Most Protective Patina Formula for High Carbon Blades??

A patina might help slow rusting somewhat... I honesty haven't left many of my knives wet long enough to really find out. Ounce of prevention...

Another factor that helps reduce rust in carbon steel is the level of polish. Surface imperfections can give moisture a niche to settle in, and start oxidizing more readily than more highly polished surfaces. Of course, getting a high degree of polish on a blade can typically be a lot more work than a forced patina and/or application of oil. I've got an antique kitchen knife given me by a family friend who just couldn't keep it from rusting. I gave it a relatively good polish on a belt grinder and it's since developed a nice patina, but not a speck of rust in the intervening time. Mind you, I'm sure having it left outside for a few days in the rain would be a different story. :(

Fanglekai said:
Mineral oil costs a dollar for a pint. I believe it's what samurai used mixed with a few drops of oil of cloves. Mineral oil works well for me. It's cheap, non toxic and it does the job.
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I heard that they used camellia oil. (shrugs)
 
I use food grade mineral oil, olive oil will attract nasty bugs if you aren't careful, mineral oil won't to that and you can still use the knife on food if needed.
 
Here is a pretty interesting video I just watched.

Not so much about patina, but about preventing rust on your carbon blades.

For those of you that don't want to watch the video, it seems "3-In-One" oil outlasted the other 10 test pieces of 1095 (pre ht) over about 3 weeks outside.
Mineral oil was one of the worst….practically as bad as the uncoated piece.
Ren Wax was the biggest surprise to me. It didn't do so well either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ZThs1y8xs
 
Stumps said:
Here is a pretty interesting video I just watched.

Not so much about patina, but about preventing rust on your carbon blades.

For those of you that don't want to watch the video, it seems "3-In-One" oil outlasted the other 10 test pieces of 1095 (pre ht) over about 3 weeks outside.
Mineral oil was one of the worst….practically as bad as the uncoated piece.
Ren Wax was the biggest surprise to me. It didn't do so well either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ZThs1y8xs
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If I were going to store a knife I wouldn't use mineral oil but if I'm going to use it on food I certainly would not use 3-in-1 oil.
 
flphotog said:
If I were going to store a knife I wouldn't use mineral oil but if I'm going to use it on food I certainly would not use 3-in-1 oil.
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I've not used 3-In-One yet on my knives. I mostly use Hoppe's 9 on the pivot of a folder.

Personally, I would use 3-In-One on a high carbon blade.
The blade is not going to be dripping 3-In-One, so a quick wipe on my jeans and I'll cut into that 'mater.

I will definitely use 3-In-One on a blade that I plan on storing for a while, but will probably continue not using anything on an EDC.
 
There is an article out there that is a long term test of many firearm lubes. For lubrication and corrosion protection. The best product overall was Frog Lube. It is food safe (it is mint flavored?), slippery and prevents corrosion. I haven't seen it in person, never mind used it, but it has quite the following. As expected with any quality product, it's price matches its performance.
 
16VGTIDave said:
There is an article out there that is a long term test of many firearm lubes. For lubrication and corrosion protection. The best product overall was Frog Lube. It is food safe (it is mint flavored?), slippery and prevents corrosion. I haven't seen it in person, never mind used it, but it has quite the following. As expected with any quality product, it's price matches its performance.
Click to expand...

It works. As a lube it does get gummy after awhile and in cold weather.
 
I just clean mine as suggested above and then wipe the blades down with Ballistol, it works great! Ballistol was developed during World War 1 by the German army to protect their guns, knives, leather, wood, everything, it is non toxic and I would imagine made primarily with a mineral oil base. What I like is that it actually sinks into whatever you put it on and forms a protective layer. You can buy it everywhere, I get mine on Amazon.
 
I use walnut pulp. I have a container of it I keep in the fridge. I use it to darken stag handles I have to repair. I've also used it to darken leather sheaths that have been sun bleached or faded for other reasons.
I accidentally got some on a Schrade Sharpfinger I was working on. The handle was faded almost white. I left the handle totally covered in a Ziploc baggie for 48 hours. The handle took the stain. And it was nearly identical to the factory color. I accidently got some on the blade near the tang and the patina looked beautiful. So i polished the blade. Ckvered both sides kf the blade with the walnut pulp ( the skin and inside of the nut after removing the nut & shell itself.
After it sat a few hours I washed the blade off , dried and oiled it. It's been 6 months and hasnt rusted or pitted. But , i also keep it oiled too.
 
