How to "provoke" a nice used finish?

James Longstreet

James Longstreet

Joined
May 1, 2014
Messages
890
VolGrad said:
Carry it loose in your pocket with all your other pocket junk rather than using the clip. Throw in a set of keys, some pocket change, a small metal flashlight, etc. Won't take long.
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This'll do it quick.
 
VolGrad said:
Carry it loose in your pocket with all your other pocket junk rather than using the clip. Throw in a set of keys, some pocket change, a small metal flashlight, etc. Won't take long.
Click to expand...

This is a good idea..If that takes too long, you could do the same thing using a plastic container filled with these items and maybe a bit of sand into a clothes dryer for an hour or so. I would probably remove the blade..probably use a stack of washers to clamp the pivot down to hold it all together.
 
Masking tape on the pivot area and lock bar interface if you do decide to wear it in with a bag of change. Or leave the blade in and resharpen after.
 
It’s funny because I love the weathered look and I instinctually not put any keys or other items in the pocket of my EDC Inkosi. I gotta start filling up the pocket.
 
I dunno. I think the snail trails, nicks and dings, should come through honest use, not a faux-finish.

My advice is use your knife for everything. Cut up your lunch, open all your packages, break down all your cardboard, use it in the kitchen, carry it often, throw it on the counter when you are not using it.

A benefit from this approach is you also get an awesome test drive of Chris Reeve’s greatest design. The 21 is a fantastic product, and the subtle things that make it a great user reveal themselves over time.

Just my two bits.
 
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Just let it wear naturally. Most of the good dings on my knives tell a story. Usually after about 6 months of carry it will look pretty darn worn.

I can edc it for you at no charge if u need it sooner.
 
One thing I will add. The finish from true carry, will be different from any faux finish you get in a clothes dryer, or shaking the knife in a jar of coins etc. The tumble methods will give you an even finish, more akin to a stone wash. Life isn’t even. A carried knife develops its patina in an irregular pattern, with some unique scars, distinct blemishes, and areas with more wear than other areas. That’s also part of the character that makes a carried knife unique.
 
Quickest way is a zipplock bag with old keys in it and the knife, Shake away. If you want to enjoy putting it on then carry it. I carry my cell phone in my front left pocket and my keys and CRK in the right pocket. After a week my "New" knife doesn't look so "new" anymore.
 
Thats basically what I have started to do. With my previous edc sebenza I was trying to avoid having them in the same pocket with my keys. Now I am doing this on purpose :) Lets see where this goes.
 
Just carry it. My oldest CRK is my Small 21 and its only a few years old. It no longer has that chalky feeling and is just beautifully worn. I will post a picture when I get home.
 
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That's about a year of everyday carry. The wear is hard to capture on camera but you can see it in real life and the feel has gone from grippy to soft.
 
No instant gratification, a built to hard use tool. Kinda like raw Levi jeans. Unless you want to pay extra for the holes in the knees.
 
I threw my Zaan in my range bag with my keys, some loose fired brass, and whatever else is in there, and down a bumpy logging road to the shooting spot:

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I've since Cerakoted it OD Green so it does not look like this anymore.

I've done a similar finish to other knives, but more controlled: tape off the blade and close it (or remove it if you like, but put the pivot back), then tumble the knife in a bucket of nuts and bolts. Used range brass is nice as the brass will come off on the scales. Just shake it in your hand, no need to put in the dryer. Take it out every 5 seconds to inspect so you get the exact level of finish you want. It works very well to get the desired finish. A more natural wear/tear look as it's the metal-on-metal of the nuts/bolts instead of rocks.
 
My CRKs are a mix of those that I treat lightly and carry in a calfskin pouch and those that I just throw in the pocket and don't worry about the finish. The ones in the latter category have developed a nice used character by simply not thinking about it one way or the other. I clip it, throw it in my pocket place, throw it on the table when i take it out or whatever. I don't purposely put it in with keys and change because I've seen some that seem forced in a way that's different than tumbling in a dryer would do. But if I only have one pocket available and they have go in the same pocket then it is what it is.

I will also add that I don't mind the look of those that have a "forced" patina, but it depends on how it's done. There is a modder that used to make "nuked" sebenzas that were bronzed, stonewashed and had some other work done. It didn't look like it was pretending to be a naturally worn sebenza, but just a different finish. I thought they were pretty cool.
 
What makes the used and worn finish so attractive is the intrinsic story in which they got that way, not the actual look itself, IMO. I forced patina on a few stripped ESEE knives back in the day, and they came out nice, but none of them were very satisfying. That said, if forcing is your thing, then go for it, lots of affective suggestions already. The good news with CRK, at least the plain ones, is they can be completely refurbished to like new.
 
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