How durable is the "dark straw" color....

[happycat]

I recently showed a dagger blade to a shop owner friend who sells my knives. It had just come out of the oven after tempering and was a nice "dark straw" gold color. They liked it so much that way that they asked me to leave it with the color still on it.
I like it too, but have never seen that done. If the blade is used, will that color last? Does anyone know how durable it is? I intend to leave it like this, but if it is very fragile, I want to let potential buyers know about it.
Any info will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ed

 

[Frank Niro]

Hello Ed. No the color is not durable at all.Polishing with simichrome which is often used as a cleaner for knive bklades and handles will remove it. Heat producd colors can be used for decorative purposes to advantage but will not stand up at all under use. Frank.

 

[Reg ELLERY]

Ed
I made a couple of art knives. I played with some timming chain.
it left oval shapes in the blade. I heated the blade using a pair of plyers and holding it over the kitchen stove ring I got some gold pink and purple colours. Looked good specialy as it was a minature.
I also did the same with 440c stainles and got a nice gold/yellow
and a blue blade.
I don't use them but they are about 8 or ten years old and holding the colour. They just stay in the case.

If you get the wrong colour you can buff it of and start again.
sometimes you have to judge the colour and take the heat away before
it changes as it keeps changing after you take it off the heat.