Does anyone else prefer the look of a forced patina on a knife?

It is a thin line between forced and natural especially if you cut fruit & veg with a knife ;) Maybe it's a time thing...natural taking a decade (before rust devours it :eek:)?

I simply prefer an even look to the patina and dislike stains or blotches, kind of dirty & unkempt:D Patina is a variant of trained rust;) kind of like an aggressive guard dog that's well trained, but you never know...

Here's one that's OK

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I prefer to start with a smooth layer of forced patina using hot vinegar, and then let additional patina and patterns build up as I use the knife. I have found that one of the best ways to get interesting patterns is to cut a Wendy's Single! Just sit the knife on your tray while you eat and let the fats, oils, mustard, mayo, tomato, etc. do their thing. Slicing fresh strawberries does a good job too.

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Here are a couple of examples from a picture I just posted in the Swayback thread -- the chestnut bone jack has hot vinegar forced patina and the red bone gent has hot vinegar forced patina enhanced by a Wendy's Single.

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This knife has an application of some stuff called "Cold Blue"!!
I used to use it to touch up firearms, but Tony Bose did this one!! A worthy effort to protect against rust I'd say!!:)Case WW Swayback 1.jpg Case WW Swayback 2.jpg Case WW Swayback 3.jpg Case WW Swayback 4.jpg Case WW Swayback 5.jpg
 
This No.8 has one of my favorite patinas. In this crappy cell photo it looks black. In person it has a dark brownish tint with a soft, slightly oily sheen that takes fingerprints and persists even after I wipe it with a paper towel or dry rag. It is probably composed of animal fats, olive oil, beeswax, WD40, mineral oil, and dirt, in addition to the underlying iron oxides. The knife is pre-1990, so this patina has been forming for a long time. It antedates the mods to the handle, which were done about four years ago.

On other knives I have tried a couple of mustard patterns, one hot vinegar, and one attempt at coloration with beet juice that did not come to much. For the most part I just leave them alone. For me it is just a case of idle hands doing the devil’s work. I would like to try cold bluing sometime. A couple of my Anzas come with blued blades, and I kind of like it, although it is not very durable.

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I want to add that while I don't " force " my patina I do get a start on it ASAP.
I will make it a point to use my knife for some kind of food duty on the first day.
Usually that just means an apple in the mourning then using it for dinner.

I see nothing wrong with " forced " patina and won't go on about earned vs unearned...ect because the knife will earn it in time regardless, but I do think it's cool to watch a patina develop over time.
 
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