Anodized Carbon Steel

[PoolQs]

I had an issue with a warp that had to be straightened ... Thank you Rick Marchand for your tutorial, couldn't have done it without you !!!
It did take me 4 attempts to finally straighten it but on the 4th, after pulling it out of the oven and dipping in water, I got this great
anodized effect. It wasn't there on the previous 3. I have seen this effect professional done by electroplating but never seen it naturally.
This is 1084 treated to 60rc (home HT)
Question is: I think this would be a great look on this chef knife. I have it 90% ground but still have to do my final passes of full flat grind
which I know will remove this effect. Is there a way of recreating this after final grinding and keeping this finish for any length of time?
Can this effect be done on purpose without 4 tempering cycles?
Thanks for your responses!
Troy

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[samuraistuart]

This is interesting....I just got through straightening mine in the oven, and after the fourth or fifth cycle, it had a finish just like yours!! I'm having a LOT of synchronicity going on lately. To answer your question, tho....it will come right off. Just a light pass on scotch brite takes it off. Would not recommend leaving it. You can certainly re-create it after final grinding.....just do what you did again. But it will come off easily.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

That is nothing like anodizing...it is just surface oxides. It will easily rub off.
Personally, I would never want a finish like that on a chefs blade. Think about it....why would you want the blade to look dirty?

 

[Mike Gesualdo]

Those are colors produced by the thin oxide layers on the steel from tempering... similar concept to rainbow colors you see when oil drips into puddles. Here's a Wikipedia bit on tempering colors. Not a very durable layer.

You can kind of mimic those colors without heat by forcing a patina. Using the knife to cut hot meats tends to produce some similar colors. I've heard of people heating blood or meat "juice" and "painting" it on the blade to force patinas in the same colors.

Here is one of my knives after I used it to slice some rib roast:

 

[PoolQs]

Think about it....why would you want the blade to look dirty?

Definitely do not want it to look dirty !! Just as weebus stated and I have experienced, I like the "rainbow" effect patina as it is being used by not forced patina.
Just didn't know if there was a way to get that type of patina "rainbow" and then NOT have it turn into the darker patina of usage. I have many carbon knives
I use at work that are are dark patina and would like to come up with something in between a polished carbon and dark patina that will stay.
I might just be asking tooo much from the natural tenancies of carbon steels or is there a "magic" quench?