Hard time getting a patina on a OT

C

CoffeeCat2112

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Jan 26, 2007
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So, I'm trying to start a patina on a US-made Schrade 104OT by sticking it in an apple overnight. Thing is, it's not taking. The blades were nice and clean before I started, so there's no oil on them or anything. The blade is stamped "Schrade" and "USA 104OT", so it doesn't look like they put UH or Schrade+ blades in it, as I have read happening.

The 33OT I did this too started to patina just fine, but I think it might older, FWIW.
 
Try some vinegar or mustard (which contains vinegar) or some other fruits, like citrus or some grapes. I've noticed that some apples don't seem to be very acidic at all, which might also explain the almost complete lack of flavor in some I've tried.
 
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While "Schrade+" almost always indicates that the blade is stainless, a tang stamp of "Schrade" does NOT ensure the blade is 1095. Schrade used stainless before they started branding it as Schrade+.

Vinegar and yellow mustard push patina faster than apples I've tried.
 
I've had good results with vinegar. I've read that sticking it in a potato also works.
 
I guess I was mostly curious if I somehow had stainless blades on this one. It's new, old stock with the box and papers. I think maybe it was made fairly close to when Schrade closed, since the paperwork has a web address on it, so I doubt it was made in the 90's...just guessing...
 
Most stainless steels that can be hardened are magnetic. Like a slide measure. I suppose vinegar will be the ultimate test.
 
Well you have a stainless blade if it has been in vinegar for 30+ minutes with no stain forming.

I have a Boker that had me fooled like that once. The main clip was taking a nice patina as time went by but the secondary blade just didn't seem to change. One day I cut up my lunchtime apple with no results. Stuck it in vinegar that evening and nothing happened. It was the first of two Bokers I have owned that had one carbon steel and one stainless blade. Not sure whether it was on purpose or not but it never hurt the performance of them any.

Will
 
I bought a 34OT that was probably manufactured not too long before the demise and although the blades were marked Schrade USA, they were definitely stainless blades instead of the carbon steel indicated on the packaging.
 
I bought an 8OT and a 34OT shortly before Schrade's bankruptcy, thinking both were 1095 like I was used to. Both turned out to be stainless. I think there's an old thread on the Schrade forum talking about this. Looks like at the very end Schrade was just using up all the materials they already had on hand.
 
It's been stated over in the Schrade forum they used a lot of stainless in the last years, even when it still said high carbon on the box. And I don't think there is any rhyme or reason to it either, as far as patterns go.
 
thawk said:
It's been stated over in the Schrade forum they used a lot of stainless in the last years, even when it still said high carbon on the box. And I don't think there is any rhyme or reason to it either, as far as patterns go.
Click to expand...

Somewhat sneaky, but technically accurate. The 'high carbon' description is often applied to any stainless steel with at least 0.5% (+/-) carbon content, which covers many of the mid-range stainless knife steels we see often, like 420/440 series steels. I wouldn't be surprised if the stainless USA Schrades were using 440A, which is ~0.65% - 0.75% carbon content. Having said that, 440A is pretty decent. Sharpens up nice.
 
You might try gun blueing. I use it on carbon blades I'm going to actually use instead of just collecting. Won't work on stainless, but is great on plain steels. With use it wears to a nice dark gray patina, and it stops the red rust from occuring so badly.
 
Phil,

Thanks for the advice. Judging from the apple, vinegar, and other fruit I've tried, it looks like this one is stainless. I won't hold that against it, though. ;)
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Somewhat sneaky, but technically accurate. The 'high carbon' description is often applied to any stainless steel with at least 0.5% (+/-) carbon content, which covers many of the mid-range stainless knife steels we see often, like 420/440 series steels. I wouldn't be surprised if the stainless USA Schrades were using 440A, which is ~0.65% - 0.75% carbon content. Having said that, 440A is pretty decent. Sharpens up nice.
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There is a fact sheet that was produced by Schrade from the mid 80s that asserts that Schrade+ is/was 440A. My understanding is that they changed to 420HC towards the very end. It is not at all clear to me what the earlier, pre-Schrade+ stainless steels were that Schrade was using. You can find numerous posts by folks claiming some of their earlier Schrades are 440C. Clear as mud, which just adds to the mystery and appeal of Schrade collecting.
 
I had a buddy who bought an Old Timer once that had one blade stainless and the other non stainless. He had bought it new from Walmart I believe, anyway he was sure it came from the factory that way.
 
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