What's the best way to add hammer marks to a stock removal blade?

[Andrew Colglazier]

Any suggestions for aging a wood handle? I think it's lacewood.

It depends on the wood, but brown leather dye works well most times.

Andy

 

[jim moyer]

You might want to use the mustard patina, recipes and results at this thread

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=589329

 

[sunshadow]

G

Oooh, sorry to spark the religious debate. I'm not trying to fake a forged look, I'm trying to make a bollocks dagger look old. Bright and shiny just doesn't look right at my skill level for this dagger. I had a natural patina on the 1075 I was working, but accidentally ground into it beyond the bevel with the 120 belt(bearing blew out on my contact wheel). I didn't want a clean spot on the patina'd spine, so I am researching patinas and hammer marks. I have one side cleaned and plan to clean the other side today. I still plan to have a flat spine with a patina.

Any suggestions for aging a wood handle? I think it's lacewood.

Give your blade a little time in diluted ferric chloride after cleaning it thoroughly with alcohol followed by acetone to get any oils off then wipe it with a clean rag. Real old blades from that period wouldn't have hammer marks

-Page

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

Experimented with mustard last night. Not sure which type of mustard most people use, but I used a stone ground that turned out beautiful on the scrap I was testing on.

It turns out that under the patina on my steel, there is 00 stamped in it. Apparently it goes quite deep. Taking it to the surface grinder Monday.

Just to double check, I have the threaded rod welded on before HT?

Page, did you want some beef jerky? I just finished three batches.

 

[Tippet]

I think the Japanese call it tsuchime, if we're talking about the same thing. I have a 240mm gyuto with that and it's stunningly gorgeous.

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

I would think that you don't sand after that? How would you finish something like that?

 

[Tippet]

I on't know, but it sure it pretty

 

[Dmitry.M]

Q: What's the best way to add hammer marks to a stock removal blade?
A: Forge it from a bar stock.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Lots of different topics here...lets try and sort them out:

If you want an aged look, it is called PATINA. This is a coating of oxides that naturally form on the steels as they are exposed to acids from hands, meat, blood, and the environment. That plus moisture will slowly add patina. It can rapidly be aged by using many acidic compounds. The most commonly used are bluing, diluted ferric chloride, mustard, vinegar. These are applied to a clean blade and allowed to work on the steel for various amounts of time. Covering any part of the blade with a resist will prevent the oxidation in that area. Clear nail polish, electrical tape, paint, sharpie markers, etc. all work. Multiple short oxidation/clean cycles look better than one long soak. A long soak may look blotchy and uneven....which sometimes may be the effect desired.
Patina actually protects the blade from rusting, and that is why many working blades are blued. Clean well and neutralize the bluing with TSP or Windex when done. Oil the blade well and re-oil occasionally.

If you want the blade to look really old, the effect is usually called ETCHED. This is done by soaking in a more corrosive liquid to make the pores in the steel pit and rust. Ferric chloride, bleach, and muriatic acid are commonly used. Absolute cleanliness is needed. Boiling the blade in TSP to get the oils and stuff out of the pores ( you can't see them, but they are there) is a good final step before etching. The degree of corrosion can be slight or excessive, depending on the look desired. As in oxidation, coat any area you don't want corroded/etched with a resist that will tolerate the acid used. Regrinding the edge after the etch is a good idea ,too.
The effect is to simulate hard use and poor storage....as if the blade had been found outside after many years being lost or buried. Many/most of the ebay and Pakistani 'ancient' knives are soaked in all sorts of stuff to sell them as antiques.This is deceptive and dishonest.The handles and sheathes are distressed to look old,too.

For an "ancient hand wrought" look, the term is ofter called DISTRESSED. This is usually accomplished by forging the blade and leaving on a certain amount of the scale and wrought surface. It can be added to annealed steel after grinding, by hammering with a ball peen hammer. The hammer face needs to be polished smooth and shiny, as any marks on the hammer face will be transfered to the divots on the blade. Hammering steel below red hot must be done carefully or stresses and cracks may form. Never hammer a hardened blade. Thus, it is far better to do this while forging the blade. This style is sometimes referred to as "Frontier", "Blacksmith", or the more accepted term, "Brut de Forge".

To add distress to a handle and sheath is pretty easy. Use one of the antique Figgby's stains that go on in an uneven coloration. They make the sheath look old right from the get-go. The same can be done on a handle. Applying stain unevenly can simulate wear. Make it darker in the cracks and on places where the hand doesn't rub. Make it lighter where use would have worn it down. Steel wool can add a lot of age to a handle or sheath. Dents and scratches can be added by carefully( in a controlled manor) beating the object up with light chains, wooden battens,pieces of steel bar, etc. Rubbing an antiquing stain (rub on, wipe off) into the dents and scratches will really make them look authentic.

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

Once again, Stacy, excellent explanation.