Another Ballistol user...great stuff. Wood, metal, leather and your ass!!!! Good for all the above..
Check out their website for the history of it. Pretty cool......
The smell can be polarizing for some but I don't mind black licorice smell with a.touch.of wet dog!!!!
 
Hi everyone. I use butter..eatable and really even after cutting woods with it it still something oili there. Margaren butter from lid#(can I say the market name?😆) is top. Hope everyone is fine
 
I didn't think patina being a rust inhibitor was up for debate either. Kinda shocked about this. Quick search results yield nothing but results saying it is. Are you guys basing this off something or is that just your opinion on the matter? Cause science tends to disagree with you at the moment. I think the idea here is. This patina is a bit a different than rust. By covering the surface in patina the surface is oxidized but this oxide is a lot more stable than the oxide formed by rust. That's the red one that eats into the steel weakening it and causing pitting. It pretty much prevents a more destructive oxide by forming a stable one. But hey who knows for sure the earth might be flat again soon.

As far as setting the best patina for this. I remember ferric chloride coming up in my searches. I think its pretty much muriatic acid with steel wool dissolved in it. I don't remember if any of this is truly proven. The theories I remember are the steel dissolved in the acid creates a more uniform and protective patina. I also vaguely remember something about as far as chemical compositions go the proper addition of nitrogen would be beneficial.

On the one I did I ended up just going with vinegar, mustard, and anything else acidic. Got it really dark and stonewashed it. It's 1095. I oiled it with coco oil after I finished sharpening it years ago. I don't use it much but it stays in my work truck. On a damp rainy day tools will rust in the cab of the truck. The knives solid though. I haven't oiled it again and I haven't seen any rust on it at all and the finish is pretty much the same.

As far as the natural vs forced. I've tried to get solid natural patinas on carbon steel users. I've had patterns going I really liked. I get home from a day at work. Either sweating or in the rain all day, and the knife has rust. I haven't had one get pitting cause I'll get the rust off. I don't know of a way to this without removing some or all of the patina. With any users I've tried it with so far it hasn't been feasible for me in my environment. More oil might help this but I will probably force a patina on them and have a feeling rust won't be an issue anymore. Am curious as to how the different steels I have will take a patina though.
 
"Patinas" don't do a whole lot to prevent rust. Keep your blade oiled, and it won't rust. Wax your blade and it won't rust as fast. Paint your blade and it won't rust-you'll have to repaint it periodically.
Plate your blade with nickel or hard chrome or have your blade nitrided-it won't rust.
Gun cold bluing will not prevent rust. In many cases it promotes rust.
 
If you guys are gonna keep saying can you provide a source? I did my research long ago and everything I found is pretty clear cut that patina is a rust inhibitor. I'm pretty sure its science, and that this science isn't ever gonna change. I've seen chrome rust so everything rusts right? I very highly doubt op has the ability to chrome on nickle plate. Thats also a completely different finish compared to patina. Sure he could send it out but lets be honest thats not diy. No one is saying it creates a perfect rust free coating here.
 
Patina is a rust inhibitor. So is gun hot bluing-something the average knifemaker is not set up to do, and it's superior to any home made "patina." How many blued guns have you seen rust?
You may have seen Steel rust under chrome, but chrome does not rust. One can set up a nickel plating outfit for around $100.
 
Who asked what the best rust proof coating is though?
I've seen a decent amount of factory blued guns rust actually. I'm assuming they were hot blued.
Okay I've seen chrome plated steel rust. You got me there.
So it doesn't cost much to nickle plate. Maybe I'm confused but can you get that to look the same as a patina?

Food for thought, if we weren't debating stuff that wasn't asked about. Maybe someone with more info would have actually helped the op instead of seeing the debate n staying away from the thread. But keep pushing your views.
 
You made my point. Hot bluing (which is superior to any "patina,") is a lousy rust inhibitor. My point is that no "patina" is worth a darn at preventing rust, though all offer a little bit of protection.
All you have to do is oil your blade.
No, you can't get nickel plate to look like a patina.
 
1. OP is from 2011
2. Patina might help prevent rust a little, but more important is the finish: higher polish = better rust resistance. Growing up we had a batch of different kitchen knives and of the carbon ones, all had patina but the one with the fine finish was practically black and was the most rust-resistant. But even that one would rust if one of us kids left it wet under a bag of chips for a day.
 
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