Darken metal spalting?

H

Heespharm

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Is there a way to make a knife whose lost some of the darkeness in the spalting area? I tried dilute ferric chloride but that just darkened the raised areas and not the low areas... and hot vinegar... was gonna try hydrogen peroxide and salt combo as a bluing agent but thought I would ask the wise people here first


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I think some have used Birchwood Casey Perma-blue and then quickly wiped the blade with a stiff cloth to only leave the blue in the low spots.
 
I don't think you can do it without creating a chemical gas hazard or changing the temper of the blade. It would be easier to mend our outlook and accept the knife as it is. Use it harder and then love it more.
 
I don't know I was able to do this to a razor with just hydrogen peroxide,salt and vinegar.. razors are ground much thinner and more apt to lose its temper



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I dunno I may try it and report back


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Hydrogen peroxide reacts violently to metals, hence the chemical gas hazard comment ;)

It may also explode.
 
Panthera tigris said:
I don't think you can do it without creating a chemical gas hazard or changing the temper of the blade. It would be easier to mend our outlook and accept the knife as it is. Use it harder and then love it more.
Click to expand...

+1 for that.. And yet another fine reason to acquire "one more Fiddleback" !


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Panthera tigris said:
Hydrogen peroxide reacts violently to metals, hence the chemical gas hazard comment ;)

It may also explode.
Click to expand...

????????????

gun blue, acid, etc are not going to affect the temper at all, unless you toss it in the oven afterwards!

01 tempers at 350 degrees plus. At the hardness he is likely running that O1 in a small/medium sized blade it is probably tempered in the 60-61 RC, so you would have to get above 400 degrees to affect the temper.


Hydrogen peroxide will react violently/explode? I'd like to see that. Honestly, I'm too lazy to go get mine, and try it on one of my carbon steel knives. You might get vigorous bubbling with completely degreased steel wool. Maybe a little more if you had steel powder, and added salt and heat.


Some chemicals may cause fumes. Just do it the outdoors if you are concerned.

Putting the blade in a jar of hot vinegar should darken it.

I've used vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, etc to etch steel.
 
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Don't take my word for it, it is all in the MSDS. Of course it depends on the concentration of the chemical and the properties of the steel.

Hydrogen peroxide is by its nature unstable and highly reactive.
 
I'm wondering if Liver of Sulfur would work on tool steel specifically.


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You'd need some very strong hydrogen peroxide to have a violent reaction. Most household hydrogen peroxide is pretty weak. And hydrogen peroxide has a half life when it breaks down into H2 and H20 so if you've got some that's been sitting around the risk is even lower (assuming you don't light the H gas built up in the container)
 
ZEOXEO said:
You'd need some very strong hydrogen peroxide to have a violent reaction. Most household hydrogen peroxide is pretty weak. And hydrogen peroxide has a half life when it breaks down into H2 and H20 so if you've got some that's been sitting around the risk is even lower (assuming you don't light the H gas built up in the container)
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True!
 
This is pretty much what happens if you try to reproduce the proprietary spalting process

[video=youtube;bXScgXleLX8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXScgXleLX8[/video]
 
Yeah...that was my reaction. Poor gummy bear.

I try to follow Panthera's advice on blade care. He's lousy at picking out calendars, but sure knows what the hell he's talking about when it comes to steel.
 
Luca917 said:
Yeah...that was my reaction. Poor gummy bear.

I try to follow Panthera's advice on blade care. He's lousy at picking out calendars, but sure knows what the hell he's talking about when it comes to steel.
Click to expand...

+1 on that And he's My exclusive blade maintenance person!


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I'm just as lost (or found...) as most of you :)

I look forward to the results of experimentation here.

The truth is I have an ingrained chemical anxiety and wish to dissuade young readers from experimenting with them. But the original poster knows what he is doing and I am thankful he is here to try it out and share the results.
 
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