Patina and food prep.

A

axlplayer14

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Dec 20, 2015
Messages
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Ok so I'm thinking about stripping my edc, bk11, and putting a forced patina on it. Not too long ago I saw a video about blueing blades. They said that you shouldn't do this with knives that you intend to use for food prep. The chemicals will leech into your food and can potentially make you sick.

So I was wondering if forcing a patina, with say vinegar, would have the same effect. I'm new to the whole patina thing but it is basically causing surface rust right?

Also what is the best way and what are the best materials to force a patina? Figured I'd ask all of you becker heads.
You seem to know what you are doing.
 
Hot vinegar. wipe on with cotton balls or dunk the whole blade in it for a minute or few minutes is what I did. Fizzles and foams

There's some youtube vids
 
I put my bk11 in a glass of white vinegar for 3 hours. Made it a dark gray color.
Hot vinegar will make it darker, especially apple cider vinegar.

Also just cutting up veggies a few nights for dinner will give it a unique patina. My BK5 is all kinds of fun swirly colors.
 
Ok thanks for all the ideas. Just wondering if it is safe to use for food prep or if it is like blueing
 
As long as you use one of the natural products listed above you shouldn't have any problems. It's the chemicals in the bluing that are the issue. Extra vinegar, juice, mustard, etc. Won't hurt you and I've never heard anyone say it affects taste even.
 
Just use it for food prep, and you'll have a unique patina in no time. Anything you do to force a patina will metamorphose as you use it in the kitchen. Thing about patinas is, unless you don't ever use the knife after you've got the patina just right, it's gonna be different than how it started. But if you want to have fun, just experiment. Stab citrus, paint on some mustard, hot sauce, layer it with tomato slices, wipe it with hot vinegar.....there are a $#!+TON of ways to skin that one.....but please, post some pics when you're done.
 
I tried a method out a few months ago, on a Mora #2, for the first time and liked the outcome. I made a pouch (leather) just a little bigger than the blade filled it with used-wet coffee grounds then shoved the blade in, making sure to have good contact with both sides of the blade. Then placed it in an oven on a sub 200 degree setting for about 20min. I repeated that once but I think you could do it as many times as you felt.
b0c88469-e8bf-479b-8ebb-79abff84b1eb_zpsb7qmrubr.jpg
 
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granitestateofmind said:
Just use it for food prep.......
Click to expand...

What I wanted to write! Just use the knife. Onions, apples, citrus fruit and peppers give amazing results. The patina process can be speeded up by rinsing the blade in hot water before and after (kitchen) duty.
IMO pattern forces-patinas looks a lil dorky.
 
metricmat said:
I tried a method out a few months ago, on a Mora #2, for the first time and liked the outcome. I made a pouch (leather) just a little bigger than the blade filled it with used-wet coffee grounds then shoved the blade in, making sure to have good contact with both sides of the blade. Then placed it in an oven on a sub 200 degree setting for about 20min. I repeated that once but I think you could do it as many times as you felt.
b0c88469-e8bf-479b-8ebb-79abff84b1eb_zpsb7qmrubr.jpg
Click to expand...

that's pretty cool -- and a good use for used coffee grounds.
now, lets hear more about that sheath -- I like the looks of it a LOT.
 
Thanks 1066vik! It's a sheath I made out of material I had on hand. It's also posted in a thread called Sheaths from Scrap were we can get in-depth about the fun of matching need with necessity and availability. Now back to Patina!
 
canvas bag maker?
if you pony up for the maker/supplier membership, you could expand your market. :D
 
pietje said:
IMO pattern forces-patinas looks a lil dorky.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go that far...some look better than others, but...to each their own.

I'm not a big fan of the patterns for my own stuff but I do like a forced patina on several. I go for a more natural look...
These were done with vinegar soaked toilet paper applied with rusty steel wool then left to dry. The wrinkles from the paper leave a cool pattern...

BK12


Bk16





This is just vinegar wiped on then left to dry, 3-4 coats



This bk5 was rubbed with vinegar along the grain of the grind marks then left to dry, 3-4 coats



This is a BK2 I did for a friend.
More pattern than I like but I think it came out really cool. Used Jamaican jerk rub. 3-4 coats...



All were given a final go over with 0000 steel wool soaked in mineral oil, a baking soda and warm water wash, soap and warm water wash, then a final coat of mineral oil.
 
NCSlice said:
These were done with vinegar soaked toilet paper applied with rusty steel wool then left to dry.
Click to expand...

Hi - I'm not sure what you meant by "applied with rusty steel wool"? Would you mind explaining that a bit more to me?

Thanks in advance,

Steve.
 
I lay a piece of toilet paper on the Blade, then use a price of rusty steel wool dipped in vinegar to dab the vinegar onto the toilet paper. It sticks to the blade. Then I let it dry and peel it off leaving a cool pattern. Dunno if rusty wool makes a diff, its just what was handy, I can't help but think the rust added a bit of color esp if you look closely at the BK12
 
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