Forcing patina

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LostHighway
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Forcing patina

Post by LostHighway »

My knives, to date, are stainless clad and I haven't worried too much about forcing patination but I'm starting to look at some fully reactive knives and thinking that I might want to expedite the process if I bought one. I've read the recommendations for using chicken but our household just doesn't eat chicken,our diet is mostly vegetarian save for occasional consumption of pork or fish by my wife or fish by me. Mustard and Sriracha are commonly in the house and buying plantain would be no hardship. We occasionally but infrequently render leaf lard for baking, I have no idea if that would work. We almost always have a selection of cheeses in house including stinky washed rinds if that might work as a protein. Durable and protective is what I'd mostly be going for but extra points for some color variation. Suggestions?
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Kit Craft
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Kit Craft »

I am going to be that guy, why not just go natural? Wet rag - Dry rag technique. Cut one veggie, wipe it down, dry it and start over. I tend to get my blues and purples mostly from white onions and garlic but both of these can make the blade turn brown/black early in the game if you are not diligent with wiping it down. You can get a nice patina by blowing through a bag of onions. Just make sure to clean it up often.

Or, you can wait to hear what I am sure will turn out to be a load of people talking about forced patina with vinegar, coffee, mustard, beef blood and you name it.

Enjoy it either way. :)
LostHighway
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by LostHighway »

Thanks, we always have white onions on hand so that would be an easy option. Beef blood could be a challenge although we do live just a block and a half from a butcher shop (easy access largely wasted on us). I can't live without coffee as well as tea, wine and beer so those would be easily accessible options too.
old onion
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by old onion »

Lol,what he said.
My first ordeal with the onions created a nasty looking brown on the knife but I later learned to wipe it dry right after cutting one.When I started wiping often,no more brown,just a nice blue patina.Mustard,yukk.That is great for my field knives but ugly on a kitchen knife.Did vinegar too and don't like that either.
Frankkj
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Frankkj »

I find that if you wipe the blade with acetone and wash and dry, then slice a raw pork loin. I get great blues, purples, and a host of other pleasing colors.
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cjdilts
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by cjdilts »

Forcing a patina on my Makoto Damascus 210 today because this knife is crazy reactive. Doing the onion patinas but trying it on hot onion. Just microwaving for a few seconds. Mentality is something along the lines of protein patinas. I see a lot more colors with hot proteins than cold. Starting to get some purples and blues just slicing letting it sit for about 30 sec and drying the knife. I think the steel has a little to do with how often you need to wipe down the blade. I have both whites, blues and super steels and they seem to behave differently. But I'm newish so listening to the more experienced guys is the best advice I can give.
Lepus
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Lepus »

I would try it without forcing the patina first. Forced patinas often end up uneven and are seldom as sturdy as a slowly developed natural one. A friend just forced a patina on his Henckels Kramer that really damaged performance until we lightly polished it down to smooth things out.

Failing that, warm dilute vinegar is pretty ideal. Spray on, let sit for a few minutes, wipe, repeat as desired.
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Jeff B
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Jeff B »

Lepus wrote: Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:34 pm I would try it without forcing the patina first. Forced patinas often end up uneven and are seldom as sturdy as a slowly developed natural one. A friend just forced a patina on his Henckels Kramer that really damaged performance until we lightly polished it down to smooth things out.

Failing that, warm dilute vinegar is pretty ideal. Spray on, let sit for a few minutes, wipe, repeat as desired.
+1
Never liked a forced patina and they look better and are more stable if you just let it happen naturally. Might have to be more patient and diligent in the beginning but it's well worth it.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
Radar53
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Radar53 »

Hi There LH. I started a post on this earlier in the year and got some good additional advice from other forum members. I notice that you sometimes have pork available, which is my preferred medium. If you are interested you can find it here < viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4475&p=36317&hilit=patina#p36317 >.

It's good fun thing to play with, so enjoy it.
Cheers Grant

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faverodefavero
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by faverodefavero »

Coffee & Potatoes
Squirrelbutter
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Squirrelbutter »

Pork loin always makes my knifes explode with blues essentially forcing a patina
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Drewski
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Drewski »

Squirrelbutter wrote: Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:28 pm Pork loin always makes my knifes explode with blues essentially forcing a patina
Do you find cooked or raw the way to go?
Cutuu
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Cutuu »

Drewski wrote: Sat Dec 08, 2018 6:51 pm
Squirrelbutter wrote: Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:28 pm Pork loin always makes my knifes explode with blues essentially forcing a patina
Do you find cooked or raw the way to go?
Cooked
Squirrelbutter
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Re: Forcing patina

Post by Squirrelbutter »

Drewski wrote: Sat Dec 08, 2018 6:51 pm
Squirrelbutter wrote: Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:28 pm Pork loin always makes my knifes explode with blues essentially forcing a patina
Do you find cooked or raw the way to go?
Cooked after it’s rested is what look the best to me
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