Forcing a patina on D2

WARNING! Ferric Chloride PCB Etchant will EAT the steel! It is commonly used to 'engrave' maker's marks and designs into a blade.

You're looking to just patina the blade, not engrave it, right?

Again, try the long vinegar hot soaks first, even if it takes overnight or even longer.

Told ya it wasn't going to be easy. D2 isn't called a 'semi-stainless' for nothing. ;)
 
JC, the Radio Shacks in my part of the world are ca-losed. Also, as I have mentioned before, I would never use any kind of acid on my baby. I read the links provided and some say use drain cleaner or TSP from the paint dept. Some of you might be able to use those chemicals with great results, I would be the 1 in a trillion who would have a, I can't believe it reacted like that, time. :) With my kinda luck, I could fall into a barrel full o breasts, and come out suckling my thumb.

For that reason alone, I will stick with vinegar or die without a patina. One thing I did gleem from the links that I thought was interesting was to heat the blade first? Heat the vinegar, heat the blade?
 
Anyone ever try Liver of Sulfur Patina Oxidation Gel ? I saw it on Amazon, but the reviews I skimmed through seemed to be using it for silver,copper, and brass.
 
Don't heat the blade, heat the vinegar.

Smaller knives can be suspended from a wooden spoon in a pot of simmering vinegar (making sure the blade does not touch the pot itself).

Get a tall pitcher, glass, or vase. Pour in simmering hot vinegar and stand the blade up in it. Periodically exchange cooled vinegar with hot.
 
Kootaga13 said:
..., as I have mentioned before, I would never use any kind of acid on my baby. I read the links provided and some say use drain cleaner or TSP from the paint dept. Some of you might be able to use those chemicals with great results, I would be the 1 in a trillion who would have a, I can't believe it reacted like that, time. :) With my kinda luck, I could fall into a barrel full o breasts, and come out suckling my thumb.

For that reason alone, I will stick with vinegar or die ...
Click to expand...

FYI, the active ingredient (cause of patina) in coffee, vinegar, mustard, PCB etchant (PCB = Printed Circuit Board aka Radio Shack references in this thread) are all acid (reative agent).

I am unaware of a patina method for knives that does not rely on acid with exception to using salt to create rust on steel. The acid concentration ratio and temperature determines the time table. A "forced" patina process just means doing it more quickly than naturally occurring patina. The appearance of the patina dictated by the type of acid, the level of patina by the exposure time to the reactive agent.

Thinking you don't want to use acid, so will use mustard, coffee, steak sauce, or ..., hmmm is kind of like saying I want to use ethanol blended fuel in my car because it's cheaper, without realising my mileage will decrease and my engine will have less power, therefore burn more fuel for given task - a misguided belief IMO.

If you want to force a patina quickly, use a stronger acid (50/50 PCB etchant to water) and you can watch it develop before your eyes and stop when desired effect is reached (30-sec - 5-minutes common processing time). If you want to wait longer, use a weaker acid (lower concentration) like the references in thread (mustard, vinegar, etc.) and prepare for a long processing time with hopes that you'll be there to stop the reaction when it's just right (multiple hours to multiple days processing time). Heating (like boiling vinegar) speeds the process but still takes extended time compared to using a stronger acid concentration.

For fast processing, heat stronger acids and agitate (PCB etchant heated and agitated during processing in my mind gives short controlled processing times). It's all relative to the goals for each project.

Now choosing to use Grey Poupon over Frenches mustard, that comes down to the type of car you want to be perceived driving *snicker* (realistically ..., to type and concentration of reactive chemicals in the reactant - same as other processes mentioned).

RE: Brous SSRv2 in D2 on left (below).
The spine above primary grind was done with PCB etchant (highlights the primary grind & de-emphasises mfr logos. Also increases grip traction in pinch grip.


RE: Benchmade Barrage (below).
Multiple levels (darkness contrast to light) on this blade Dark/Lighter/Satin.
154cm in my experience reacts similarly to D2.


