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Inducing a patina
- Thread starter mp510
- Start date
Ive never seen it mentioned here before, but easy off BAM will put super deep grey patina on a carbon blade in no time. (contains sulpheric acid... maybe this is a no no to you guys, not sure.)
Go slow, and make sure you neutralize whatever acid you are using to patina when you are finished.
I find washing the blade in windex, then water, then windex again works great.
Go slow, and make sure you neutralize whatever acid you are using to patina when you are finished.
I find washing the blade in windex, then water, then windex again works great.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 582
I used birchwood casey super blue on my carbon Clipper, and later removed it, but it will put a patina on in about 45 seconds. I do advise making 1 smooth slice across a candle, or pj coated q-tip to protect your edge, as this stuff WILL eat a fine edge.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2001
- Messages
- 8,969
I'm ASSUMING your opie is a carbon steel blade...
Do it naturally, i.e. food prep. I patina'd my opie with vinegar, only takes minutes of exposure, and it did give a deep dark grey patina. I thought it kinda ugly though.
I have a recently acquired knife with 51-200 steel, and have used it to cut meat, veggies and fruit of all kinds. I used it normally, and cleaned it fairly promptly with mild soap and water. It has developed a most kick-a$$ multi-colored patina, lots of purples, reds, oranges, blues. Looks WAY better than a forced patina, i.e. sticking into a potato or apple or soaking in warm vinegar etc.
Do it naturally, i.e. food prep. I patina'd my opie with vinegar, only takes minutes of exposure, and it did give a deep dark grey patina. I thought it kinda ugly though.
I have a recently acquired knife with 51-200 steel, and have used it to cut meat, veggies and fruit of all kinds. I used it normally, and cleaned it fairly promptly with mild soap and water. It has developed a most kick-a$$ multi-colored patina, lots of purples, reds, oranges, blues. Looks WAY better than a forced patina, i.e. sticking into a potato or apple or soaking in warm vinegar etc.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2003
- Messages
- 4,817
I demand pictures!
I'm all for natural patina, but due to several reasons, helping it out is worth it. The patina helps to protect from rust if you carry it in your pocket during the summer months and work outside. Also, that funky taste carbon blades will put out on food, it goes away after you get a good patina going. Not a week or 2 patina, but a good one. This process is sped up by helping it along.
No matter what method you use, the patina will always change. All lines from different inducing materials will naturally buff out over time with use and washing. Put it in hot vinager and it will come out smooth and even. Cut and apple or 2 and you can watch it change again.
The black from vinager is wiped off and then washed. The product is a gray color.
I cut lots of fruit with mine. Peel potatoes, apples, slice maters, limes, lemons, Kiwi, grapefruit, beef/chicken/deer meat, you name it. During the summer months I put mustard on the blades for an hour maybe 1 time per month. On average about 1 time per month I do the hot vinager, mainly because its an excellent cleaner for the blade. Its able to get into the tiny pores of the steel very well. The blades are then washed with soap and water and you can feel the cleanliness to them. They are super smooth.
Many people think that a one or two time treatment will give you a decent patina. That would be incorrect. I was one of those people in the past. It gets you started. A few treatments you can almost wipe off. Its a natural progression that takes time. The more you use your knives, especially with foods, the quicker you will get a darker more solid patina to the blades.
Hot vinager will not hurt the blades. I put it in a small glass jar, insert in microwave for 1min 45 seconds...just short of a boil/bubble, take out and stick my blade in it. After about an hour I take it out and wipe the jet black off. Wash with soap and water and put a layer of 3-in-1 on it. By the way, if you don't wash a blade with soap and water before any patina process, any oil will protect the blade and your desired effects will not happen.
No matter what method you use, the patina will always change. All lines from different inducing materials will naturally buff out over time with use and washing. Put it in hot vinager and it will come out smooth and even. Cut and apple or 2 and you can watch it change again.
The black from vinager is wiped off and then washed. The product is a gray color.
I cut lots of fruit with mine. Peel potatoes, apples, slice maters, limes, lemons, Kiwi, grapefruit, beef/chicken/deer meat, you name it. During the summer months I put mustard on the blades for an hour maybe 1 time per month. On average about 1 time per month I do the hot vinager, mainly because its an excellent cleaner for the blade. Its able to get into the tiny pores of the steel very well. The blades are then washed with soap and water and you can feel the cleanliness to them. They are super smooth.
Many people think that a one or two time treatment will give you a decent patina. That would be incorrect. I was one of those people in the past. It gets you started. A few treatments you can almost wipe off. Its a natural progression that takes time. The more you use your knives, especially with foods, the quicker you will get a darker more solid patina to the blades.
Hot vinager will not hurt the blades. I put it in a small glass jar, insert in microwave for 1min 45 seconds...just short of a boil/bubble, take out and stick my blade in it. After about an hour I take it out and wipe the jet black off. Wash with soap and water and put a layer of 3-in-1 on it. By the way, if you don't wash a blade with soap and water before any patina process, any oil will protect the blade and your desired effects will not happen.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2003
- Messages
- 4,817
I used some mango salso we had, made from our mango tree, and the mango didnt seem to do a whole lot, but something in the salsa turned black and stained the metal in a black blotchy outline where it was. I think it was the onions... It looks cool though.
i put a mustard patina on a knife i made by putting dots in a line from spine to edge like another member had suggested. after it dried i soaked it in vinegar for an hour or so. some of the darker marks rubbed off but a lot remained and it looks pretty neat on one side.