So...does anyone else hate patinas? :)

I always find it curious when people like carbon steel but dislike Patinas. Talk about a lot of extra work if the knife is used for any food cutting tasks. Main reason for me liking traditional knives is that they age so differently than modern blades. I have nothing against stainless and feel it has a place but not on my traditional blades. I love the patina and it is just synonomous with slip joints for me.
 
"i always thought that a proper knife should shine and glow like bilbo's sword."

You are correct, that's why keeping a patina on a knife is no fun. I get a patina, keep it for awhile, but then polish it off. For pocket knives, it's every few days. For kitchen knives, been doing it about every 6 months for years. It doesn't hurt them a bit.

Even with a patina, you still have to wipe off and oil your blades. Things like pickle juice will eat through a patina quite easily.

Whatever floats our boat :)

Anyway, I thought this thread was for patina haters??? :) Original post "and i know i'm in the minority here--but is there anyone else out there that just likes to keep their blades looking shiny and purdy? "
 
I consider the patina as something that WILL come sooner or later on any high carbon / high quality steel. Uniform patina grown from use, I will live with it but I feel allowed to a vigorous Scotch Brite rub whenever I see the slightest sign of deeper corrosion. Not a lover of the shiny stuff but I confess I'm won over by Case's Surgical Stainless Steel. So pleasant to use on an everyday basis : peel a fruit, cut cheese, slice some ham, just wipe it and put it back in the pocket. Always clean... and hellish sharp.
 
mykel m said:
I just want to see the Acorn on 1095 knives.:)
I was disappointed when I learned that it was only available on the GEC branded knives.
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A lot of the GEC fixed blades with acorns are of 1095 ;)

sitflyer said:
It is a chemical reaction with the steel. The solution I am using lists Selenious acid and nitric acid...
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mtangent said:
Sounds like a patina to me.
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Then I guess I technically don't hate patina's, I prefer to "control them" to some extent on new knives... new knives being an important qualifier...old knives such as this:





well, they'd look downright silly and out of character without the proper level of oxidization on the steels surface;)
 
"DrPenguin,

In the end though it is carbon steel and it will rust if the environment is right. Carrying knives often and using them seems to be the best way to minimize rust as far as I can tell. It is one reason that I don't have a rotation just a couple of knives that I really like and carry often."

I agree. I'm not a collector, my GEC Northfield #55 is a tool and constant companion. It's a folder that I really love and it gets carried 24/7 in my right front pocket. It's not babied, just wiped after use and then oiled about every other day. I admire it for the fine tool that it is and greatly appreciate it's high quality, but it doesn't sit in a safe, it gets carried and used. Being carbon steel it's acquiring a greyish tone to it, just like the Eastwing hammer I've had for over 20 years. It's not ruined or dirty, it's just the nature of carbon steel and how it reacts to the environment and use. It will be around long after I'm gone if kept clean and oiled.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
That's one of the most unique descriptions of a 'natural patina' I've seen. :D

Very interesting, and a good post. :thumbup:


David
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David: We need to go into business with a custom knife maker will produce the Pacific Island Knife (PIK). As something that is authentic, traditional, Third World and village artisanal, it should be very popular. A $5 machete blade could become a $200 custom knife:D
 
I find that most traditional carbon steel slip joints don't look quite right with out a patina. For this reason I appreciate the recent all steel GECs with out the blade etchings. With these I don't have any reservation regarding loosing the etch as the blade patinas. It gets expensive buying two of each desirable knife: one to preserve the etch and another to use. I agree with others that the patina protects the blade and makes the knife much less stressful to own. For people trying to avoid rust spots on a shiny blade, I would strongly encourage just cutting up some apples, and putting some oil on the blade. It is quite likely that in doing this you will derive much more enjoyment from the hobby. It may make sense to keep some knives in original condition, but most of the knives people are trying to preserve can be purchased on the secondary market for less than they originally paid for them. I think 50 -100 years from now the knives that are truly desirable will be sought after patina or no patina. The ones with out patina may be less desirable because of pitting and rust.
 
In reply to the original posters question, yes.
Got fed up with patinas early in life (as a kid), and ever since I found out about SS, that is all I will buy if possible.
 
When I was in high school in the 80s we lived next to a guy who was an electrician. One day I saw him "roughing up" a brand-new hammer. He was bashing it and scraping it against things in an unnatural way. Getting it all scuffed and scratched. I asked his son why he was doing this and the answer I got was "he wants to make it look used, the guys on the job site laugh at you if you have shiny new tools". I don't know how prevalent that kind of behavior is but it reminds me of patinas...I think for at least some who like patinas, they associate shinyness with being a novice.
 
knarfeng said:
I won't say that I "hate patinas", but to me patina is just another form of rust. It will eat away at a blade more slowly than red rust, but rust it is, and it does eat away at the blade.

That being said, I have non-stainless blades, and some of them are stained with use. But, I prefer stainless. I don't polish away the stains, but for sure I will not "force a patina."
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It also eats away at the blade more slowly than polishing the rust away. I don't like forced patinas much, preferring natural staining from use. If you want shiny, buy stainless
 
sitflyer said:
A lot of the GEC fixed blades with acorns are of 1095 ;)
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Dang,touche' sitflyer.I should have said folders vs knives eh?I'll try it again....

I sure would like to see an acorn shield on GEC 1095 folders.:p :)

Edited to add:I love a nice earned patina on a knife blade.
 
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