressed and skinned critters,peeled apples,oranges,and potatoes,sliced tomatos,etc,is a beautiful sight to my eyes.I tried all them other methods on a Randall Model 26 with an O-1 blade but it looked as bogus as Pamela Anderson's......lips.I crocus clothed it back to shiny,and now cut anything in the kitchen that needs it,it slices a lot of onions and tomatos,trims fat off of stew meat,slices bacon,and stuff like that.It has gutted and skinned one deer,gutted several trout,and will likely clean another deer before the month is out,and it is starting to get "the look".It has a long way to go before it looks like my old Case stockman,or my old Schrade folding hunter,but to me thats sort of part of the deal,but heck its your knife,have at it any way you want.
 
If you want a quick easy patina:
Stick the knife blade in a Granny Smith apple and leave it there for about two or three hours.
I did this with my Schrade Old Timer 12OT and it looks great.

I don't know if it works with other apples or not, but the green, sour Granny Smith apple worked terrific.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
MelancholyMutt wrote:
"the iron content in blood will put an unique patina on a carbon steel knife over time. You see it a lot in knives thats seen use in fierce h2h combat."

=====================================

MelancholyMutt: How many of these knives have you seen that have been used in fierce, hand-to-hand combat? And these knives that you've inspected, what era/war are they from? How was it verified that they were in fact used in fierce hand-to-hand combat? Were you able to verify that the patina isn't simply the result of the years? Or from slicing cheese and stirring rations over a campfire in the foxhole?
 
mnblade,

Mutt's knowledge comes from his extensive collection of Mall Ninja Knives. This particular method of patina development has been passed down through many generations...be reverent. ;)
 
When I was a child, I had the fortune of living near a few ww2 veterans who were nice enough to keep a "latchkey" kid (a child who's both parents worked) out of trouble between the hours after school, and before my parents got home. They would sit me down and tell me wonderful stories of their exploits on Pacific Islands, in European forests, or skies over France. They would open their boxes full of medals, trophies and trinkets collected from "over there", and quite a few of them showed me their knives and told me about the blood coloring the blades.

Unfortunately, these veterans are reaching their 80's nowadays and they are leaving us in greater and greater numbers. The last of my good childhood friends from those days departed several years ago and maybe if I'm lucky, I may get to see those medals and knives again.
 
after all, this is only an internet forum...LOL

I have to admit, my post invited a few flames, and MNBlade was kind enough to oblige.

I think of it this way... Thieves always think someone is going to steal from them. Liars always think someone is lying to them... It's called "projecting"...

Are you projecting? MNBlade?
 
I like to think I'm a knowledgeable forum dweller but I've never heard of anything like this! What kind of blades does this work on? does anybody have a pic?
Thanks guys your a wealth of knowledge ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top