When to Patina and Assemble?

[Cold Steel Crown]

I'd like to add a patina to a full tang knife. I'm not familiar with the step by step process of assembly though. I want to patina the whole blade so the exposed spine in the handle will match the body of the blade. If I do this, then assemble the handle scales and bolsters, the patina on the spine will be ground off during the finishing process. Should I make the scales and bolsters a perfect fit before the patina, then assemble them and hope there is no overlap in the layers of the spine, liners and scales?

 

[Kevin McGovern]

That's how I would do it. Of course your pins and holes would need to be a really good slip fit.

 

[Cold Steel Crown]

Great! thanks for the help.

 

[Natlek]

I'd like to add a patina to a full tang knife. I'm not familiar with the step by step process of assembly though. I want to patina the whole blade so the exposed spine in the handle will match the body of the blade. If I do this, then assemble the handle scales and bolsters, the patina on the spine will be ground off during the finishing process. Should I make the scales and bolsters a perfect fit before the patina, then assemble them and hope there is no overlap in the layers of the spine, liners and scales?

That's exactly how I worked ....blade was hard chrome and don t want to scratch finish ...
picture are before hard chrome

finished

 

[coldsteelburns]

What are you planning on using to patinate the blade?

If the scales are g10 or micarta (i.e. not natural), then you can just patinate the spine as you would do the bevels. Coating a blade with something such as Ceracote or DLC etc. is a different story, but a simple patina can easily be added to the spine, especially when the scales aren't natural.

If it's vinegar, cold blue, or even ferric chloride you can just add it to the spine with a Q-tip. If the scales are natural, you can also trying protecting the spine side of the scales using something like painter's tape to seal them off and then add the patina.

~Paul
My YT Channel
Lsubslimed
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)