Aging stainless steel .

K

Kevin the grey

Joined
Aug 26, 2005
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I don,t really want to age it . I just some have trade blades I want to have a more traditional look . Is there a way to make stainless look a little more like carbon steel or other more traditional metals ?
This is a mirror finished blade .

I,m not trying to fool anybody and they would be told these knives are copies .
Also if it can be done while the handle is on all the better .
 
it depends on what time period you are trying to achive. most reenactors won't get within 30 feet of a stainless blade no matter what it looks like. if you are selling to tourist with no historical knowledge any faked antique finish may work. if you want a correct historical type finish,just rub it with 220 sandpaper.
 
Shakudo , these are not re-enactors so much as traditionalists . I think the main difference is we are more interested in camping and having a good time than authenticity .
It is not so much that they have no historical knowledge so much as authenticity is not as important as having fun . Guys have made Tipis and prospectors tents that look good and that is what is important . No-one is going to tell them they used the wrong material or used the wrong stitch .

People will make clothes from a material resembling deer hide if they so choose to . I think we just don,t want glaring discrepancies . There will be archery games that just involve having fun as opposed to something that is historically accurate .

I would like to do a little more than sandpaper the metal . Are there not some acids that are fairly safe to use that will change the finish(especially a mirror finish) on a blade ?

I am thinking of a mottled look something like discolored carbon steel .
 
why not go with carbon steel, you cant go bad with O1. stainless steel is made to repell acids and etching that a knife would incounter over time. you could try etching it with electricty like i do, you can search for some posts i did on this topic. when i do the etch it makes the serface look like it was forged with a visable texture to it that is shoth but bumpy. ill post a pic. but i dont know how stainless would work with this process.
 
JTknives it is because I already have these blades . If it turns out to be too complicated I will go another way . I just thought there might be a smple way to do this that one of you guys might know .

I have heard of some fruit acids changing the finish on a blade and thought there might be something like that .I realise trying to defeat something called stainless might be the wrong way to go .
 
Drop one in chlorine bleach and see what does. Given time and neglect, most stainless knife steels will rust. The bleach should speed the process.
 
JTknives I do not know exactly what kind of stainless it is . It is certainly not high end stuff . It seems a little harder than a wiltshire never-sharp knife .
Of course frozen butter is a little harder than their knives . L:O:L

It did take a mirror finish . I do not know if this is a reflection upon its quality . L:O:L

Thanks for helping out one and all . I realise it is an unusual request .
 
Just try several agents.Vinegar,lemon juice,Ferric chloride,bleach,cold blue,etc. Dab them on with a cotton swab,let them sit a little,rinse them off.See what works best.If nothing looks good,buff the mirror polish back on.BTW,Clean the blade very well before applying the patina.I think cold blue and a steel wool (or 400 grit) rub will make what you want.In my opinion,the first thing to get rid of is the mirror surface.
 
bladsmth said:
Just try several agents.Vinegar,lemon juice,Ferric chloride,bleach,cold blue,etc. Dab them on with a cotton swab,let them sit a little,rinse them off.See what works best.If nothing looks good,buff the mirror polish back on.BTW,Clean the blade very well before applying the patina.I think cold blue and a steel wool (or 400 grit) rub will make what you want.In my opinion,the first thing to get rid of is the mirror surface.
Click to expand...

Looks like the way to go .
 
Kevin TG-

Just open the blade and tie the knife to the back of the bumper of your truck/car and drive down a gravel road about a half-mile. Voila! Instant aging.
 
DGG said:
Kevin TG-

Just open the blade and tie the knife to the back of the bumper of your truck/car and drive down a gravel road about a half-mile. Voila! Instant aging.
Click to expand...

I did that but all it did was ruin the sheath . L:O:L
 
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