Patinas...What I learned from them!

[C_Tanner]

First off, I DONT LIKE THEM!! I guess they kinda look cool, especially Mooses, but all in all it looks like an abused blade to me.

The BK11 one though came out very unusual and cool looking...so I will keep that one.

Now, the greatest discovery I made from this: 3M Suprafine Sanding Pads!! Holy Crap! Where were these hiding the last umpteen years? I was able to take all (95% on the BK9) of the Patina off the blades, AND clean up some scratched surfaces that have been bothering me.

I was upset about some scratches on a new Mora Clipper....Fixed
Benchmade Griptilian scratched to hell....FIXED!

F'ing A! OK, so I have a stripped blade and no patina. I still have Mineral Oil (picked up today), Remoil, 3-in-1 oil, Tuff Cloth, WD-40 in small packable cans, and now this 3M sanding pad. IF some rust gets through whatever petroleum product I am using, the 3M pads will take that surface rust off lickety-split. (they'll also KILL your sharp edge, but Mr. Fed Ex is bringing me a new WorkSharp Knife and Tool Sharpener tommorrow...)

Now my BK9 still has some faint streaks you can only see if you tilt it one way...mainly because of the microfine lines from the grind. I'm thinking if I take it in to the knife shop for a ride on the scotchbrite wheel, they'll go bye-bye and the blade will be even more smooth.

If you dont have any of that sanding foam pad stuff, go get some. Its sooo worth it.

 

[Quarter Tank]

I agree

I dont patina anbd I dont like patinas but I do keep the blade in a thin coat of Miner oil

I use 2000 wet/dry sand paper to keep my knife shiny and happy

 

[Bladite]

i would consider OTHER coatings than black, but prefer to not strip them; if they came naked, that's cool.

 

[Guyon]

I have done forced patinas on some knives, but my BK-2 is getting a patina the old fashioned way.

 

[t1mpani]

Different strokes for different folks, indeed---to me, aside from imparting some protection to the blade from damaging, non-controlled corrosion, a patina suggests that the tool has actually seen some adventures and hasn't lived its life in an air-conditioned safe. Even a forced patina just looks more "right" to me. Similarly, I collect guns of all stripes, but old Winchesters and Colts are the favorites. Some of these are in 95%+ condition, and certainly impart a good deal of value to the group, but they're not the ones I'm in love with. No, I have an 1873 Winchester carbine that looks like it's been to hell and back, and a Colt New Service that looks like it tagged along for the ride. They're grey (not a hint of actual "blue" color left on them anywhere) and full of little marks and dings, and I'm overcome with romance when I hold them. Do I know for sure that some cowboy was clutching that Winchester while he crouched behind a rock, outnumbered and low on ammunition, preparing himself for one last, heroic stand? No. But, but I do know for sure that he wasn't clutching one of my minty ones. Same thing with military rifles. I have the investment-quality pieces, and I have the pieces that some poor soldiers were clutching in the trenches in France or on Normandy---guess which I like more.

As you're an appreciator of shiny blades, however, let me suggest a metal cleaning guaze called Nevr-dull just in case you aren't familiar. It's such a mild polish that you won't end up making any visible scratch lines (or changing the original ones) when you clean your blade up, and it'll handle anything but serious rust very well. Also, a tub of the stuff lasts forever, it's not messy to use, the smell is not nearly as off-putting as a lot of similar products.

 

[stifa]

I have the investment-quality pieces, and I have the pieces that some poor soldiers were clutching in the trenches in France or on Normandy---guess which I like more.

Isn't Normandy IN france ?

Reminds me of a famous Israeli soccer player who said in an interview " I wish I can play in Spain or in Europe"...

 

[Herger]

Isn't Normandy IN france ?

Reminds me of a famous Israeli soccer player who said in an interview " I wish I can play in Spain or in Europe"...

I think he was talking about the other Europe, ya know the one on other side of Spain...

Beckerhead #76

 

[Arkanian]

Every time I read the word "Patina" I think of some chain restaurant...

 

[trailbum]

I like the way some patinas look and have tried it on a old knife.
Not for me.
I like different blade coatings though.

 

[MikeyJ]

Although I've considered it, I haven't quite pulled the trigger on the strip and patina thing yet. Not sure if I will. I like the blade coating on my Beckers (among others).

Now, once the coating is almost non-existent from use, I may go ahead and strip the remainder off. I guess I'll just wait and see...

 

[t1mpani]

Isn't Normandy IN france ?

Reminds me of a famous Israeli soccer player who said in an interview " I wish I can play in Spain or in Europe"...

LOL Yes...there was a key "on the beaches of" phrase that got left out there to distinguish from the trenches. I shouldn't write at 3:00 am

 

[upnorth]

The only Becker that I've stripped is the Campanion, and it looks good to me that way. I left the coating on the rest. I've considered removal but I'm a lazy slug and want the blades to be low maintenance. Wipe on my pants and go. I have two sizes of filleting knives but I have decided to try the Mag Camp as a third filleting multitasker. She's kind of in between thick and thin but close enough to double up for filleting I bet. Anyway, I'll find out this summer. This is another reason why I don't want to remove the coating on the Mag Camp......for now anyway.