Patina or tumble first?

[aquaman67]

Ok so I've taken the coating off a Benchmade 720's aluminum scales. I used glass media to bead blast it off.

So now I have naked scales.

Should I force the patina first then stone wash?

I'm going for something like this



Just the scales.

I've never done this before. I have the triangle shaped ceramic media from Habor Freight and plan on using the towel wrapped coffee can in the dryer tumble method.

 

[Elite_KG]

The above pic looks tumbled only.
I used river pebbles to tumble. Not sure waht media your have from harbor freight.

Be aure you dont have any deep sanding marks before tumbling. Tumbling may not take them out.

 

[jpm2]

Patina first, then stone wash. If you don't like it, stone was again, then patina.
Or, patina, stonewash, patina.