6thank you for taking the time to Produce this UA-cam. I appreciated the very simple straight forward way you present the content. No magic, no mystery. Just, as Nike says, do it. :17 You do understand that vinegar is actually acetic acid, right. It’s very dilute (regular vinegar is 3%) but an acid nonetheless. And when you heat it, as you say it is as if you increased the potency several times. The black color is actually a think layer of rust. Black rust, however, not orange/red. In another situation it might be called patina. Rust is to metal coloration what weeds are to a home’s lawn or garden. Rust is unwanted coloration (unwanted plants) in the metal (in the yard). But both patina and rust are caused by a chemical change to the surface material. Rust usually indicates (like weeds in your yard) a lack of care. Patinas are usually caused purposefully. Don’t be misled, the black oxide caused by the vinegar is attacking the metal surface. It may take hours in the pot, but it will damage the metal just as not caring for the metal in a wet environment will caused rusting, and putting.
Jeez, half the comments here are pointing out to FullMetalAmerican that he doesn't have to heat the vinegar. If you would simply watch the video, he explains 400 times that the heating is done to speed up the process. Yes, yes, and more yes, you can get the same patina by soaking it in cold vinegar overnight. To reiterate: If you want to patina your blade in 5 minutes, heat the vinegar. If for some reason you can't or won't heat it, soak it in cold vinegar overnight. As for another common comment: Yes, it is food safe. The vinegar is neutralized and the blade is carefully washed after the process, thus no more vinegar. Would you expect that the knife could cause food to taste like a forging hammer? Of course not. That process is way over and done with by the time the knife cuts any food.
Additionally, and in support of your comment, take any carbon steel kitchen knife (Chicago Cutlery, for example) cut a ripe tomato and don’t rinse off the knife. Then the next day cut an apple and eat it. You will taste the iron that has rusted from the acid in the tomato. The apple will taste like crap but it is perfectly edible. No harm done, and you will learn the wisdom of your mother (or your dad) telling you, clean up after yourself, as you go along in the kitchen. Or, maybe, next time buy Cutco knives.
Greeeeat method with instant results! Thanks a lot mate! Made my mora 711 look like a killer 😮😄 And will protect it through all my work during daytime. Wow!! 👌🏻💪🏻👍🏻 Bravo!!
Nice I just ordered a bunch of green river blanks and wanted to put a patina on them and this is the first video I saw with the same blade ! Cool video thanks
Thank you for posting this my friend. It is so great to see this. I was looking at using Ferric chloride, but it's so harsh and worry about its ability to keep my knives food-safe (because that's my most dominant use of my pocket knives aside from using them as tools for opening boxes and cutting through cable (I work as an IT Engineer). Anyways, I dunno if I missed this in the vid, but what steel did you use for this? I have 8CR13MOV pocket knives and AUS8, and various other stainless steels. Just curious what the steel blade was? Also, when washing this, does the coating come off easily? Thank you so much
I checked the manufacturer info on the steel type and it lists it as high carbon steel. Pretty broad lol. I have used this technique on many types of steel though. Including axe heads, mild steel, and even chain mail armor. The patina is very durable and does not come off easy.
@@FullMetalAmerican Thank you so much for your quick response, my friend! Okay, that's amazing to hear. So, here are a couple more questions for you, if you don't mind. 1) When doing this, would I need to use nail polish or some other kind of blocker for pocket knives on the places of the blade that interact with other metal components? 2)Do you have a time insight on how long an 8CR13MOV or AUS18 would need to be submerged for graying/black effect? Btw, I subbed. I am really happy I found your video
I'm okay with feric chloride and similar so long as the knife won't be used for hunting or food prep. This will be perfect for my kitchen cleaver build
Yes and no. If you leave it on it will rust. If you do the process properly and neutralize it, no. But the heat alone will not weaken it. Doesn't even get close to the heat needed.
I would use the finest steel wool you can find with ballistol. Then maybe some never-dull. I would not use sand paper it will leave scratch marks if it isn't ultra fine grit.
if the screws are removable, I suggest doing that. The screws can be patinaed without problem, you just need to make sure they are properly cleaned of residue after.
If it is unfinished, it would likely be possible. However be sure not to remove any proofing marks or numbers. Also I strongly discourage you from doing this to a barrel or any part of a firearm that may be put under pressure.
I have a tomahawk head that just will not patina. It's 1055 steel, I did two 24 hour sessions of citristrip wrapped in a plastic bag each time. Then steel wool, and 180grit sandpaper. Ending with non chlorinated brake cleaner and hot water rinse. I've boiled it in White Distilled Vinegar for hour and hours. It is essentially unchanged in appearance. What the heck? Lol. Great video though.
