patina

[savageknives]

i was wondering as to the process of applying a patina to a hawk head and the process. are there advantages more than just asthetics? any information on this and blueing would be much appreciated.

 

[DWK2]

I understand that a decent patina can deter more aggressive rusting/pitting from developing. It seems to help a bit on some of my older knives. However, I don't know how much protection is really provided.

Patina might also cut down glare off brighter metal---if that were a concern.

DancesWithKnives

 

[Kenny H.]

I put a patina on my cold steel trail hawk, using white vinegar. At first I just dipped it in, but then I decided to boil it and that sped up the process.

You could also try orange juice.

I tried several things on my trail hawk and vinegar worked alright but it still wasn't much of a patina.

 

[DWK2]

Lemon juice will work. Some guys use mustard.

I once accidentally left a silver plated spoon sit in some water with bleach in it. Took half an hour with Flitz to remove that patina!

DancesWithKnives

 

[d_filgate]

Savage,
I've used mustard and swirled it on to get a real funky pattern.
Used vinegar as well, and it looked good.
Have found that cutting certain veggies seems to bring about a patina as well.
If you don't like it, you can take it off with wet/dry sandpaper. I used 600 grit
to take off a mustard one that I didn't like, then did a vinegar one.

My understanding is that patina is a form of rust, but that it blocks the oxygen so
that rust doesn't develop any further on the blade.

Cheers
Dave in BC

 

[DWK2]

Yes, tomato seems to generate a patina if you don't wipe the blade.

DancesWithKnives

 

[Coldwood]

Patina will occur naturally with use. I've accelerated it on a couple of my Mora Clippers and Cold Steel Master Hunter, just as an experiment. Got them almost black. Rubbing the blade with slices of apple or tomato will work, also applications of vinegar, mustard, mayonaise, sliced turkey between two slices of bread, etc. Anything acidic or protein-ic will get the job done, supposedly it will slow down otherwise natural oxidation of ferric metal.

Edit: Just for grins, go buy a half sub at Subway, stick the knife blade in the middle of that for a couple of days, should work. Throw away the sub

 

[Cpl Punishment]

My understanding is that patina is a form of rust, but that it blocks the oxygen so
that rust doesn't develop any further on the blade.

Yep, patina, or "browning", is a dense form of rust -- "bluing" is an even deeper, denser form of the same thing -- that due to it's dense pattern will not let oxygen through to the deeper layes of the metal. Patina will generally not stay on the cutting edge when you use the blade (and you usually need to sharpen the blade after doing this as it slightly deteriorates the edge's sharpness), but rust won't form so long as you actually use the blade.

 

[savageknives]

thanks. that was really helpful. it never ceases to amaze me how helpful this forum is. no telling how long i would have had to research only to get inconclusive results in the end.

 

[m6894]

There is some video on youtube about doing a tigerstripe type of patina with a vinegar soaked cloth wrap. Thought it was interesting, I have no experience first hand though.

 

[savageknives]

i saw that. very cool but i think it looks better just natural. that guy seemed to know his stuff too.

 

[Pipeman]

I've done a bunch of knives and a hawk by wrapping the blade with paper towel soaked in vinegar then wrinkle the paper towel to get the stripe, works great. You can get an almost damascus look at times,

Regards

Robin

 

[savageknives]

interesting. this seems like something that would be very fun to play around with. i tried vinegar and paper towels today but left it on too long and the rusting just spread between the strips. it didnt look very good so i buffed it off. ill keep on trying

 

[the possum]

pat·i·na
2. The sheen on any surface, produced by age and use.

Don't overcomplicate things. If you dip it in vinegar, it will look like it was dipped in vinegar. If you use it, chopping green sappy brush, wearing it out in the rain, steel wool-ing off the rust that forms, butchering critters, digging/chopping out roots, and use it some more, it will develop a real patina, that looks like a real patina.