Do these materials make the stonewash/tumbled finishing color duller/lighter?

owensidharta

owensidharta

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431
Hi, Folks

I have a question :

Do these materials make the original stonewashed or the tumbled finishing color on the S110V blade become faded/duller/lighter?
1. WD 40
2. Normal temperature Vinegar
3. Hot Vinegar
4. Baking soda
5. Alcohol
6. Acetone

Thank you for your help, Folks.

Owen.
 
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you are going to have a very hard time getting S110V do darken. especially with any of your listed items. it is very corrosion resistant. maybe acid like ferric chloride. a soak till dark then light stone wash. maybe more than once.
 
Backyard said:
you are going to have a very hard time getting S110V do darken. especially with any of your listed items. it is very corrosion resistant. maybe acid like ferric chloride. a soak till dark then light stone wash. maybe more than once.
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Ok.
Do these materials make the original stonewashed or the tumbled finishing color on the blade become faded/duller/lighter?
1. WD 40
2. Normal temperature Vinegar
3. Hot Vinegar
4. Baking soda
5. Alcohol
6. Acetone
 
owensidharta said:
Ok.
Do these materials make the original stonewashed or the tumbled finishing color on the blade become faded/duller/lighter?
1. WD 40
2. Normal temperature Vinegar
3. Hot Vinegar
4. Baking soda
5. Alcohol
6. Acetone
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I'm not familiar with hot vinegar on S110V but I can't see anything else on that list touching it. 1,5 & 6 will definitely have no effect. 2 & 4 unlikely.

maybe I'll put a little hot vinegar on one of my S110V knives and see if it does anything. I suspect I'll need to be much stronger though as it is very stain resistant
 
Backyard said:
I'm not familiar with hot vinegar on S110V but I can't see anything else on that list touching it. 1,5 & 6 will definitely have no effect. 2 & 4 unlikely.

maybe I'll put a little hot vinegar on one of my S110V knives and see if it does anything. I suspect I'll need to be much stronger though as it is very stain resistant
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I see. Yes, please do that and let me know if the hot vinegar makes the stonewashed finishing on your S110V become duller/fader/lighter.
Thank you so much for your answer.
 
Above 15% chromium in 110V - with that much, I'd doubt anything listed would have much effect on the steel's 'color'. The hot vinegar might (or might not) slightly etch the steel, which would likely alter the appearance. But on that steel, I doubt even that would have much effect.

On that note, most of the 'color' of a stonewashed finish is essentially a trick of the light, with the texture of the tumbled surface creating a shadow effect at a microscopic level. This is also what makes a bead-blast finish look darker on stainless steel. It's not that the actual color of the steel is made any different. But light reflected from it will be more diffuse, which creates the appearance of a darker finish than otherwise seen if the surface were highly polished (the brightest) or satin (still relatively bright, depending on the coarseness/fineness of the satin finish).

Stainless steel doesn't 'patina' like carbon steel does. Both will oxidize. But the oxide on stainless steel is chromium oxide, instead of iron oxide. The chromium oxide layer is extremely thin and looks essentially clear rather than dark, like the iron oxide. That 'clear' chromium oxide layer is what takes the place of iron oxide on the surface of the steel. This is why stainless steel is called 'stainless', as the protective oxide formed is essentially colorless by sight.
 
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Obsessed with Edges said:
Above 15% chromium in 110V - with that much, I'd doubt anything listed would have much effect on the steel's 'color'. The hot vinegar might (or might not) slightly etch the steel, which would likely alter the appearance. But on that steel, I doubt even that would have much effect.

On that note, most of the 'color' of a stonewashed finish is essentially a trick of the light, with the texture of the tumbled surface creating a shadow effect at a microscopic level. This is also what makes a bead-blast finish look darker on stainless steel. It's not that the actual color of the steel is made any different. But light reflected from it will be more diffuse, which creates the appearance of a darker finish than otherwise seen if the surface were highly polished (the brightest) or satin (still relatively bright, depending on the coarseness/fineness of the satin finish).

Stainless steel doesn't 'patina' like carbon steel does. Both will oxidize. But the oxide on stainless steel is chromium oxide, instead of iron oxide. The chromium oxide layer is extremely thin and looks essentially clear rather than dark, like the iron oxide. That 'clear' chromium oxide layer is what takes the place of iron oxide on the surface of the steel. This is why stainless steel is called 'stainless', as the protective oxide formed is essentially colorless by sight.
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Thank you so much for the lengthy reply and explanation. I really appreciate it, David.

Noted that I cannot make the stonewashed/tumbled finished on S110V darker, using those materials/liquids that I listed above.

