Patina Questions

[afishhunter]

(1) Does D2 patina, or is it for all practical purposes "stain less"? (I also have 1095,"T10", and whatever carbon steel Mora uses.)

(2) What are the "best" fruits and cooked veggies (to include taters) to use to get a patina? Since I can't do my own cooking/food prep at the Assisted Living facility, and I don't have a mini-fridge, raw veggies such as spinach, broccoli, radishes, green onion (or any onion, come to that) bell peppers, cauliflower, turnip, and cheese are not an option.
Fruits available for "snacks" include bananas and bitter apples. Once in a while peaches, pears, oranges, and Kiwi fruit are available. No real salt is available, so I avoid the bitter apples, unless they are in a fruit salad, mixed with "Cool Whip".
Rarely they might have a spare love apple, if I ask for one nice enough, and the staffette on duty likes me.
.
(3) What (usually) over-cooked (and generally cold by the time I get it) meats would you suggest? They serve a lot of (ew ... white chicken/chicken breast ... I like the dark meat better; it has some flavor.) boneless "pork chops"/pork roast, and pre-formed "hamburger" (note quotes) patties, and (I think) Tilapia. I pass on the (((gag))) "hotdogs", be they chicken or otherwise.
Once in a green moon they have white turkey roll, and heat up some frozen (not one of the major brand names) lasagna.

I don't get any gross, nasty, disgusting, vile ... tomato smoothie (AKA: "Ketchup") ... or any other condiments on my sandwiches and other food.

(4) I've never tried it, but would Skoal, Copenhagen, or some other moist chewing tobacco or snuff patina a blade?

Thankee greatly much for your input.

 

[airyq]

I get a good dark gray patina with Coca Cola. Cheap, easily available and non-toxic. Have only tried with carbon steel though. If the handle can take it, I soak the whole knife in a cup pf Coke. The usual routine of soak for about 10 mins, scrub off the loose oxides and soak again. Soak cycles ought to get longer and longer as the acid in the Coke weakens. Don't drink the Coke after! It smells metallic. Good luck.

 

[afishhunter]

I get a good dark gray patina with Coca Cola. Cheap, easily available and non-toxic. Have only tried with carbon steel though. If the handle can take it, I soak the whole knife in a cup pf Coke. The usual routine of soak for about 10 mins, scrub off the loose oxides and soak again. Soak cycles ought to get longer and longer as the acid in the Coke weakens. Don't drink the Coke after! It smells metallic. Good luck.

I should have thought of Coke a Cola!
I remember an "experiment" my Jr. High science teacher did with Coke a Cola, Pepsi, and tap water.
9 baby food jars with lids.
In three jars each steel wool, nails, and a worm.
Then he filled one of each subject with Coke a Cola, the Pepsi, and finally tap water, and put the lids on.
After a week later, the three jars with Pepsi had steel wool, nails, a worm, and Pepsi.
The water had (rusty) steel wool, (rusty) nails, and a worm in the three jars.
In the jars with Coke a Cola, all that was left in the jars was Coke a Cola. It had disolved the steel wool, nails, and the worm!
He asked the class "What does this tell you?"
One of my classmates (honest, it weren't me) raised his hand and when called upon by the teacher said: (quote)
"If you drink Coke a Cola you won't have worms?"

 

[l1ranger]

i'm not sure about patina on D2, but doubt its going to get a good patina like 1098 or 52100 would.

apples, oranges, and kiwi should work
coke is a very good suggestion
vinegar and mustard will also work

 

[Alberta Ed]

Anything acidic will react with the carbon in the steel and create a patina, particularly with high carbon steel blades. Various alloys (principally, chromium) will reduce the effect.