Hello all,
I've been browsing bladeforums for a while now and finally got around to registering recently. I've been reading the Becker forum a lot lately and you guys pushed me over the edge. I bought a BK2 the other day.
I like the knife a lot so far. I did a patina on a Mora recently and decided I wanted to do it to my BK2 as well. The coating on the BK2 seems nice but I guess I just prefer my knives with no coatings.
Based on what I read on these forums, I hit up the local Home Depot and bought some Klean Stirp paste and some other supplies. I took some pictures throughout the process and figured I would do a wite-up. I know there are some threads out there on this already, but as somewhat of a newbie myself I feel that more info is never a bad thing. Maybe it'll help someone else down the line.
So, here we go. I used the following:
- Becker BK2 obviously
- Klean Strip - past version
- Some chemical resistant gloves
- a plastic paint stripper/gloves
- an empty metal container to pour the Klean Strip in - I used an empty paint can
- a paint brush
- An old paint roller tray
- White distilled vinegar
- Microwave safe cup big enough to hold the BK2
Here is the BK before starting the process. It's basically stock except that I played around with sharpening it some on my DMT Aligner/Magna guide kit and also added a para cord lanyard.
The Klean Strip and some of the other supplies
I wanted to keep the stock coating on the handle section, so I took the scales off put some electrical tape at the area just before where the handle starts.
I poured some of the Klean Strip into an empty metal can and then brushed it all over the blade, both sides.
I let it set for about 5 minutes and out of curiosity tested taking a small section off by scraping it with the putty knife. It came off decently but I re-applied the stripper and let it set some more.
After abour 15 minutes I tried some more and it really started coming off pretty easy then.
I continued scraping the coating off and removed the electrical tape. I scraped around the area where the tape was and didnt get as clean of a line as I'd hoped. I used a razor balde knife to clean it up some. I didn't get perfect lines but that's fine by me.
Once I had removed all of the coating I wanted to, I rinsed the knife with water and dried it with a towel.
Now it was time for the patina. I originally wasn't sure I was going to have time do to it today, so I put the scales back on. Then when I ended up having the time I start the patina with the scales on but removed them eventually.
For the patina, I used white distilled vinegar and a cup big enough to fit the BK2 in. I microwaved the vinegar for about 2 minutes and then put the knife in. Ignore my wife's leftover birthday cake that is in the background
After a few seconds, small bubbles start to form.
The bubbles get more active and it "fizzes".
I left the knife in the vinegar for about 2 mintutes, removed it, and rinsed it under water. I then wiped it dry with a rag. I basically kept repeating that process, sometimes leaving it in the vinegar for 5 mins for so.
I kept going until the patina was about where I wanted it at and looked pretty uniform.
Some outside shots
And here is the finished product after wiping it down with some oil and putting the scales back on.
I'm very happy with the results. Everything went smooth thanks to the research I did on this forum. I'm liking the BK2 a lot so far. I feel there are other Beckers are in my future. I have an Izula but the BK14 is calling my name. Or the BK16. Or the Bk7. Or....
I've been browsing bladeforums for a while now and finally got around to registering recently. I've been reading the Becker forum a lot lately and you guys pushed me over the edge. I bought a BK2 the other day.
I like the knife a lot so far. I did a patina on a Mora recently and decided I wanted to do it to my BK2 as well. The coating on the BK2 seems nice but I guess I just prefer my knives with no coatings.
Based on what I read on these forums, I hit up the local Home Depot and bought some Klean Stirp paste and some other supplies. I took some pictures throughout the process and figured I would do a wite-up. I know there are some threads out there on this already, but as somewhat of a newbie myself I feel that more info is never a bad thing. Maybe it'll help someone else down the line.
So, here we go. I used the following:
- Becker BK2 obviously
- Klean Strip - past version
- Some chemical resistant gloves
- a plastic paint stripper/gloves
- an empty metal container to pour the Klean Strip in - I used an empty paint can
- a paint brush
- An old paint roller tray
- White distilled vinegar
- Microwave safe cup big enough to hold the BK2
Here is the BK before starting the process. It's basically stock except that I played around with sharpening it some on my DMT Aligner/Magna guide kit and also added a para cord lanyard.
The Klean Strip and some of the other supplies
I wanted to keep the stock coating on the handle section, so I took the scales off put some electrical tape at the area just before where the handle starts.
I poured some of the Klean Strip into an empty metal can and then brushed it all over the blade, both sides.
I let it set for about 5 minutes and out of curiosity tested taking a small section off by scraping it with the putty knife. It came off decently but I re-applied the stripper and let it set some more.
After abour 15 minutes I tried some more and it really started coming off pretty easy then.
I continued scraping the coating off and removed the electrical tape. I scraped around the area where the tape was and didnt get as clean of a line as I'd hoped. I used a razor balde knife to clean it up some. I didn't get perfect lines but that's fine by me.
Once I had removed all of the coating I wanted to, I rinsed the knife with water and dried it with a towel.
Now it was time for the patina. I originally wasn't sure I was going to have time do to it today, so I put the scales back on. Then when I ended up having the time I start the patina with the scales on but removed them eventually.
For the patina, I used white distilled vinegar and a cup big enough to fit the BK2 in. I microwaved the vinegar for about 2 minutes and then put the knife in. Ignore my wife's leftover birthday cake that is in the background
After a few seconds, small bubbles start to form.
The bubbles get more active and it "fizzes".
I left the knife in the vinegar for about 2 mintutes, removed it, and rinsed it under water. I then wiped it dry with a rag. I basically kept repeating that process, sometimes leaving it in the vinegar for 5 mins for so.
I kept going until the patina was about where I wanted it at and looked pretty uniform.
Some outside shots
And here is the finished product after wiping it down with some oil and putting the scales back on.
I'm very happy with the results. Everything went smooth thanks to the research I did on this forum. I'm liking the BK2 a lot so far. I feel there are other Beckers are in my future. I have an Izula but the BK14 is calling my name. Or the BK16. Or the Bk7. Or....
