"Don't Flame me Bro"

AtomicRooster57

AtomicRooster57

Joined
May 15, 2019
Messages
46
Hi everyone, this is my first contribution to this forum and don't want to get off on the wrong foot. Thus the title of the thread. The topic may be controversial.

I just bought my first two RMK a 1-6 and a 2-6. These are going to be users for me I look forward to receiving them next week. I'm not unfamiliar with Carbon Steel blades. I collect GEC slip joints with 1095 Carbon Steel.

The slip joints I'm going to take as users I treat to a twenty minute bath in boiling apple cider vinegar to force the patina. This protects the blades and gives me a beautiful uniform patina that I like. I'm coming to you good people for advice. If I give my new Randalls the same treatment am I committing an act of RMK sacrilege; forever to be shunned by the purist and sensible Randall enthusiast?

I'm also interested to learn if anyone else has forced the patina on 01 tool steel? If so what was your method and outcomes? Thanks for not stoning me....lol

Thank you for your support.....
 
I have never heard of anything like that being done but ultimately they are your knives to do with as you please. I don't think that you have shared your thoughts on knife collecting in general. Do you use all of your knives in a rotation or just a select few while keeping more pristine examples in a safe to enjoy as works of art for some investment purpose? What condition are the knives that you are receiving? Are they "used and abused", pristine or something in between? Not much info to go on. If the knives you are about to take possession of are in decent shape it might make more long term sense to keep them in a more original state and use examples that already show significant wear for daily activities. I am more of the opinion that Randalls were made for use and therefore I use my Randalls. They are not abused but I do take them when I go to the field. I have some other knives which I have never taken to the field and which will probably never see the outside of my home. They are fully functional designs, yet I keep them as examples of the art because of who made them and their condition.
 
You could use any of multiple methods to force a patina on your Randall's, vinegar with our without boiling, naval jelly, spaghetti sauce, etc. I personally like to let my blades patina through use and I have heard that Nazi or Communist blood will work the best for both patina and handle conditioning. If your new Randall's have leather handles I would be worried about getting them treated before anything using a product like renaissance wax, snow seal, or skidmoore's (my favorite). Your carbon steel Randall's will develop a patina just like any other high carbon tool steel. I just used a new Randall to cut some raw bacon, slice some avocado's, and cut open a sauce packet for some orange chicken and it has already started to develop some patina from those 3 tasks alone. Good luck
 
foxdoublegunner said:
I don't think that you have shared your thoughts on knife collecting in general. Do you use all of your knives in a rotation or just a select few while keeping more pristine examples in a safe to enjoy as works of art for some investment purpose? What condition are the knives that you are receiving? Are they "used and abused", pristine or something in between? Not much info to go on. If the knives you are about to take possession of are in decent shape it might make more long term sense to keep them in a more original state and use examples that already show significant wear for daily activities. I am more of the opinion that Randalls were made for use and therefore I use my Randalls. They are not abused but I do take them when I go to the field. I have some other knives which I have never taken to the field and which will probably never see the outside of my home. They are fully functional designs, yet I keep them as examples of the art because of who made them and their condition.
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Thanks for the reply. Besides GEC I also collect Chris Reeve knives. Most of my knives are safe queens, occasionally they may act as desk ornaments. I EDC a slip joint and CRK everyday. These knives are on rotation. The 1/6 and 2-6 are both new. These first RMK I'm taking as users for my field work. I'm positive I will acquire others that will be safe queens.
 
elmbow said:
I personally like to let my blades patina through use and I have heard that Nazi or Communist blood will work the best for both patina and handle conditioning. (now that's funny)

If your new Randall's have leather handles I would be worried about getting them treated before anything using a product like renaissance wax, snow seal, or skidmoore's (my favorite). Your carbon steel Randall's will develop a patina just like any other high carbon tool steel. I just used a new Randall to cut some raw bacon, slice some avocado's, and cut open a sauce packet for some orange chicken and it has already started to develop some patina from those 3 tasks alone. Good luck
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I've never seen a naval jelly patina. I'll see if I can find some examples. Someone recommended Obenauf's LP leather oil and conditioner. Have you an opinion on the product? I too appreciate a natural patina. However, a week in the Florida swap can do nasty things to CS. I've never had one of my pickled blade to pit. I thing the forced patina protects the blade somewhat.

Thanks
 
AtomicRooster57 said:
I've never seen a naval jelly patina. I'll see if I can find some examples. Someone recommended Obenauf's LP leather oil and conditioner. Have you an opinion on the product? I too appreciate a natural patina. However, a week in the Florida swap can do nasty things to CS. I've never had one of my pickled blade to pit. I thing the forced patina protects the blade somewhat.

