Once again on the topic of curing a blade. I have heard about cutting a catus leaf and placing it in a fire. Letting the leaf begin to pop and sizzle on the fire. Once the leaf began to pop and sizzle on the fire, remove it. Once the leaf was removed a blade was to be placed inside. This was to "cure" the blade. I haven't tried it yet. But since we're on the subject of "Patina" . I would like to know if there is a better way of doing this. Suggestions please.
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- Thread starter ALAN24
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Bill DeShivs
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Is your blade sick?
Bill
Bill
Alan, where are you?
I'm in the southwest where there are plenty of prickly pear (nopal) cacti. I've cut them up several times and even tried to cook them in the fire. Maybe I cleaned the blade too quickly, but I never noticed any patina or even beginning stages of it on my A2 blades (the 1095 are coated). If nopal is going to start a patina, I would think it would do it even cold.
Cactus juice is sticky.... wet but not runny. If it gets on your blade, it's natural to try to wipe it off right away. Good thing here is, if it works to cure carbon steel, it'll stay on well until you're ready to take it off.
The reason I ask where you are is, if you have access to prickly pear, why don;t you give it a shot and tell us how it works? I personally never heard of it before. Lemon juice, vinegar, etc will do it for you.
I'm in the southwest where there are plenty of prickly pear (nopal) cacti. I've cut them up several times and even tried to cook them in the fire. Maybe I cleaned the blade too quickly, but I never noticed any patina or even beginning stages of it on my A2 blades (the 1095 are coated). If nopal is going to start a patina, I would think it would do it even cold.
Cactus juice is sticky.... wet but not runny. If it gets on your blade, it's natural to try to wipe it off right away. Good thing here is, if it works to cure carbon steel, it'll stay on well until you're ready to take it off.
The reason I ask where you are is, if you have access to prickly pear, why don;t you give it a shot and tell us how it works? I personally never heard of it before. Lemon juice, vinegar, etc will do it for you.