Does 3V patina?

mountainmist

mountainmist

Joined
Jun 12, 2013
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So I'm curious if CPM-3V puts on a patina, or discolors? My understanding is, it doesn't rust or discolor easy, but when it does it gets orange and pits. Is this true?

Thanks!
 
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Yeah, I just read that entire thread, I didn't see a single mention to the corrosion resistance. Very interesting read anyway, thanks! :thumbup:
 
If you cut up some mango and let the juice dry on the blade, you can develop a nice bluish patina. Looks amazing. I think Guyon did that with one of his Beckers, or it may have been a traditional. All I remember was the color he got on it was amazingly bright and looked good. I got my BRKT Bravo Necker 2 to get a little haze on it, but not so much. In time with some good use, should look nice and not too drastic. :thumbup:.
 
RevDevil said:
If you cut up some mango and let the juice dry on the blade, you can develop a nice bluish patina. Looks amazing. I think Guyon did that with one of his Beckers, or it may have been a traditional. All I remember was the color he got on it was amazingly bright and looked good. I got my BRKT Bravo Necker 2 to get a little haze on it, but not so much. In time with some good use, should look nice and not too drastic. :thumbup:.
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Cool, thanks! I was debating 3V vs 52100 and one of the reasons I liked 52100 so much is that it discolors quite nice, and looks old, not perpetually shinny.

Thanks again, Rev! :thumbup:
 
Images by sodak, posted on another thread, no idea how he did it but would guess vinegar:

mc2_zps2168f82a.jpg
mc1_zps8998ccb3.jpg


The only other images I've seen of corrosion on CPM-3V, including my own images from my own experience, were spots of orange pitting - "freckles" - which leave behind the expected black/grey when scrubbed off. If you really want a nice patina, I'd stick with the traditional carbon steels.
 
Cool! Thanks very much, I appreciate it! I'm getting a custom and was still on the fence with steel selection. I think I'll go with 52100.....

By all means guys, keep the info coming!
 
52100 is one really awesome steel. It can rust like a bat out of Hades, but, with a nice patina it should be very stable. It takes one heck of a keen edge as most high carbon steels do, and it holds it well. I tried a 52100 Spyderco Mule last year and it was excellent.
 
Thanks, Rev! Do you know off-hand what the RC on the Mule was? After a bit of reading it seems that 52100 does best at a rather high RC rating. And rust isn't really an issue with me, I keep a pretty close watch on my blades, and I love me some patina Via hard use.

Thanks, guys! :thumbup:

EDIT: It looks like the Mules were at 62 RC....
 
I've made a few knives of 3v and I have found it to patina quite readily. None of my blades were mirror polished though. Though I've never used it to make knives, I do prefer 52100 to 3v. YMMV, but I find it a little harder to control the stain on my 52100(SR101) than the 3v I own.
 
mountainmist said:
Thanks, Rev! Do you know off-hand what the RC on the Mule was? After a bit of reading it seems that 52100 does best at a rather high RC rating. And rust isn't really an issue with me, I keep a pretty close watch on my blades, and I love me some patina Via hard use.

Thanks, guys! :thumbup:

EDIT: It looks like the Mules were at 62 RC....
Click to expand...

I don't recall the hardness offhand, but it was balanced for edge retention over impact toughness if memory serves me. I have a couple other knives in 52100, and they are a lower HRc (about 59-60) they have survived some good impacts on dry, seasoned wood. I did apply cold blue to the mule for the owner and he was happy with the results.
 
I believe mist is correct. rc 62 is the number I was given. they were mule #1 and were a heckova way to begin the best program ever in the knife industry! For my tastes they remain some of the finest mule releases yet. They are in my top 5 of the ones released so far

I've been using 52100 and 3V dor a long time now ( 52100-- since around 1999-2000) and 3V since 2005-6 ( ?) and I agree that I try to keep 3V, Vascowear, Cruwear,Cpm Cruwear, PD#1, Z wear etc. from corroding. I found that out back with Vascowear in the late 80's when I saw pin head sized rust ( orange) spots that were deeper than wide and you couldn't be aware of the pit until after the rust spot was scrubbed off.

They ruined a lot of Vascowear stock that was put up after Vasco Pacific discontinued it. Several makers ground the steel off best they could but never could get the pits all the way off as it was so deep. After Vascowear and before cruwear it bacame pretty rare and us buyers had to take what we could.

3V I havn't had as much experience with though I have seen pitting on it. IMO there is no real reason for that as it's so easy to keep clean and de rusted. Unlike 52100 you almost have to try to rust it.

52100, especially with certain heat treats can be very rusty.

Joe
 
The upshot is, 3V and 52100, although quite different, both make excellent knives. If you really want your knife to form a "natural" patina, choose 52100.

The Mastiff said:
3V I havn't had as much experience with though I have seen pitting on it. IMO there is no real reason for that as it's so easy to keep clean and de rusted. Unlike 52100 you almost have to try to rust it.
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That's my experience as well. In a humid environment like East TN, un-oiled 52100 rusts like a house on fire, even with a forced patina. Un-oiled 3V does not.
 
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