Patina or no Patina

yiterp

yiterp

Joined
Mar 18, 2001
Messages
2,921
i really like the look of patina on my carbon steel slipjoints but i EDC a custom Landi camp knife in 1095 and it is starting to develope some nice patina but just can't make up my mind--should a custom be nice and shiney or left to develope patina as it will--i am leaning towards the patina--:D
 
I see patina as a history of the knife -- it's not something I want to get rid of. I know a lot of custom makers will acid wash/etch their carbon steel blades so that their users don't get all freaked out the first time they see a spot on the shiny.
 
patina helps protects the steel from rust and other bad not so good poopy stuff...crazy not to keep it. Hell, I induce patina occasionally just to kick off the process
 
yea i am going to leave it as is to grow as it sees fit--just it's in the new stages were the blade looks all stained up--just gota use it a little more to get it really going--lol--:D
 
Good choice. Patina is mark of knife that is well used. And the looks of grey patina, its beautiful, epsecially if you razor shar edge that adds the silver line ^^
 
in old times we cut a lemon & left knife in sun outdoors. stainless really did'nt get popular until the 70s & everyone had patinas. patinas have no effect on blade performance, the edge only is suespossed to be shiny.the only exception is antique knives with the crocus polish which at this time [ as far as i know]can not be replicated.
 
yiterp said:
i really like the look of patina on my carbon steel slipjoints but i EDC a custom Landi camp knife in 1095 and it is starting to develope some nice patina but just can't make up my mind--should a custom be nice and shiney or left to develope patina as it will--i am leaning towards the patina--:D
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with patina...

mykhnutbuster.jpg
 
one of the first things I do with a carbon knife is cut hot meat to start the patina process -- bright shiny = safe queen to me. (plus it means I have an excuse to grill up a decent steak)
 
Edit after re-reading original post:

If this isn't a display knife, I vote for the patina mostly for protection of the blade. I also prefer the overall gray appearance of the patina to the speckling that can happen from humid pocket carry. Also, I don't really want to have to spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning and polishing my knife. With my Case CV knives the patina doesn't seem to take long. Last, the patina gives it "character".

Example: First picture of Case Small Texas Jack when purchased, second picture taken about a week later after being pocket carried and cutting a couple apples (next to stainless Peanut for comparison).

CVTexasJack.jpg


IMG_09371.jpg


Second example: Case CV Canoe when new (notice Indian on blade which all but disappeared after a couple uses). Second picture less than a year later.

CaseCanoe011b.jpg


CaseCVCanoe1.jpg
 
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To get a, all-over even patina, I force it with putting the blade in a pear overnight(alcohol cleaned first)then use it for a couple of weeks on all tasks,after that I polish it off with a cleaner or scotchbrite and start using it on all tasks (fruit and meat slicing really help) again. This seems to give it a very even covering.

No real substitute for time though......
 
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