Odd ball patinas... Updated with my attempts at etching (pic heavy on pg2)

clich

clich

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Apr 19, 2011
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Everyone one knows of the old mustard, vinegar, ketchup, mango, blue etc etc patinas. But as of late I've been really interested in out of the box methods for some of the beckers I got laying around. What do you know of that makes an interesting patina? I understand other types of acids do some cool things but where does one find such acid? In household cleaners like CLR? I really want to start experimenting with other things and im sure others want to know the how tos of cool stuff as well. Post up your patinas knowledge and pics if you got em. Also any type of out of the box method for the above ingredients is good as well, just don't post up the standard "soak it in vinegar" type responses. Thanks guys
 
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I saw something horrible done to a small Swamp Rat knife with hot bleach. After the treatment, the knife looked like something you find in a lake after it's been there 20 years, horribly pitted, rusty, all the stuff I wouldn't want my knife to be. And people actually complimented the guy on how cool it looked *shudder*

Don't heat bleach, it's gonna try to kill you.
 
I actually really liked that hot bleach finish. Made the knife appear very old, but very cool.

Rick Marchand was showing some of his finishes recently, and one that really looked nice was bluing followed by a brief soak in bleach (not boiling) that came out fantastic. I will see if I can find the thread, as well as the correct spelling for his last name.

EDIT: Alright, Marchand was right. Anyways, here is a link. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/824127-forced-pitting-heavy-patina
 
So you can get a 3d texture by small textured hammer and blue/bleach?
 
note the serious warnings on page 2 of that thread about the dangerous fumes.
 
DerekH said:
I actually really liked that hot bleach finish. Made the knife appear very old, but very cool.

Rick Marchand was showing some of his finishes recently, and one that really looked nice was bluing followed by a brief soak in bleach (not boiling) that came out fantastic. I will see if I can find the thread, as well as the correct spelling for his last name.

EDIT: Alright, Marchand was right. Anyways, here is a link. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/824127-forced-pitting-heavy-patina
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That has to be the most impressive patina I've ever seen.
Gotta pick up a BK9 and try it before the summer's out.
 
Im actually gonna do that antique etching effect on my 9 too. gonna fully convex it then texture and etch it. Gonna be cool
 
clich said:
Im actually gonna do that antique etching effect on my 9 too. gonna fully convex it then texture and etch it. Gonna be cool
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I'll race you! :D
Not even, I just payed tuition the other day. How do you figure you're going to do it without getting mustard gassed? Or rather how strong of mask were you going to pick up?
I was honestly thinking of hitting up the surplus store.
 
I misread the title... although if Flexxx'ed enough, chances are that would patina a blade.
 
whereismyclock said:
I'll race you! :D
Not even, I just payed tuition the other day. How do you figure you're going to do it without getting mustard gassed? Or rather how strong of mask were you going to pick up?
I was honestly thinking of hitting up the surplus store.
Click to expand...

I read it takes longer but its safer to dip or dab on the bleach and wash it with water. Also considering a plastic container with air tight lid if im gonna soak it. Then just insert and remove out doors. Either that will give adequate ventilation or on thee other hand it will make it easier for my body to be found.
 
I like what blood does to the blade. :D Stick it in a raw steak for a while and leave it.
 
clich said:
I read it takes longer but its safer to dip or dab on the bleach and wash it with water. Also considering a plastic container with air tight lid if im gonna soak it. Then just insert and remove out doors. Either that will give adequate ventilation or on thee other hand it will make it easier for my body to be found.
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Lol.

Will soaking it in bleach hurt the blade at all? Or just a bit of rust that steel wool would polish right off?
 
From what I can gather, the soak is only for 30 minutes (2 hours for heavy heavy etching) so I don't think it'll hurt the blade at all. bleach is an alkali so it wont have as fast of an effect on the steel (bleach alone) as an acid would like mustard or vinegar. Now the mixing it with the blue causes a chemical reaction that makes the etching (im gona practice first to get technique down and see just how it reacts) . This mixing also makes creates harmful/fatal chlorine gas (just like bleach and ammonia).

So no I don't think for that short soak time the bleach wont have much if any effect on unblued areas of the blade.
 
The blueing and bleaching trick is what living history reenactors use to make their equipment appear old. Of course this defeats the purpose since the people of the age bought new stuff. :rolleyes:

One thing you can do is make some salsa. Onion, tomatoe, and lime all patina slightly different so it ends up looking cool. Also, you get salsa at the end of your grueling work. :D
 
Yeah, I was wondering if there was some way to apply a resist to areas not getting the etch.

Got a cheap WalMart machete I may test this on first.
 
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