A possible Dumb Question

J

jvan

Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
863
My question regards patina and I did try the search function, so here goes.

I have a knife made by Ivan Campos, it is one of his HBS knives made of 5160 steel and with added usage it is acquiring black like spotting and streaking: OK here comes the dumb question.............is that patina?

I realy like this knife and this steel, it gets used daily, outside but much more in the kitchen where it comes contact with acids included on the foods that I am slicing. Is this what is causing this "patina"?

By the way, I love this steel. When the edge gets a bit off all it takes is a few swipes on the white Spyderco rod and a couple licks on my strop and it is right back to hair poppin' sharpness. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
You're dead-on correct. 5160 is not a stainless steel, but that patina helps keep it from rusting. It's good steel ... very tough ... takes and holds an excellent edge ... not too hard to sharpen.
 
A patina is just corrosion of a different type which is not as damaging as the orange kind. It is like in the winter in cold countries where people will pile snow on something to prevent freezing ice from causing severe problems.

Do you have any pictures of the knife?

-Cliff
 
Cliff, this is a link to my knife: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=470479.

There is a fiber spacer at the base of the handle and the black bolster area is just the way it comes from forging.

The Imbuia root handle is very light but very strong. It is a knife that you can work with for hours without tiring.

Ivan Campos lives in Tatui Brazil and makes very nice, functional knives.
 
Nice looking blade, the point looks a little rounded. How do you find it for fine point work?

-Cliff
 
Cliff, the blade tip is a bit rounded, for fine work I use my 30+ year old Buck Muskrat with the toothpick like blade.

The SBC is excellent for slicing, dicing, small branch cutting, and walking stick fabrication.
 
An interesting question that I have given some thought to. I buy chicken breast in bulk and then skin and bone them at home, the rounded tip works very well for this as when I am "wielding" the knife around there is no tip to get caught up or snagged on anything.

Slicing up fruits and vegeatbles I find it to work better also, anytime that a piercing or puncture cut is not needed it really shines.

The handle on these knives is slightly curved and almost round or oval in shape so that it very nicely fills the palm and affords the user exacting accuracy. I have an awful lot of knives in my kitchen and this is the one I ususlly go to. After each use I rub the blade with a couple drops of olive oil and a couple times a week I strop it.

Any other questions please ask.

Cliff how do you feel about 5160 steel?


John
 
Thanks for the details. I as well have room for both very pointy tips as well as those with a bit more curvature. For me it tends to be more toughness wise in relation to utility work but I can appreciate the skinning type work you noted as well.

I find 5160 an excellent steel for large knives due to the toughness and for small knives such steels are excellent when you want fine edges at a high polish. There is too much emphasis put on high carbide steels which have their place but it is not the whole of knifemaking. There of course is also the issue of cost. Try to find that knife in S90V at clost to that price.

-Cliff
 
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