Forced Patina
- Thread starter black mamba
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2000
- Messages
- 6,636
Just got this nice Texas Jack in CV, and spent the last 4 hours alternating between a gala apple and a naval orange to stick the blades in. ...
FORCED PATINA
EARNED PATINA
Let me know what you think!
I think that, if you were to carry the Texas jack and use it regularly, in time its patina would look the same at that on the scout knife.
YES. My Grandad moved to Miami, Florida in the '20s. He was a "stick 'er in a potato" guy, and his old knives (which got a lot of use) had that same prized gray hue you see on any classic, old pocketknife.
As much as I understand the sentiment when a guy like Absintheur says forced patinas fit in along with new leather jackets that have been "antiqued," new jeans with holes in them, etc., the fact is, what we knife geeks on forums now refer to as forcing a patina, a lot of old timers just called what you do with a new knife. Namely, stick it in a potato to darken up the blade and help ward off rust, then hone it, then drop a bit of oil on the joints. It might be for some folks now, but that treatment didn't used to be done for aesthetics.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2010
- Messages
- 3,915
My funnest forced patina was with ketchup, mayo, and BBQ sauce.
Wow! That looks almost like a color case hardening job. Sweet. I like the character of carbon steel cutlery even though my group of knives is stainless 8:1. It's getting harder all the time to get a good carbon steel blade.
EJ
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2010
- Messages
- 3,915
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2004
- Messages
- 6,997
This is the way I see it as well. Subjecting a new blade to a little controlled oxidization at the beginning is a nice measure to take in order to prevent actual rust in the long run. YMMV.
GregFL
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2009
- Messages
- 564
The only time I ever tried to "force" a patina was on a BR Little Creek and that was because I carried it in my back pocket (I sweat a lot). I mashed up a banana into a very smooth slurry and completely immersed the blade into it. After a few hours I had a very even patina that had a beautiful blue/purple hue to it. I've since given the knife to a friend as a gift ... should have taken a photo of it.
Will Power
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 31,505
Forcing a patina actually accelerates and enhances an 'earned' patina.
I've experimented,as doubtless most of us haveI force a patina over one week: Step one, de grease the knife with alcohol, leave overnight in a pear of some sort,cut up 2 oranges for breakfast every morning,use as a kitchen prep knife for fruit&veggies,cut up snack fruits(kiwi fruit,strawberry both give a very funky tone). Step two,clean with some sort of metal polish,wipe with alcohol and start again for a week. This gives a very even and 'reliable' patina that resists weird spotting or blotches but shows a uniform hue:thumbup:
Rooting about in a pickle jar for gherkins and suchlike does no harm either
I've experimented,as doubtless most of us have
I force a patina over one week: Step one, de grease the knife with alcohol, leave overnight in a pear of some sort,cut up 2 oranges for breakfast every morning,use as a kitchen prep knife for fruit&veggies,cut up snack fruits(kiwi fruit,strawberry both give a very funky tone). Step two,clean with some sort of metal polish,wipe with alcohol and start again for a week. This gives a very even and 'reliable' patina that resists weird spotting or blotches but shows a uniform hue:thumbup:Rooting about in a pickle jar for gherkins and suchlike does no harm either
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2010
- Messages
- 168
My funnest forced patina was with ketchup, mayo, and BBQ sauce.
hahaha wow that looks so cool dude the colors are amazing
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2004
- Messages
- 164
Gun blue will give a nice even color, but I would be careful using the blade on food afterwards.
hunterfisher808
Basic Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2006
- Messages
- 1,101
I usually will start/force the patina by cutting fruit and such, and then its on its own Here in the Islands the humidity and salt air makes it almost a necessity to get some kind of initial protection going against brown rust. Heck even mineral oil barely makes the grade protecting shiny virgin carbon steel lol
Here in the Islands the humidity and salt air makes it almost a necessity to get some kind of initial protection going against brown rust. Heck even mineral oil barely makes the grade protecting shiny virgin carbon steel lol
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2000
- Messages
- 6,636
I'm honestly not sure if I pre-patina my carbon steel knives or not. I guess I sort of do. Here's my routine. I'll wash the blade in hot, soapy water, then dry it and then wipe it down with rubbing alcohol to remove any and all oils, even the stuff your fingers leave. Then, while I work (I sit at a computer all day), I'll cut up an apple and slice thin pieces off to eat. I don't wipe the blade in between slices and will leave the juice and bits of apple on there to dry. At the end of the day, I clean and dry the blade again and drop her in my pocket.
That's what I did with my cv trapper:
And my cv soddie junior:
You could say it's a lot like just using the knife for what a knife's intended to do - cut stuff. But of course, I do clean off all the oils first. So, am I giving it a pre-patina or not?
That's what I did with my cv trapper:
And my cv soddie junior:
You could say it's a lot like just using the knife for what a knife's intended to do - cut stuff. But of course, I do clean off all the oils first. So, am I giving it a pre-patina or not?
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2009
- Messages
- 2,161
Here's a picture of my forced patina:
I had some rust on it so I used the Clean Power to clean off the blade (which removed the previous patina) and simply let the blade sit in a water/vinegar solution for maybe seven minutes. The results were nice and even, but it's not as dark as others here.
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2007
- Messages
- 188
This knife has been used by me for over 20 years, a lowly Opinel knife....
But nothing has been forced and everything has been earned!! Even the handle has taken on a sort of patina if you will....
But nothing has been forced and everything has been earned!! Even the handle has taken on a sort of patina if you will....
Absintheur
Banned
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2008
- Messages
- 3,280
My carbon steel knives get used but when I cut something I wipe the blade off and at the end of the day I wipe down with a cloth that has some oil soaked in it...I don't get a patina nor do my knives rust.
And as far as the way "old timers did it....well I for one am glad they don't use ether, don't harvest with a scythe, or drive horse and buggies...I like the modern life.
And as far as the way "old timers did it....well I for one am glad they don't use ether, don't harvest with a scythe, or drive horse and buggies...I like the modern life.
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2006
- Messages
- 4,677
I've tried forcing them, and I end up taking it off with chrome polish.I'll let it earn its own, or pick out an antique with on on it already.