If I force a patina on my "Old Hickory" knives...

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Captain O

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will it help prevent them from rusting? I have been led to believe this to be the case. If so, this is the first thing that I'll do when the Butcher Knife arrives.
 
If you do a forced patina ( ketchup works great ) it will not keep them from rusting, it will just provide a layer of protection from the rust that does form. To keep them from rusting, you'll want to give them a light coat of cooking oil.
 
That figures. I know pharmaceutical-grade mineral oil works best when it comes to 1095 carbon steel (manufacturer's recommendation). As a young man, the rust that formed on our "Old Hickory" knives came from letting water remain on them.

Thank you.
 
If you are using it for food prep and camp chores, a nice patina will develop with time. Just wipe clean and oil after use. Anything with vinegar or natural acids will force a patina. I've gotten the best results with mustard. Now I usually just let patina form naturally. Cutting apples, oranges, etc will do the trick in short time.
 
Thanks Tilley. Today I ordered a 3 1/2" clip point "Old Hickory" paring knife. This will be the last OH I can buy for a while. By golly, they are worth their weight in gold! I'll be glad to have them.

Thanks for the advice, I'll probably use it. :thumbup: :cool:
 
These have been in my family for a long time they were my grandmother's and they were never forced to do anything but cut stuff.Used,washed,dried,and put in a drawer til next use.Never oiled,never rusted.

 
willis said:
These have been in my family for a long time they were my grandmother's and they were never forced to do anything but cut stuff.Used,washed,dried,and put in a drawer til next use.Never oiled,never rusted.

Click to expand...

Not patina-ed, but SEASONED! :D

Zieg
 
Mt grandmother had those old knives . I remember her slicing potatoes and lwaving the knife dirty over night to darken the blade.

Mustard and or vinegar works good too. Patina may not prevent rust but I've never seen a knife with a good patina on it have rust .
 
willis said:
These have been in my family for a long time they were my grandmother's and they were never forced to do anything but cut stuff.Used,washed,dried,and put in a drawer til next use.Never oiled,never rusted.

Click to expand...

Love those "Old Hickory" knives. They are such a great bargain for the money. People wonder why I am so enthralled with their performance. They don't get much better that this!
 
Remembering back, my parents received some kitchen knives, short butcher, paring knife, ice pick, and (I think) a boning knife for a wedding gift. Not Old Hickory or Green River but of the same quality. This would have been in the late 30's. Mom used the paring knife daily. She did the knives separate from the dishes so as to prevent getting cut. Put the knife or knives up dry. My sister inherited the knives in the 70's and they were still in good shape. It wasn't till my BIL had a custom meat packing business for a few years that the knives got wore out. The way that I figure it, those knives lasted a good 45 years with home use and would have been good for many more. I use a set of Green River knives that I placed the handles on and a pair of Opinel carbone. With reasonable care, a set of Old Hickory knives should last most families several generations.
 
I keep an OH paring knife at work for cutting up my daily apple and other food related tasks. It has a nice patina on it, but I still find it often leaves discoloration on the first few cuts and sometimes an off taste. Is there any natural way to 'stabilize' the patina? Should I be cutting up some Brats or other fatty meats every so often?
 
I know that this was of some concern growing up as the spuds would discolor if not cooked right away and the same with apples. My understanding is that the ceramic knives have less of an effect?
 
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