# Good Patina, Bad Patina



## mr drinky (Nov 9, 2011)

Ok, I know a knife's patina evens out and 'matures' over time, but when do you reset a patina? Or force one? Just wondering.

I've reset a patina a few times just because I wanted to learn to polish a blade, but today because of a finger injury I wasn't wiping my blades as well as I usually do, and my new Ealy got some unsightly (high-up) garlic chunk patina on one side. 

I'm not going to reset it, but now I might force a patina to even things out. 

What sort of funky patina fetishes do you freaks have?? I know you are out there. Just step out of the dark.

k.


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## DwarvenChef (Nov 9, 2011)

Natural all the way, what happens... happens and I don't change a thing  Last month I sliced a lemon with my Hiromoto HC and some how washed another knife thinking I cut the lemon with it. About 20 minutes later I noticed that the lemon did some funky things to the hiromoto DOH!!! Wshed it off and oiled it but now there are some very dark splashes and a line from something that the blade rested on. I have no intention of buffing or changing anything on the blade and will let it do what it does. I just love to see patina's evolve from use and that makes me happy


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## Eamon Burke (Nov 9, 2011)

If accidents happen, I'll clean it up with bkf, but I don't ever remove the patina fully.


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## echerub (Nov 9, 2011)

I like natural patina, and only once "reset" the patina after seeing what a forced patina would look like. I much preferrred the "chaotic" yet absolutely sensible pattern that arises from natural use. The patina that way reflects one's history of use with the knife.


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## NO ChoP! (Nov 9, 2011)

Take it to some proteins. I will usually trim down a few tenderloins, or something of the like, and be slow to clean it up; usually leaves a beautiful natural looking rainbow patina after just one time....


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## Justin0505 (Nov 9, 2011)

"good" vs "bad" beyond the issue of rust or pitting I think is just a matter of "what looks good to you."
On some of my knifes I let them do their own thing, but I finally had enough with the re-activity of the "natural" patina on my Shige Usaba and decided to give it some more protection. So, I took it to a mirror polish and then applied a layered base patina using the method of warming the blade with hot water, drying, spattering on a thin, random pattern of "patina paint" (vinegar / juice / condiment blend), letting sit for a few minutes, then rinsing in hot water and repeating. 
It's since grown darker and deeper with use.

As far as removing bits of patina that you don't find attractive, you can try applying some vinegar or to the offending area, let sit a sec, and then rinse and wipe firmly. I've notice that highly acidic stuff can "lift" or lighten a patina and it's not quite as extreme as BKF.

Here are some pics of your favorite knife that you made me buy 

















*the colors didn't come out so well in these quick phone camera snaps: they look kinda grey and brown. But in person the patina looks much more blue and yellow.. goes well with the mammoth tooth.


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## Lefty (Nov 9, 2011)

I like either natural or forced, depending on my mood. I forced a patina on only one of my carbons to stave off any reactivity/minor rust issues. However, when I sharpen I end up leaving a reverse patina (clean spot) about 5" long, an inch above the edge. I actually kinda hate it. Haha


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## mr drinky (Nov 9, 2011)

I'm thinking on this. After having some fine Jose Andres food in DC, I thought about slicing some ginger really thin with a peeler and taking an exacto knife to make a lighting bolt to lay on my ealy blade. Maybe I should pimp my patina. 

Btw, I have too much EtOH in the system, so I will probably never do this....but then again I just might...

k.


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## JohnnyChance (Nov 10, 2011)

Justin0505 said:


> As far as removing bits of patina that you don't find attractive, you can try applying some vinegar or to the offending area, let sit a sec, and then rinse and wipe firmly. I've notice that highly acidic stuff can "lift" or lighten a patina and it's not quite as extreme as BKF.
> 
> Here are some pics of your favorite knife that you made me buy



Flitz is also good at gently removing some patina/rust without scratches (it has no abrasives in it) or completely wiping out your patina.

Is that knife from Mario? Can we get some handle pictures too? It...uhh.....would help me better get an overall feel of the patina.


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## Justin0505 (Nov 10, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


> Is that knife from Mario? Can we get some handle pictures too? It...uhh.....would help me better get an overall feel of the patina.


 
Yes, good memory. 
Here it is with its new buddy (that Karing is also responsible for me purchasing):




My DSLR is still out on loan, so the pictures are still just done with a phone camera... lighting was a bit better today but still really doesn't do the colors and depth of detail justice. 
I don't want to blow up this thread with a ton of inserted images, so here's the link to the gallery for those that want to see more:
https://picasaweb.google.com/Justin.Vudy/Patina?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIeVx_3m25-l1wE&feat=directlink

*oh yeah the patina on the suji is "au Naturel" done mostly with raw and cooked meat. The steel was much less reactive than the shige cladding so I could take my time with it.


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## UglyJoe (Nov 10, 2011)

Justin0505 said:


> Yes, good memory.
> Here it is with its new buddy (that Karing is also responsible for me purchasing):
> 
> 
> ...


 
That suji patina is one of the sickest patinas I have ever seen. Wow! (If any of you haven't, check out his picasa gallery for closeups... just wow.)


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## stevenStefano (Nov 10, 2011)

I think grit from your stones sorta peels off a little layer of patina every time you sharpen so therefore your patina always changes. I've tried making fancy patterns on my knives before but they never last, just change with what I am cutting. Mine look pretty nice I think, bronze mainly with a slight green tint on some parts. Only blue bit left is where my fingers are. I never wipe off the patina on my knives unless I am worried there is rust on it


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## Eamon Burke (Nov 11, 2011)

UglyJoe said:


> That suji patina is one of the sickest patinas I have ever seen. Wow! (If any of you haven't, check out his picasa gallery for closeups... just wow.)


 
Yeah, Will's steel takes gallery-worthy patinas.


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## tk59 (Nov 11, 2011)

I recently gave up polishing my kitaeji Shig. The orange parts of the patina still bug me though...


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## Eamon Burke (Nov 11, 2011)

I cut a sweet potato with my Shige today. It turned the knife PURPLE! Now the knife is like 50% purple, then green closer to the edge, then blue right on the edge. It's beautiful, my phone pics do it little justice.


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## DwarvenChef (Nov 11, 2011)

I'm so lovin this thread


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## QCDawg (Feb 28, 2017)

Whenever I learn how to post pics, I (by accident) made a very cool mustard patina on my my w#2 Deba. Same with a carbon k-sab. It turned out almost like a "Hawaiian shirt" Damascus look..


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