How to force a patina, and is it ok to do?

D

deermaster

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I got a CV Med. Stockman in Amber Bone (WhooHooo!!!) this morning, and am wondering what to do. Should I use it and let a patina happen naturally, or make it happen? Will making it with vinegar harm it in any way, or is it just a quick way of doing the same thing?
If I do make it, what is a step by step method for it? I have read about it, but never read a "how to". Id appreciate any help. Im really excited about this knife!
 
I wrap a paper towel around the blades and soak it with white vinegar.

But I have heard that a more "traditional" way is to just stick the blade in to a potato (or apple) and let it set overnight.



PS- Be sure to clean the blade with rubbing alcohol or some other degreaser first so that the patina forms evenly.
 
I find my cv knives that have patinated through normal use look much better than the ones I have forced a patina on.
 
slice a lemon then squeez the juice into a narrow glass or something else that will allow the opened blades to be fully covered when opened. Let it sit in this juice bath until you have the darkness patina that you want. Then wash the knife in alot of warm water and then oil. Done. Is it ok to force a patina? Heck yeah.
 
markksr said:
I wrap a paper towel around the blades and soak it with white vinegar.

But I have heard that a more "traditional" way is to just stick the blade in to a potato (or apple) and let it set overnight.



PS- Be sure to clean the blade with rubbing alcohol or some other degreaser first so that the patina forms evenly.
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+1

I do mine this way or just stick the blades in a glass with vinegar. Cleaning the blades is critical to an even patina.
 
I have been playing with vinegar for a while and having some fun with it. I wrap the blade in paper towel, pour the vinegar on and then wrinkle the paper towel. You can get some really neat damascus effects, ladder is quite easy to start with. I don't do it to my old knives, just some stuff I make.

Regards

Robin
 
You can see the results I got on a JK Hiker I recently sold here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=698967
I used Apple Cider vinegar and spicy brown mustard, specifically.
Used the paper towel method, let sit about an hour-90min, then stopped and scrubbed the knife with soap and water, and repeated. I did that three times, and got a really nice result!
 
yobbos1 said:
I find my cv knives that have patinated through normal use look much better than the ones I have forced a patina on.
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If you take two carbon steel knives and patina one but not the other, then use the two knives equally for a number of years, you won't be able to tell which one was given the faux patina initially, IMO.
 
I have tried it all kinds of ways, and it seems like the natural patina always looks the best to me, but as mnblade has said, after a while it is hard to tell the difference.
 
Patina is patina whether it is achieved by sticking the blade in Orange juice or it is applied by father time...
 
If I'm making a sandwich & cutting tomatoes, cheese, meat, that sort of thing. I'll clean it after I eat my sandwich, gives it a little longer.
mitch
 
Heres two that I forced , using thin slices of potato.
2009-11-24.jpg

2009-11-21012.jpg
 
Depending on the time of year, I'll force a patina.

Marylands lowlands along the bay can be a very humid place in the summer, and a new un-patined knife can develope some rust spots in a hot humid pocket. If I have a brand new knife in the summer, I'll do the potato over night or maybe the vinigar thing. I want a bit of protection on the blade if I'm going to be dropping it in my pocket and going fishing or in the kayak out on the water.

I do remember the old timers doing the potato trick in the old days. They thought it was a nessesary ritual to preform on any new knife.
 
jackknife said:
Depending on the time of year, I'll force a patina.

Marylands lowlands along the bay can be a very humid place in the summer, and a new un-patined knife can develope some rust spots in a hot humid pocket. If I have a brand new knife in the summer, I'll do the potato over night or maybe the vinigar thing. I want a bit of protection on the blade if I'm going to be dropping it in my pocket and going fishing or in the kayak out on the water.

I do remember the old timers doing the potato trick in the old days. They thought it was a nessesary ritual to preform on any new knife.
Click to expand...

While I like a natural patina to form over time, I usually use my carbon steel knives to cut an apple or two after dinner or to prepare vegetables and meat for dinner until a nice even patina develops.

I do the same thing as jackknife though if I am planning on using a carbon steel knife for work. I put mustard on my Old Timer trapper I used to take lobstering but it came off with the first few cuts. I then tried sticking it in a potato and an apple. Finally I just ate lots of apples (carbon steel slipjoints are healthy :) ) and it formed a nice deep gray patina that protected it from rust. This knife spent ten days on Georges Bank on a Portugese bottom trawler with me.

When I worked on charter fishing boats we used to take new fillet knives, Dexter Russel High-Carbon boning knives, and stick them in a 5 gallon bucket of seawater to force a patina. This would protect the knives from rusting and also let us know if we were getting the angle right when sharpening. We used to freehand sharpen everything on a dual sided stone.

I prefer the patina to form over time but if you plan on using it in an environment where it will rust quickly, there isn't anything wrong with forcing a patina in my book. I just don't find them as durable as a natural one. They seem more like a film or coating on the blade instead of an actual patina.

Pete
 
There's nothing wrong with forcing a patina if that's what you want to do. I've tried it before but don't like it as much and would only do it if I was having a problem with rust. I just use it to cut up fruits, vegetables, and meats instead of using a kitchen knife like I normally would. The patina usually starts pretty quick for me that way. Plus it gives me an excuse to use my new knife more (as if I needed one:rolleyes:).
 
A good friend gave me this one tuesday. He found it at a flea market, and it had pitting in one little spot. Removed the rust in that spot and went ahead and forced the patina.

Used an orange, potatoe, apple, and then back to an orange. Stuck in each for about an hour (washed/dried in between). Washed and oiled when I got the result I wanted.

IMG_3735.jpg
 
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