Urine patina? Seriously.

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

danboy357

Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
358
Sorry if this is the wrong area to propose this question but... I was just sitting here thinking of some projects I could unfold unto a few BK's I recently picked up from a couple forum members and my thoughts went to forced patina options. I'm not a big fan of manufactured patina's so I was trying to think of the most "natural" quick way to produce one and the idea just popped in there... Well, pee is acidic. Perhaps it was on my mind because I've been taking od's of vitamin B per doctors orders to correct some possible tendon/nerve damage to a finger and my pee has been neon yellow for days. Wonder if the super vit. B content would make a difference? For better or worse? I'm really considering this and wondered if anyone had any experience. I know silliness will ensue but I'm sure someone has tried it and I am truly curious about the results.

Thanks in advance
 
A typical human urine sample will be between pH 4.6-8.0. Diet and medication both play a large role in urine pH. The amount of water consumed can also dramatically impact the acidity/alkalinity of your urine. Typical distilled vinegar has a pH of about 2.4 and lemon juice is around 2.0 - both are common choices for forced patinas. Depending on your diet/medication, your urine may not be acidic enough to really see a difference. (Remember, the pH scale is based 10 - pH 3.0 is ten times more acidic than pH 4.0)

This is just speculation; I'm sure someone with more personal experience will chime in soon enough!

-B
 
Last edited:
Civil War reenactment guys have been doing this for years to patina the new steel on period weapons.
 
hoppes no9 said:
Note to self:

Never buy a knife from danboy357.

;)
Click to expand...

In other words, you'd be pi$$ed off that your knife was pi$$ed on? :D

OP, I guess the only way to know is to try it. I'd be interested in the results, but I don't really want to pee on any of my own blades. :thumbup:
 
Send it to me and I'll have my pug dog piss on it....the bottom of my grinder stand rusted thru the powder coat and I was puzzled till I seen chopper pissin on it.
 
*ahem* EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Nope nope nope, gross gross, :barf:

I will stick with vinegar, mustard, ketchup, or fruit and some vegetables. I ain't gonna pee on a knife. I'm not a barbarian.
 
As strange as it sounds, i tried it on my Rat3 after several tries with vinegar onions and then lemon juice which i let on the blade for about an hour and it totally ate the dark grey patterns to leave a dull light grey which was very uniform and kinda bland...
So yeah i wanted to know how it would work with urine...
I peed in a glass dipped the blade in it overnight and i got a very nice dark grey with nearly black spots but it also developped rust, something that didnt happen with my previous attempts using the regular stuff because i constantly checked the results, rinsed and repeated before any kind of red rust forming.
 
Threethreethree said:
As strange as it sounds, i tried it on my Rat3 after several tries with vinegar onions and then lemon juice which i let on the blade for about an hour and it totally ate the dark grey patterns to leave a dull light grey which was very uniform and kinda bland...
So yeah i wanted to know how it would work with urine...
I peed in a glass dipped the blade in it overnight and i got a very nice dark grey with nearly black spots but it also developped rust, something that didnt happen with my previous attempts using the regular stuff because i constantly checked the results, rinsed and repeated before any kind of red rust forming.
Click to expand...

Do a two layer patina with different acids. I did a soaked paper towel wrap with rice vinegar overnight then balsamic vinegar overnight. Gave me a really cool two tone random pattern patina. You can also do patterns with mustard, ketchup, salad dressing, barbeque sauce... The list goes on. Almost any condiment will work.

Patinas can be a VERY fun field to start on.
 
Salts probably do have a lot to do with it but it's amazing the corrosive abilities of our whiz. Take a look at the overspray in a public restroom stall. That stuff finds its way through paint and chrome and onto the metal causing terrible destruction over time. Scary.
 
dkb45 said:
*ahem* EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Nope nope nope, gross gross, :barf:

I will stick with vinegar, mustard, ketchup, or fruit and some vegetables. I ain't gonna pee on a knife. I'm not a barbarian.
Click to expand...

It's not so bad, urine is quite clean. Has been used to treat wounds in closed off combat and survival situations for years. Safer to use/drink than a lot of the water out there. No I don't drink or play with pee, my own or otherwise. ;)
 
Threethreethree said:
As strange as it sounds, i tried it on my Rat3 after several tries with vinegar onions and then lemon juice which i let on the blade for about an hour and it totally ate the dark grey patterns to leave a dull light grey which was very uniform and kinda bland...
So yeah i wanted to know how it would work with urine...
I peed in a glass dipped the blade in it overnight and i got a very nice dark grey with nearly black spots but it also developped rust, something that didnt happen with my previous attempts using the regular stuff because i constantly checked the results, rinsed and repeated before any kind of red rust forming.
Click to expand...
Okay. If I try it I'll soak it for less time then, maybe 4-5 hrs.
 
Thanks all, I really appreciate the response. Didn't expect so many so soon, please Keep'em comin! Many thanks to Threethreethree. I'd really like to hear from more folks who have tried it.
 
Last edited:
I'll have to try this with an Opinel and let you know. Just hope I don't get any on the wooden handles..
 
Oh man, I will never get the image out of my head. And for some reason I will always think of it as a peetina now. LOL
 
If you see two lines appear on the blade, then there is a 99% chance you're pregnant... :eek:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top