Forced O1 Patina - Dig it or Hate it???

Brian Andrews

Brian Andrews

Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Messages
1,659
First, the background info:

I have a very much anticipated knife coming the next week in O1. I personally like a patina on an O1 knife, but I am a bit impatient.

In the past, I have used the straight mustard method. Problem is, it just looked "okay" and took about 20 applications and rinsing of mustard to get it the way I wanted.

I have a "secret recipe" for a forced patina, and I figured I would give it a try. I could not follow the recipe exactly due to the fact that I have handles on the blade. So, I am not sure how much difference in the outcome there would have been if I would have been able to follow exact directions.

Okay, enough talking. The only knife I currently have in O1 is a prototype Koster bushcrater. The sides came "as forged" so I had to polish it up first.

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As you can see, I wasn't too careful about the clean-up. You can still see spots up near the handle, etc. This was just a general experiment on O1, so I didn't really care.

Here is afterward, but before a needed sharpening. Whole thing was able to be done in 1/2 day and two applications, versus about 1 week and 20 applications of mustard.

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Okay, now I needed to sharpen it a bit. Since it is a scandi grind, obviously there is going to be alot of contact area with the abrasive. So, it removed some patina, but I didn't try getting it all off.

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So, the question is: Do you dig it? Or do you hate it?

Saying I should have left the sides "as forged" is not an option : ) I liked the look as forged too, but then I wouldn't have been able to do my little experiment here.

Let me know what you think.

Brian
 
I think it's either a forced patina or giving the blade a Scotch Brite finish after every use. Even being out for a couple days O1 can start to tarnish on you. Thus I prefer a patina.
 
looks good to me, almost like the as forged finish that they come with.

i like to just let a patina happen through use, i guess i figure if it needs it then it will happen...

but i often help it along in the beginning by using the new knives for food stuff-apples, lemons, and various other veggies. i often avoid washing the knife while doing this, so that the juices do their thing.

but i like the patina you have there. its very dark and solid and even, it looks almost like a bluing type of finish.
 
Yours has a very nice pattern to it. I find that O1 gets really black at first and then the forced patina kind of washes out after using it a bit. Either way I think it is a good look for your knife.
 
Brian, that really looks pretty good, is that pattern effect repeatable or is it different each time?
 
Bushman 5 has the secret! now if you really want to get fancy schmancy on it, take a fine point sharpie. draw a really cool design and put it in the bath of lemon juice (I use a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and lemon juice.) the acid will eat everything around the drawing and leave it embossed onto the steel. The Damascus look is from Carbide Banding. it's more closly related to Wootz steel than Damascus but it still looks Great!
 
All right....here is the secret recipe :D

It is supposed to be:
- 1/2 yellow mustard, 1/2 Birchwood Casey Cold Blue
- Apply and let sit.
- Heat bleach to 200 deg F.
- Soak for 2 minutes.
- Stop reaction with baking soda and water mixture.
- Repeat.

Now, I did not do it that way exactly. I was afraid to dip micarta into 200 deg F bleach. I got the recipe from a knifemaker, and he does it before handles are applied. I also knew that I could not safely touch a liquid at that temp. So, I heated it to about 125, soaked a rage with it, and tried to soak it that way. Everything else was the same.

I did it twice.

I don't know if the pattern is repeatable. It was my first try with this method. I applied it with my finger in small swirl motions.

We will see how it looks after some more use. From past experience with O1, once you get a patine going, it generally just keeps looking better and better.
 
Did your knife have any liners on it? Id like to try it on a knife I have that's O1, but it has some black liners, that I'm not sure would look too good bleached
 
Nope, no liners, so I am not sure.

I tried to follow the process, but if you skipped the bleach part, I am sure it will come out fine. With the mustard/bluing mix I could see this darkening seconds after applying it.
 
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