HD Patina Removal Tip

Proper user technique and care is essential to enjoying these high performance knives to their fullest while keeping edge damage to a minimum. Learn how here.
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Kit Craft
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Re: HD Patina Removal Tip

Post by Kit Craft »

salemj wrote: Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:29 pm
Kit Craft wrote: Fri Jun 29, 2018 6:04 pm Cool tip, thanks for sharing. My HD2 shows zero patina/staining, as an aside. I was talking with Desol about that awhile ago, his is the same. I swear it is stainless. That 210 Yo HD is wicked, btw.
Thanks. You should check out the SS version that Lepus is selling. I really, really, really want to buy it, but I just cannot justify it at this exact moment. It is probably an extremely close approximation of what the HD offers for most applications. I waited quite some time to snatch the 210 Yo. I really like it. It is a surprisingly different knife than the Wa version in the same length.

Every HD I own absolutely showed a patina from regular use alone. I didn't notice it at first, but over time, the change in color (to a darker grey) became more and more apparent when sharpening, if I remember correctly: the bevel went from being the same tone as the knife to slowly becoming more of a contrasting silver. Other aspects of the patina were mistakes (like the BKF, or the citrus stain, which happened shortly after I bought the 240 and my best friend used it to cut a lime while fixing me a drink and then didn't wash it...how could I ever be upset at a guy fixing me a drink?!?).

Perhaps in another couple of months you'll notice the bevel-colour thingy...maybe?!? In the meantime, it is hard to imagine it is not HD steel for at least one reason: Konosuke is increasingly frugal in their stamped kanji, so it is hard for those batches ever to get mixed up! haha.
I am sure it is NOT stainless but it sure acts it in terms of patina/staining. It does not seem to hold water spots or prints as much as my mono stainless knives either. But it acts carbon on the stones and the board. No complaints. :) It is my "lazy knife" I can use it at the stove on a small board across two burners when I feel like cooking as I go etc. It is just "different" I guess.

I thought about the 210 Yo, the HD(2) is an exception otherwise I have my eye on other similar knives. I have almost bought a Ginga White #2 Yo 180 many, many times but then I remind myself that what I would use it for would be too abusive and I stick with the FKH. :lol:
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lsboogy
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Re: HD Patina Removal Tip

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I'm a fan of patina on a knife - have knives made before I was born (couple are more than 300 years old - I'm only 58) that have great patinas on them. I usually force a patina on new knives (mustard and vinegar) instead of waiting. All of my 30's - 50's Sabatiers have a great patina - would never remove it. Even my Kohetsus have a patina (none are more than 3 years old), and I will force one on my suisin kiritsuke ( very expensive white #1 knife) when I get it. A patina will not rust (if dealt with properly) and just plain looks cool. The "new" knives in my collection get a patina so they do not rust - and they look cool.
salemj
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Re: HD Patina Removal Tip

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lsboogy wrote: Mon Jul 16, 2018 3:01 pm I'm a fan of patina on a knife - have knives made before I was born (couple are more than 300 years old - I'm only 58) that have great patinas on them. I usually force a patina on new knives (mustard and vinegar) instead of waiting. All of my 30's - 50's Sabatiers have a great patina - would never remove it. Even my Kohetsus have a patina (none are more than 3 years old), and I will force one on my suisin kiritsuke ( very expensive white #1 knife) when I get it. A patina will not rust (if dealt with properly) and just plain looks cool. The "new" knives in my collection get a patina so they do not rust - and they look cool.
I love a patina, too. On the HDs, it is a little different. I'd refer to it as a kind of build-up. The patina itself is just a dull grey, but some of the added corrosion on mine was (as I say above) a combination of things that significantly inhibited performance. I'm finding the same issue with some of my Fujiyamas at this point. They don't need to be spotless, but I like them to perform their best, and if this means maintaining a certain finish every couple of years to alleviate the friction that certain types of build-up/corrosion bring to food , I think it is nice to have a bag of simple, quick tricks that work.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
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