Patina time

[91bravo]

I'll dab some Birchfield Casey on the pommel of my 4.7 tomorrow after work. We'll see what it does....

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Thanks Jonny. I should of done it to Chiral's Betty before I sold her.

 

[91bravo]

I went all the way back to the 220 grit stone on my 4.7 today. I still have to take a little bit more off the shoulder of the edge for it to be "perfect" for me! The edge that's on it now is sharp, but requires me to adjust my wrist angle when whittling. This 3V really requires some time to remove some metal, it's some hard stuff!

If the Birchfield Casey dab turns my pommel dark, are you going to attempt a patina?

 

[Jhansenak47]

Without reading all the replies I will interject my two cents.
In my experience 3V will patina, but it typically turns a duller gray and that acts as an oxide layer to passivate the steel from further corrosion. It is worthwhile to treat the tang under removable handle scales to hinder corrosion. No spectacular coloring just a little better corrosion resistance.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I went all the way back to the 220 grit stone on my 4.7 today. I still have to take a little bit more off the shoulder of the edge for it to be "perfect" for me! The edge that's on it now is sharp, but requires me to adjust my wrist angle when whittling. This 3V really requires some time to remove some metal, it's some hard stuff!

If the Birchfield Casey dab turns my pommel dark, are you going to attempt a patina?

Jonny - I don't know brother. On one hand I'd love to have the natural finish with a natural patina that can only come from using the knife. And I'm sure if Horace had a say, that's what he would want.
On the other hand, if natural means didn't work, the gun blueing was an option. As was just having the blade done in a stonewash finish.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Without reading all the replies I will interject my two cents.
In my experience 3V will patina, but it typically turns a duller gray and that acts as an oxide layer to passivate the steel from further corrosion. It is worthwhile to treat the tang under removable handle scales to hinder corrosion. No spectacular coloring just a little better corrosion resistance.

Nothing wrong with dull gray in my opinion. It would match my finish.
But I keep corroding. I wish I could turn this into a poll.

 

[chiral.grolim]

Alright!
Good news, Uncle Timbo
They didn't have B&C Super Blue at my local hardware store, but they did have "PermaBlue" and I happened to have some acids where I work, so I took along my 3V GSO-5.1 as well as a Kershaw Echo in 8Cr13MoV (one of my few non-USA blades) as a stainless "control".

I wiped down the tangs with ethanol to clean/de-grease the surface, then tried swabbing each of the substances over a small area... While I could smell the strong acids (including the Perma Blue) trying to work, there was only some tiny freckling appearing on the 3V surface after 5-10 minutes and nothing on the 8Cr13MoV.

So I took the strong acid (HCl with normality 12 - this stuff will burn you something fierce) and swabbed it over a larger area and THEN swabbed the Perma Blue and...

Tah-Dah!!!

 

[chiral.grolim]

As you can see, I could even discolor the "stainless" steel, although the B&C bottle specifically states that the solution is not made to 'blue' stainless materials *shrug*

Now, note that this was just a quick job of the 12-normal HCl (probably removed residual grease?) followed by the Blue with a Cue-tip, you might have a more even result using a rag, steel-wool, gauze, etc. and perhaps increasing the temperature. I went over the surface again with the acid and you could go over it again with the Perma Blue to perhaps even-out and darken the color. But the main point is, it works I am not sure that it will give you any real added protection from corrosion as this stuff is already pretty rust-resistant, but it may be aestheitcally pleasing to some

 

[chiral.grolim]

A couple shots of my blade with the darker-shade and line from the 4hr vinegar bath and the tang with the blue-treatment:

 

[Uncle Timbo]

And tah dah, instant patina! Chiral my friend, you are the man! From your reviews and now to this, you never ceise to amaze! Thank you my friend!
Chiral, the extra pics are sweet. You are one slick and resourceful human being.

 

[chiral.grolim]

I hope it helps inform your decision

Biggest tip i have is to use some strong acid to thoroughly degrease the surface before you apply the 'Blue' - I bet I had more trouble with the tang because it was under the scales and may still have had some imperceptible amount of oil on it from when S!K first bolted them into place, same thing with the Echo (although that should really be more resistant to this type of treatment as it is)

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Professor Chiral. I think It's got a nice ring to it?
You are the man. Thank you my brother.