@@FullMetalAmerican It definitely had a clear coat on it, which was a pain to completely remove. It's a really light 1055 carbon steel, and I did get it a little bit darker, from an almost silver to a satin light-gray... Even after leaving it in hot vinegar overnight on my grill... Twice. However, mustard seems to be doing the trick, a method I found in an old Yankee Magazine article. I'm on my 2nd coat, and it's really darkening now. The vinegar patina base really helped, so I can't thank you enough for the video.
Try citric acid rather than vinegar to do the same but without the smell. I suggest rinsing with sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the acid and avoid rust spots.
@@dimmacommunication If you’re not heating it up, then yes. You can do this without heat, just let a knife sit for 1-3 days depending on the color you want to achieve.
@@dimmacommunication In this case you’re not heating it up to anywhere near hot enough to have to worry about that. You’d basically need to heat the blade directly with a flame for a while to worry about that.
I try cold vinagre for a night on a cold steel sr1 lite 8Cr13mov and it didn’t work. I also try mustard for a few hours and NOTHING! Can it be because I always coated my knife with CLP ?????? I did wash it and degrease it first.
Interesting, it could be that the knife has a coating on the metal? Some cold steel axe heads are painted black or silver? I say try boiling the viniger.
@@402grizzAnd? If you take care of your knives why would this be an issue unless you used it by the sea and couldn't maintain it? Maybe a stainless blade would be a good investment in this case.
This does not seem to work on stainless steels. If the vinegar has any effect at all on 440 or 8cr13mov steels, it's so little it must take days rather than minutes or hours to achieve a patina, if ever.
the poster of this video said in another comment that he was able to apply the finish to chain mail although it must have been carbon rings, as you said it dosent work for stainless but ferric chloride would
Lol at naturally and really cheap. Any carbon steel blade will get a natural patina all you need to do is use your knife. What old timers did that back in what days?
You are creating a controlled barrier between the air and metal. It is rusting is a sense. All metal coloration/preservation techniques work this way short of metal plating and spraying a sealant on it. Browning, bluing, and gray patina all use acids. If you brown a gun barrel you have to wipe the rust scaling off after every coat/treatment. The goal is to "rust" it once so it doesn't rust in the future. Its also in this case not the same as iron oxide.
6thank you for taking the time to
Produce this UA-cam. I appreciated the very simple straight forward way you present the content. No magic, no mystery. Just, as Nike says, do it.
:17 You do understand that vinegar is actually acetic acid, right. It’s very dilute (regular vinegar is 3%) but an acid nonetheless. And when you heat it, as you say it is as if you increased the potency several times. The black color is actually a think layer of rust. Black rust, however, not orange/red. In another situation it might be called patina.
Rust is to metal coloration what weeds are to a home’s lawn or garden. Rust is unwanted coloration (unwanted plants) in the metal (in the yard). But both patina and rust are caused by a chemical change to the surface material. Rust usually indicates (like weeds in your yard) a lack of care. Patinas are usually caused purposefully.
Don’t be misled, the black oxide caused by the vinegar is attacking the metal surface. It may take hours in the pot, but it will damage the metal just as not caring for the metal in a wet environment will caused rusting, and putting.
I've also had great success just leaving the objects in cold vinnegar overnight. This is great, thanks
Does it make the same result?
Jeez, half the comments here are pointing out to FullMetalAmerican that he doesn't have to heat the vinegar. If you would simply watch the video, he explains 400 times that the heating is done to speed up the process. Yes, yes, and more yes, you can get the same patina by soaking it in cold vinegar overnight. To reiterate: If you want to patina your blade in 5 minutes, heat the vinegar. If for some reason you can't or won't heat it, soak it in cold vinegar overnight.
As for another common comment: Yes, it is food safe. The vinegar is neutralized and the blade is carefully washed after the process, thus no more vinegar. Would you expect that the knife could cause food to taste like a forging hammer? Of course not. That process is way over and done with by the time the knife cuts any food.
Additionally, and in support of your comment, take any carbon steel kitchen knife (Chicago Cutlery, for example) cut a ripe tomato and don’t rinse off the knife. Then the next day cut an apple and eat it. You will taste the iron that has rusted from the acid in the tomato. The apple will taste like crap but it is perfectly edible. No harm done, and you will learn the wisdom of your mother (or your dad) telling you, clean up after yourself, as you go along in the kitchen. Or, maybe, next time buy Cutco knives.
Greeeeat method with instant results! Thanks a lot mate! Made my mora 711 look like a killer 😮😄 And will protect it through all my work during daytime. Wow!! 👌🏻💪🏻👍🏻 Bravo!!
Nice I just ordered a bunch of green river blanks and wanted to put a patina on them and this is the first video I saw with the same blade ! Cool video thanks
I appreciate the video you made and sharing knowledge!!!
I've liked and subscribed...
Good job. