critique my patina!

When you take pictures closer than say 30 inches, you need to use the macro setting which is the little button with a flower on it.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
It's called "seasoning". A seasoned knife is a good thing, just like seasoned cast iron.

I like the look of the factory coating, but I also like patina-ed blades.

Something I've been trying lately, is to get the blade as shiny as possible, then hand apply mustard, prop the knife up edge down to let it sit for 6-8 hours. When I scrape the mustard off, it's good and rusty underneath. I take some fine Scotch brite to get the rust off and soften the edges a bit. Then throw it in vinegar over night.

Then just lightly brush off any rust, and keep oiling it over the next few days.
Click to expand...

I don't know what kind of mustard you use, but the 77 cent store brand yellow mustard I use puts a thick even gray patina on 1095, not rust. I don't even get that complicated-once I do a layer or two of mustard on there for 15 minutes apiece, I pick the crusty mustard off and whipe the blade down with a silicone rag and stick it back in it's sheath.
 
Well, the French's yellow mustard I used left thick, flaky rust where the mustard was thinnest, and the metal under the thicker areas was still shiny. Thus the vinegar to soften the edges of the dark patina from the mustard and to give the shiny portions a lighter patina.

It's likely an artifact of how long I leave the mustard on, but I do that on purpose to get well defined dark patterns, rather than just a browning of the metal.
 
French's mustard is not the way to go. Use Wal-Mart Great Value brand if you want a real man's patina.
 
My camera doesn't have that little flower thingy on it, but I just so happen to have a 1:1 macro for my SLR. :D :D
 
I shoot a Canon 5D as my main camera and have an old 10D as a backup.
 
Yeah, but Great Value is the brand chosen by 4 out of 5 Elitists surveyed.
 
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