Patina Procedure

Which is the way for you?

  • Forced patina

  • Natural patina

  • Natural with some extra help

  • Clean it well on each use; oxidation is unacceptable

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David Mary

David Mary

pass the mustard - after you cut it
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I've seen a few opinions on the method by which a patina is applied. Some use instant coffee, or vinegar, or mustard, or gun blue to force their blades to oxidize, while some others consider those to be "cheating" and consider allowing a blade to patinate naturally through repeated use to be the way.
 
And please share a little about your method in the thread. I have found myself undecided lately on my position on this important issue, hence the thread. Thanks!
 
This Viking skeggox was bare steel and I mixed a tablespoon of yellow mustard with a teaspoon of white vinegar, and tad of ketchup to swirl the colors. Used a 1/4” brush to apply and then dab on thick in spots, thicker areas etched better , wrap with gladwrap overnight.IMG_9689.jpeg
 
Clean and dry the knife after use, sometimes taking time to rinse during use if cutting something extra harsh like citrus (i just don't like the iron taste in my food). Occasionally rub down with oil if I see rust forming or don't expect to use the knife for a while. Otherwise, I let the patina form naturally. I don't try to avoid a patina but I do want to be proactive in preventing rust.
 
oldmanwilly said:
Clean and dry the knife after use, sometimes taking time to rinse during use if cutting something extra harsh like citrus (i just don't like the iron taste in my food). Occasionally rub down with oil if I see rust forming or don't expect to use the knife for a while. Otherwise, I let the patina form naturally. I don't try to avoid a patina but I do want to be proactive in preventing rust.
Click to expand...
Same. I used to force them, then realized later it doesn't really protect anything.

I just use it, clean it, dry and oil if needed.
 
I don't like mustard, I think it looks cheap....I've done it too.

Coffee and hot vinegar is ok.

My tap water gets dangerously Hot, that works pretty good.

If I'm purposefully doing it (I usually Dont) I think grilled meats look the best.
I get blue and purple swirls that way.
 
Just cut food with it. It’ll pateener. My most interesting pateener story:

EF9-B64-CF-6-A1-D-4496-AE0-D-C29526171156.jpg



Interesting story about this one - that dark patina is from the knife sitting literally for two years full of pumpkin guts. My ol lady used it to carve a jack-o-lantern one year for Halloween and I couldn’t find it afterward.

I asked her about it a couple times and she couldn’t remember where she put it. I found it up in a cabinet a couple years later with crusty, dried pumpkin guts all over it. I pulled it open expecting the worst.

To my surprise it just had a nice, dark patina. It had a patina before this, but nowhere near as dark. I cleaned it out, sharpened it up, and put it right back in my pocket.

Photographic evidence I shot the day of the offense:

57395079-2-B7-F-451-C-89-D7-6-D3-BCCAE62-FD.jpg
 
I first cut up some tomatoes, onions and other veggies for a salad and then - I cut some meat, beef, pork, chicken - for main dish.

I usually give patina even to my outdoors knives by using them in the kitchen from time to time.
 
Ive.only done.one.forced patina in wet hot to start coffee grinds......... Overnight........ Now.to find the picture..... A chore since I delete 90% of the pics I take each.morning😱🙄.....We shall see!!!

BHK bush baby!!! The other side, the first inch is almost BLACK....👍

IMG_20250307_021848.jpg
 
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