Regards,
 
Last edited:
Mr. Spey, glad to have you aboard brother. You have some good insight as to why. I'm just nervous by nature. If something can go wrong, it will while I'm doing it. Most of the time, I get a 2X dose of Murphy's Law.

Having said that, I think when I have more time, I'll simply use the hot apple cider vinegar technique. Leave her in for a few hours and check it. OH, regarding the Grey Poupon comment, I do not have a fancy car. Remember, Ize a hillbilly from WV. I just said that because I grew up in that era.

D2 is a whole new animal to me. Never had any before, but I love this knife I bought and I love a patina and I'm 61. See where I'm going? Tick tock goes the clock.
 
Kootaga13,

I hope you did not take my Grey Poupon references personally or in any way derogatorily. I was making fun of that decades old commercial with the guy in the RollsRoyce purporting Grey Poupon best mustard without any consideration for why it's better. I was mostly attempting to indicate, with regard to any product used to force a patina, it's mostly about the specific reactive contents vs. brand, etc. I've read many posts where folks say one is better than another, without regard to why and or what is "better" (example: car or truck? which one better ..., is a matter of personal use dependant on specific application needs, wants, wishes).

RE: your comment, "Remember, Ize a hillbilly from WV" I would offer a possible K.I.S.S. option. Your truck battery (typically a lead-acid battery) contains a 30-50% sulfuric acid (H2SO4) in water concentration. Dip a q-tip in the battery and apply to a area on your knife as a test (maybe hidden area of the tang, etc.). D2 is basically stainless (only about a point away from classification as s/s), and therefore inherently resistant (less reaction when attempting to force a patina, therefore use of stronger reactant helps).

OR

with the rich history in your region maybe consider using tanic acid (walnut hulls, logwood dye, dead oak leaves, etc are all tanic acid) used historically on trappers traps, etc. to clean & protect metal from rust (forced patina).

Muriatic acid (used for pool/hot-tub pH balancing) is pretty reactive with D2 and fairly easy to find. Just a thought/idea (maybe you already have some ...?).

Whatever method you choose to use, clean the surface of your knife prior (stainless naturally develops it’s own oxidized layer that prevents that resists taking a patina).

Also, be sure to thoroughly neutralize the surfaces after (through rinsing with water, ...), and protect critical surfaces (pivot area, all locking surfaces and faces, stop-pin contact areas, etc., etc). Many knives through my hands from previous owners who did a self-patina, to find they created varying amount of blade-play (up/down and/or left/right), lock-up issues, etc. no Basically, were left with a knife that was physically wore out (wall-hanger status).

Murphy is one hell of a teacher, for those who can be taught.

I hope you follow up in this thread (before, after, and maybe a bit about the process you decide to use). Know matter how much "we know" we should be able to learn from others trials.

Perhaps you could post a pic of the knife your working with before project starts (all my comments regarding protecting pivot & lock areas could be nullified if it's a fixed-blade ...).

Regards,
 
Heck Spey, It'll take waay more than that to get me po'ed. I took it as light hearted. Maybe I should of said...Gray Poopon? I will get around to taking before pics for all to see. Just don't get in an all fired up hurry. Cause I ain't. (how's that grammer?) Maybe I should use shine? Apple pie shine? Maybe not, that'd be as caustic as acid.

I will use the hot cider vinegar...soon. It seems my life has a mind of it's own right now. Too many chores for the 82 y/o MIL. That and work. No time for the hillbilly. Just remember this my friends, the oxen are slow...but the earth is patient. That D2 knife fixed blade aint't going nowhere.
 
Patina with the hot cider vinegar, and sip the Apple-pie-m'shine (works for me ;-)

I use a crock pot (outside) when I use hot cider vinegar to patina. pic below of a couple hawk s done this way (1055 carbon steel if I remember correctly). Got some nice yellow-hues with tones of brass (I think from something in the apple-cider).

Pipe Hawk


Frontier Hawk


Regards,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top