Thanks
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Actually I recently tried the obenauf's heavy duty lp because I was looking for something to apply to the blade of an old knife to prevent the existing rust from getting worse and to preserve it without dealing with oil on my hands every time I wanted to handle the knife and I read online that it was a good product for knives. I applied the heavy duty obenauf's to that knife blade, a couple of sheaths, and my boots. Within a week the sheaths and knife developed a really nasty smell so I was not very pleased and it seemed like the leather would absorb the oil and leave a large amount of wax on the surface. Although on a positive not it actually worked great on my boots lol. I am partial to skidmore's but I am sure there are lots of similar products that work great. Skidmore's smells amazing, it is the perfect leather smell.

As far as navel jelly it will leave a very even nice patina if applied evenly or you can apply it in a pattern and vary the time left on the blade. It is a strong acid though and it will work quickly.
 
elmbow said:
Actually I applied the heavy duty obenauf's to that knife blade, a couple of sheaths, and my boots. Within a week the sheaths and knife developed a really nasty smell.

Who needs that, yucko. How well did it protect the blade? Did it darken the leather?

I am partial to skidmore's but I am sure there are lots of similar products that work great. Skidmore's smells amazing, it is the perfect leather smell.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll look at the Skidmore's. It only a leather product? I hear Ren Wax is a good product for both leather and blade?
I've been using Froglube CLP Extreme on my stored slipjoints.

As far as navel jelly it will leave a very even nice patina if applied evenly or you can apply it in a pattern and vary the time left on the blade. It is a strong acid though and it will work quickly.

I'll have to try it on a GEC and see what I think. On this set I'll pickle the blades. I know what I'll have on the end.

Thanks a heap for your input.
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All the leather I used it one was already old and dark so I could not tell how it affected the color, it seemed like it did the job of keeping the blade protected without leaving an oily mess, after a day or two the sticky wax texture went away but I could still feel the wax on the blade and it reminded me of the preservative that comes on new Snap-On tools. I wish I knew what Snap-On used....
 
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These two were stuck in an onion to force a patina. In my opinion. If it’s carbon steel embrace the patina, if you want it to look new forever buy stainless.
 
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eveled said:
View attachment 1334513 These two were stuck in an onion to force a patina. In my opinion. If it’s carbon steel embrace the patina, if you want it to look new forever buy stainless.
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A couple of beautiful knives, I think my next will be a stag handle, I always worry they won't hold up as well but they sure are beautiful and classic. Does anyone know what animal the antler comes from for Randall handles and what material they use for spacers?
 
Pretty sure it’s Sambar Stag. The centers are very dense with very little pith.

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I like stag a lot but only on field knives not in the kitchen or on fighting knives.
 
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eveled said:
Pretty sure it’s Sambar Stag. The centers are very dense with very little pith. View attachment 1334643

I like stag a lot but only on field knives not in the kitchen or on fighting knives.
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I want try it one out sooner than later, I would just be afraid to buy a stag handled knife without first holding it because I have held a few that were just not comfortable in the hand. I just need to bite the bullet and actually order a Randall direct and specify a stag handle with a uniform piece of stag, not something that is really wide at the bottom and tapered a bunch to the hilt.
 
The Stag Randall’s I have are all amazing to hold. No hot spots. Most importantly they index correctly. You know we’re the blade is, and you can actually use the knife. Nobody does stag like Randall does.

Other Stag handled knives I own aren’t like that, they want to twist in your grip when you use them.
 
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Mine came from Buxton Knives a year apart. The 21 for getting my Journey man plumbing license, the 19 for my Masters. They look like they were made as a set, but were not. I was very happy to find such a close match. They compliment each other well. One is thin and slicy the other thick and stout.

I’ve always wanted a twin sheath for them, but know I’d never really use it.
 
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Here is a better picture of the onion patina. I got lucky the onion had a double center. It looks sort of like a Damascus pattern.

If you think that’s marijuana in the background, you are incorrect. Just regular weeds.
 
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eveled said:
View attachment 1334995 Here is a better picture of the onion patina. I got lucky the onion had a double center. It looks sort of like a Damascus pattern.

If you think that’s marijuana in the background, you are incorrect. Just regular weeds.
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Actually, I didn't pay any attention to the greenery...I just meant that it didn't look like they were stuck (sticking) in an onion. Bad joke, referencing the birch prop - I had hoped the ;) would convey my intent

As long as we're showing off Randalls, though; here are my two.
HTo3FFa.jpg

Ordered directly from RMK, circa '99.
If I'd had more sense at the time; I would have ordered models that I could carry/use...even if I didn't plan on doing so at the time. (I would certainly do so now, had I made different choices.)
 
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