But, (I know that you might have answered this question. I just want to make sure again) those materials/liquids that I mentioned above, do they make the already existing/original stonewashed/tumbled finished color on the the S110V become lighter/duller/faded?
The reason why I asked you this is because I have already used those materials/liquids (Not all at once though. I used WD40 for day 1. I used alcohol for day 2. I used acetone for day 3, and then I used baking soda mixed with WD40 to coat the blade & waited for a few hours, and then I wiped it off the blade. I used acetone, and then normal temperature vinegar for day 4. I used acetone, and then hot vinegar for day 5, and I let it sit for a minute or two before I wiped it off the blade) on my stonewashed/tumbled S110V blade, and I feel that the stonewashed/tumbled color becomes duller/lighter, but I am not sure. I forgot to inspect the stonewashed color before I did those methods (Stupid me). I did compare the pictures of the blade before I did those methods and after I did those methods, but I still can't tell for sure if it is become duller/faded or not.

Thank you for your help, David.
 
Backyard said:
try some hydrochloric acid or ferric chloride
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Actually, I am so afraid of using those 2 "super strong" materials. They might ruin the original blade's finishing?
I am not planning to make the blade's finishing darker anymore.
I am now strictly looking for the answer of this question :
Those materials/liquids that I mentioned above, do they make the already existing/original stonewashed/tumbled finished color on the the S110V become lighter/duller/faded?
The reason why I asked you this is because I have already used those materials/liquids (Not all at once though. I used WD40 for day 1. I used alcohol for day 2. I used acetone for day 3, and then I used baking soda mixed with WD40 to coat the blade & waited for a few hours, and then I wiped it off the blade. I used acetone, and then normal temperature vinegar for day 4. I used acetone, and then hot vinegar for day 5, and I let it sit for a minute or two before I wiped it off the blade) on my stonewashed/tumbled S110V blade, and I feel that the stonewashed/tumbled color becomes duller/lighter, but I am not sure. I forgot to inspect the stonewashed color before I did those methods (Stupid me). I did compare the pictures of the blade before I did those methods and after I did those methods, but I still can't tell for sure if it is become duller/faded or not.
 
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owensidharta said:
Thank you so much for the lengthy reply and explanation. I really appreciate it, David.

Noted that I cannot make the stonewashed/tumbled finished on S110V darker, using those materials/liquids that I listed above.

But, (I know that you might have answered this question. I just want to make sure again) those materials/liquids that I mentioned above, do they make the already existing/original stonewashed/tumbled finished color on the the S110V become lighter/duller/faded?
The reason why I asked you this is because I have already used those materials/liquids (Not all at once though. I used WD40 for day 1. I used alcohol for day 2. I used acetone for day 3, and then I used baking soda mixed with WD40 to coat the blade & waited for a few hours, and then I wiped it off the blade. I used acetone, and then normal temperature vinegar for day 4. I used acetone, and then hot vinegar for day 5, and I let it sit for a minute or two before I wiped it off the blade) on my stonewashed/tumbled S110V blade, and I feel that the stonewashed/tumbled color becomes duller/lighter, but I am not sure. I forgot to inspect the stonewashed color before I did those methods (Stupid me). I did compare the pictures of the blade before I did those methods and after I did those methods, but I still can't tell for sure if it is become duller/faded or not.

Thank you for your help, David.
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OK, I see what you're meaning. If you're not sure the finish has been made lighter/duller using the methods listed, I think that illustrates the very stainless nature of the steel. If they would've had a significant impact, it would be more obvious. Especially if the hot vinegar didn't produce any noticeable effect - that would've been the most aggressive method among those you listed.

It's possible, if the materials you tried left any residue at all on the steel, that might also slightly alter the way it looks. But that would likely just be due to the residue left on the surface, and less about it changing the steel in any significant way. Acetone can leave a dry white residue sometimes, for example. Sometimes it's not obvious to the naked eye, but can be seen under a microscope.

There might've also been a cleaning effect, if there was any residual fine swarf from factory grinding/finishing, or any other residue (oil, etc.) on the blade. Just a very fine film of oil can make a blade look just a little bit darker sometimes. Once it's cleaned off, the appearance lightens a bit.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
OK, I see what you're meaning. If you're not sure the finish has been made lighter/duller using the methods listed, I think that illustrates the very stainless nature of the steel. If they would've had a significant impact, it would be more obvious. Especially if the hot vinegar didn't produce any noticeable effect - that would've been the most aggressive method among those you listed.

It's possible, if the materials you tried left any residue at all on the steel, that might also slightly alter the way it looks. But that would likely just be due to the residue left on the surface, and less about it changing the steel in any significant way. Acetone can leave a dry white residue sometimes, for example. Sometimes it's not obvious to the naked eye, but can be seen under a microscope.

There might've also been a cleaning effect, if there was any residual fine swarf from factory grinding/finishing, or any other residue (oil, etc.) on the blade. Just a very fine film of oil can make a blade look just a little bit darker sometimes. Once it's cleaned off, the appearance lightens a bit.
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Noted. Thank you so much for your help and your clear explanation, David!
 
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