The aging of a peanut.

J

jackknife

Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
17,609
So, it's been about three years now and some change, since Jamie sent me the peanut. In that time, it's been carried and sued almost daily. The exception being when traveling by air to far off vacation destinations when I didn't want to risk it. Much easier to send a SAK to myself and gift it away when I leave. But I was looking over my photo file, and found a pic of the nut taken not long after I got it. The bone has darkened a bit at the ends by the bolsters, maybe from hand oils, I don't know. But the pattern in the raindrop damascus has taken on a much more subdued tone, darker. The jigging is smoother now as well. I wish I was a better photographer and got better pics as time went on.

A few years ago.
9667148339_cbb2603e69_c.jpg


Just recently.
9670389854_8dc4526fee_c.jpg
 
Great to be able to show pics to see the progression. How is it carried? Just dropped down into the pocket? In a slip? Do you carry it "solo" in that pocket (no change or other objects along with it)?

I've been documenting the aging process with my #55 Houndstooth in the same way, interested to see how it ages. Mine is just carried loose in the right front pocket (solo).

Here it is today, after nearly 3 months of constant carry. The backspring has become a dark grey. The back/swedge area of the blade is darkly peppered now also. The jigged bone is slightly darkening i believe also.

F4651280-0585-4B9D-A6DE-48E6F1723EEA-15560-00000861A3D014FA_zps96b0c41b.jpg
 
arizonaranchman said:
Great to be able to show pics to see the progression. How is it carried? Just dropped down into the pocket? In a slip? Do you carry it "solo" in that pocket (no change or other objects along with it)?
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Just dropped in the right hand pocket with a Fenix E01 and a golf pencil stub, held in place with a bandana. Change, keys, and other stuff goes in other pockets. No babying for that nut.

Carl.
 
I have had my stag Conductor in my pocket every day for 10 months. I'll hunt down some comparison photos. The bone looks great on The Peanut!
 
Sonnemann said:
I have had my stag Conductor in my pocket every day for 10 months. I'll hunt down some comparison photos. The bone looks great on The Peanut!
Click to expand...

Would be interested in seeing these progression photos of naturally ageing 1095 traditional folders.
 
getout87 said:
Those damascus peanuts sure are beautiful.
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I agree wholeheartedly. Great pics Carl. The damascus steel certainly does age in its own unique way doesn't it?

The way a knife ages seems to be peculiar to its own characteristics. IOW there is a world of difference between how two knives can age. Surface finish, usage, handle material, etc can all play a part I guess. Even two seemingly identical knives can age =very differently. But I've never owned a damascus knife so that is a new one on me.

I was noticing on my little white owl recently that the patina has passed a milestone, it actually looks both natural and well used. There is no way you would ever mistake it for one that has been forced or intentionally made via fruit (although it has sometimes been used to cut an apple or whatnot). That is the look your peanut has. It has aged well.

Will
 
A nice knife man, made me get a peanut for myself. That Remington peanut you sent me is a real eye opener for its utility. It got the apple cider vinegar treatment.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
A nice knife man, made me get a peanut for myself. That Remington peanut you sent me is a real eye opener for its utility. It got the apple cider vinegar treatment.
Click to expand...

cider vinegar? is that for cleaning the knife or darkening the handle a bit? i'm trying to darken my amber bone peanut a little.
 
Charlie/waynorths forcing a patina. Heat apple cider vinegar, apply to the blade and wrap in a cloth or paper towel. Let it soak for a bit, then wash the blade with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly. I've done that to all my EDC slipjoints, going to start on my fixed blade users(A2 O1 etc).
 
DrPenguin said:
I agree wholeheartedly. Great pics Carl. The damascus steel certainly does age in its own unique way doesn't it?

The way a knife ages seems to be peculiar to its own characteristics. IOW there is a world of difference between how two knives can age. Surface finish, usage, handle material, etc can all play a part I guess. Even two seemingly identical knives can age =very differently. But I've never owned a damascus knife so that is a new one on me.

I was noticing on my little white owl recently that the patina has passed a milestone, it actually looks both natural and well used. There is no way you would ever mistake it for one that has been forced or intentionally made via fruit (although it has sometimes been used to cut an apple or whatnot). That is the look your peanut has. It has aged well.

Will
Click to expand...

Yes, this damascus has aged in it's own way. Having had many carbon steel knife, I knew that it would patina in time. But I did not expect the uniform overall darkening like this. Most of my other knives that I let develop a patina, did so in a kind of mottled way. Some parts of the blade darker than others. But the biggest surprise has been the darkening of the bone. When I first got the knife, the amber bone was a definite white on the unjigged parts at the ends of the scale. Now the bone has taken on a much more muted look, and the overall effect of the jigging has smoothed out. It had arrived to me in virtual new condition, complete with factory edge, so I don't think Jamie had carried or used it. I freely admit that I've used the knife as a worry stone in the pocket. I'll find myself hand in pocket with a thumb or finger exploring the texture of the jigged bone. Kind of habit forming. :D

Carl.
 
Great looking nut Carl!! Without the first pic, it would be hard to tell the difference,
 
Here is my peanut 4 months shy of two years of everyday carry, all naturally earned, scales have smoothed out a little and I think they have darkened a bit, not sure.

9BA13C4B-CC17-49F3-A494-FDBDB1E98615-317-0000002ABE1CAA10_zpsddd952ca.jpg


My stag damascus is 8 months old but do not carry everyday, mine aged much different than Carl's, the first third got darker in the first few months, then turned a dull ashy grey, with no defining pattern, so I did something I had never done before, stuck it in a apple for a hour or so to re-etch the design, essential forcing a patina on the carbon parts of the blade and the nickel stayed as is. The pic in the lower right shows the results.

8D1D369E-E36A-491F-B74C-E524FE6EBD0A-342-0000002B481354E8_zpseeb7e639.jpg


How it looks today after many uses, only re-etched it the one time, seems to have taken.

C84F7203-B21B-4E9A-88DD-1A1540012CEC-342-0000002B599827FE_zps06a51c07.jpg


Pete
 
Great looking knife, Carl. It looks well used and well loved.
I think the amber bone damascus peanut may just be my grail knife.

John
 
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