Forcing patina on Gayle Bradley.

CrimsonTideShooter

CrimsonTideShooter

Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Messages
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I am seriously considering forcing a patina on this knife since it already arrived to me with rust on the blade. Can anyone here tell me how difficult the GB is to disassemble? Any tricks I should know about or is it pretty straight forward?

Also, what should I use for the patina? I have various vinegars, and mustard. Which should I use and how?
 
I stuck my blade in an orange for about an hour and it came out with a pretty cool look but I wanted it darker so I used mustard, a very light coating, and left it on for three 30 minute intervals and it came out nice and dark. The nice thing is that if you don't like it it cleans up very easy.
 
The nicest patina I have ever had on an Old Timer, came from slicing up a med rare roast.
 
It's an easy knife to disassemble and reassemble if you're familiar with other similar knives.
 
I think different steels react differently to various acids. I've found slicing up potatoes to give a beautiful patina on some steels. Mustard seems to be the quickest, easiest, surest way.
 
It can be tricky to put back together and get the blade centered but it's not too bad. I took mine apart and dipped in balsamic then polished with fitZ, then used mustard most on the secondary bevel and I like it quite a bit.
 
I used apple cider vinager on mine with the blade on the knife and it came

out great. I used vitamin bottle and soaked it for 1 1/2 hr. Patina is on

the medium dark side. I like it Much better than the m4.

Im thinking about doing my m4 Millie.
 
clockman said:
I used apple cider vinager on mine with the blade on the knife and it came

out great. I used vitamin bottle and soaked it for 1 1/2 hr. Patina is on

the medium dark side. I like it Much better than the m4.

Im thinking about doing my m4 Millie.
Click to expand...

So what about the exposed metal near the pivot? Are you worried about corrosion there?
 
CrimsonTideShooterSo what about the exposed metal near the pivot? Are you worried about corrosion there?




The patina stops just a little before the scales so it didnt go as far as the

pivot.
 
Don't have time to pull the images, but my favorite patinas are found in the following posts:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8926126&postcount=10

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8986381&postcount=32

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8841168&postcount=10

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8841717&postcount=45

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8134619&postcount=20

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8478802&postcount=62

The best results, in my opinion, are the combination of mustard, mayo, ketchup (my favorite image disappeared but I'm hoping the owner will send me a new link- post it if he does). Of course, that's style- maybe you're going more for function?
 
if you're going to take it apart, I'd suggest rust bluing it - though I haven't tried it on M4 yet.
 
Whatever they're using for threadlocker compound is freakishly effective. Be prepared to twist (and/or bust) a few torx bits. Snap-On Tools makes the strongest torx bits that I've ever seen. If you plan to take a Gayle Bradley apart, you're gonna need 'em. The threadlocker is yellow in color. Must be something only available at the "industrial" level. I've never seen it for sale on the Joe Sixpack market. It is the Rocky Balboa of threadlockers. Get your game on if you plan to disassemble a GB, especially if it's from the first run. An electric soldering iron can be your friend if even the Snap-On bits break.
 
Harry Callahan said:
Whatever they're using for threadlocker compound is freakishly effective. Be prepared to twist (and/or bust) a few torx bits. Snap-On Tools makes the strongest torx bits that I've ever seen. If you plan to take a Gayle Bradley apart, you're gonna need 'em. The threadlocker is yellow in color. Must be something only available at the "industrial" level. I've never seen it for sale on the Joe Sixpack market. It is the Rocky Balboa of threadlockers. Get your game on if you plan to disassemble a GB, especially if it's from the first run. An electric soldering iron can be your friend if even the Snap-On bits break.
Click to expand...

+1...I stripped a screw trying to disassemble it for the first time. Although it's partly my fault for not putting enough pressure on it.
 
somber said:
Isn't the process to break threadlocker to boil it and then freeze it?
Click to expand...
Nah. Heat the screw head with an electric soldering iron (carefully) and use a Snap-On torx bit. Once you crack it loose the battle is won. I've never heard of anyone resorting to boiling the entire knife.
 
I didn't mean boil the whole knife, just heating up the threadlocker. :)
You get the idea. We're on the same thought process.
 
Harry Callahan said:
Whatever they're using for threadlocker compound is freakishly effective. Be prepared to twist (and/or bust) a few torx bits. Snap-On Tools makes the strongest torx bits that I've ever seen. If you plan to take a Gayle Bradley apart, you're gonna need 'em. The threadlocker is yellow in color. Must be something only available at the "industrial" level. I've never seen it for sale on the Joe Sixpack market. It is the Rocky Balboa of threadlockers. Get your game on if you plan to disassemble a GB, especially if it's from the first run. An electric soldering iron can be your friend if even the Snap-On bits break.
Click to expand...

Lovely. Of course the knife I want to take apart has to be difficult in some kind of way. I guess I'm not even going to mess with it then. :(
 
I'm not trying to discourage you from taking the knife apart. I'm a firm believer that you SHOULD take your knife apart at some point. I think Spyderco is doing a great thing by getting away from riveted construction. My goal is to warn you of that insane loctite so you don't go rounding out your torx heads. Do that and you'll never get the thing apart. But regardless if you ever disassemble the knife, the blade WILL take on a patina if you put it to heavy use. Mine did. It's a real dark (almost black) hue. It's still in the "splotchy" stage but the splotches are growing closer all the time. Just use it hard. Durn thing is a cutting machine and a joy to use anyway. I love the way it touches back up on the white stones in mere minutes. The model is a classic for sure.
 
Atleast give it a try. I've taken apart just about every knife I've ever owned and I've never had a problem except for some lockbacks and those damn axis assists... Worse case scenario you heat it up with a soldering iron or, if you don't have one, dip the pivot in hot water. Its an extremely simplistic design as far as folders go.
 
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