Blade aging

[Kendoo Kid]

Ok, so I bought a blade off e-bay in the last 30 seconds because I loved the shape. Didn't realize it was stainy-less until I won it. I would like to make it aged looking but don't know if it is possible. I defer to the real experts here that consistently show us awesome work.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions or the blunt reality.

[bowiemaker]

There is not much you can do to age stainless. It will not develop a patina. You can acid etch it or bead blast it to give it a dull gray finish.

[ChurchandSon]

Well, it depends...At least 13% Chromium added to carbon steel makes a film, Chromium Oxide  which prevents  surface corrosion and blocks corrosion from spreading into the metal's internal structure....Viola!..Stainless..Or should be Stain Resistant, mainly because of the other 87% of alloys or carbon which will rust...
If you break the surface with steel wool and apply cold blue with some heat..Repeat several times breaking the surface each, you can get past the surface oxide to a degree....High salinity under water should also patina but it would take a while
Here's one I played with for a while just 'cause I hate shiny...I used low heat over a charcoal forge so not to mess with HT but a heat gun should work.....

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[Kendoo Kid]

Thanks for the responses guys. I am going to give it a whirl as I only have about $20 invested. Worse comes to worse I will just have a shinier than I like blade.

[Grenadier]

Muratic acid bath will age it.

[ChurchandSon]

I'll have to try muratic...I think it is about 30% hydrochloric which is used to "Pickle" steel , stripping it of oxides...Should work well...Thanks........

[Kendoo Kid]

OK....so for laughs I tried a magnet on it and it is highly magnetic. Even low quality stainless is only slightly magnetic. Hmmm. now what?

[Camano Ridge]

The 400 series stainless steel (martinsetic, e.g., 440C stainless) is generally magnetic, while the 300 series (austinetic, e.g., 304 and 316) is not. Generaly the higher the nickle content the less magnetic. 300 series stainless won't stick to a magnet 400 series will.

[GunClick Rick]

Stick it on the fridge and buy a nudder one..

[Kendoo Kid]

Much obliged Rick. 

Now fer the rest of y'all non- silly folk, would the more magnetic type be easier to age than the other kind? Or does it just no make a difference?

[GunClick Rick]

I heated one with a torch one time and it had a bluish color,then went to the backyard and stbbed it in the grass and dirt over and over again,it scratched it up some,so i gave up,the bluish color was sort of cool though.It was a cheapy too.

[ChurchandSon]

The more magnetic, the more iron and should stain easier...The less magnetic, more nickel...but it also has something to do with the cold working amount...The 400 series are the most magnetic...

[Kendoo Kid]

Got it wrapped in paper towels and soaking in vinegar. I will see what it looks like tomorrow.

[Kendoo Kid]

not a whole lot o' difference.

[ChurchandSon]

You could try this...

Degrease, alcohol or common degreaser...

Pickle a couple of hours with white or apple vinegar....

Mix up a rust accelerator in a spray bottle....
16 oz Hydrogen Peroxide
2 oz White vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Salt

Hang up the knife , heat if possible, hair dryer, heat gun( this will help) ect...
Spray and let dry, repeat a couple of times...
If you have any rusty/crusty fuzzy stuff to wipe off it's working...

This should break the oxide barrier and rust the iron....should....

[Forty Rod]

You could try this...

Degrease, alcohol or common degreaser...

Pickle a couple of hours with white or apple vinegar....

Mix up a rust accelerator in a spray bottle....
16 oz Hydrogen Peroxide
2 oz White vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Salt

Hang up the knife , heat if possible, hair dryer, heat gun( this will help) ect...
Spray and let dry, repeat a couple of times...
If you have any rusty/crusty fuzzy stuff to wipe off it's working...

This should break the oxide barrier and rust the iron....should....

Am I right in believing that I should remove the Sambar stag scales before I do this?

[ChurchandSon]

Am I right in believing that I should remove the Sambar stag scales before I do this?

Might make it easier, don't know what it would do to a antler, maybe stain it......I do all my aging after everything is done...I try to replicate years of use, dirt, grease,  so it has to be together first....

[Kendoo Kid]

Thanks. I will give it a shot this weekend. Maybe even take some pictures while I am at it.

[GunClick Rick]

Would plum blue work?

[Forty Rod]

Am I right in believing that I should remove the Sambar stag scales before I do this?

Day three of this treatment on my Linder Bowie with a 440 "Rostfrei" blade.  The nickel of chrome guard is turning green and blue, some rust is showing up in spots on the blade, but it is speckled and looks like a fairly even geometric pattern of tiny spots.Not very satisfactory yet, but I'll keep at it for a few more days.  The Sambar stag hasn't been hurt at all, that I can see.

Noticed (after owning the knife for about six years) that the tip of the blade has ben magnetized.  Only about the last three quarters of an inch.  I didn't know that was possible.  I always thought the whole thing was magnetized or non was.  Where's the other pole?  Also how to I demagnetize it?  It's annoying as hell now that I know it's there.