vinegar

[lpcenter52]

How long should i keep vinegar on my knife to give it a good antique look? 10 20 min, overnight. I have no clue if it works fast or slow, I'm guessing it will work slow, but I'm not sure. forged carbon steel knife from track of the wolf, solingen germany rifleman's knife

 

[J.D.]

I have found that using a new knife in the kitchen give it a well used look in no time. IMHO, a well used look trumps a rusted, pitted, neglected look any day.

Cutting onions an potatoes will take that shine away pretty quickly.

God bless

 

[RickD]

I`ve used mustard to darken knife blades..Seems to work better than vinegar..Also depending how you put it on you can make a pattern on your knife blade..For what its worth I used spicey dark mustard..To fricken hot to eat but did a nice etching job on the blade

 

[omarick1948]

So how long do you leave the mustard on the blade?

Rick :hmm:

 

[RickD]

Well depends on the blade..Smear it on and leave it for a while and keep checking..The higher the carbon in the blade the faster it will turn

 

[Little Wattsy]

Well depends on the blade..Smear it on and leave it for a while and keep checking..The higher the carbon in the blade the faster it will turn

OK so in YOUR estimation, How long is "a while"?
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[J.D.]

Well depends on the blade..Smear it on and leave it for a while and keep checking..The higher the carbon in the blade the faster it will turn

OK so in YOUR estimation, How long is "a while"?
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

As long as you want. :blah: :grin:

 

[colmoultrie]

You can make a bit of different colors/patterning by using some different substances all at once. The thing is the chemical reaction. Try a mix of acidic products - vinegar, coarse salt, mayo, mustard, lemon, and tomato pulp. You will get some color or at least shade variation. The salt will leave freckles, especially if placed on an area with lemon juice or mustard in it.

How long? It varies with the knife, but 6-10 hours should do the trick.

Of course, while you're at it, you can just go ahead and make yourself a salad - you've already got most of the dressing... :wink:

 

[Troy Allen Christianson]

I soaked this blade in vinegar overnight. It is forged from a file(1095 steel...I think). The blade is edged quenched and if you look closely at the blade you can see where the vinegar etched away the softer unhardened steel. I used just straight white vinegar for about 20 hours.

 

[BadHeart]

mustard has viniger in it... that what gives the etched look. I just use my new knives in the kitchen cutting taters and onions during the off season and then they go to my voo gear.

 

[RickD]

Heres a small example of a mustard finish that I did on a cable damascus knife..I`ve also seen it done on gun barrels with excellent results

 

[colmoultrie]

I like that a lot! :thumbsup:

 

[longshot47]

Nessmuk never looked so good!
That's a sweetheart, that begs usin'.
:thumbsup:

 

[jbg]

Could you post you post a picture of what the blade looked like before you "mustardized" it?

And as an aside, vinegar is supposd to be used for many things. I have an uncle who swears that by drinking a glass of 50% vinegar and 50% water every day, he doesn't need to use deodorant. He's wrong.

 

[RickD]

Not the best pic of the blade before the mustard

 

[MSW]

wow- that looks great! gotta give that a try!

 

[Hammerhead]

another reason to start twisting my grandpas arm for a new knife

 

[JamesG]

If you heat the vinger up ,It well cut quicker ,Just do not go and leave in the vinger.To clean the oxcide off use white metal polish.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you heat up vinegar, DON'T heat it up to BOILING, as it will alter the compound, removing much of the citric acid that actually does the work of etching and discoloring the steel. Heating it up to the point it is HOT, like very hot water( 110 degrees), is sufficient to increase its activity.:thumbsup: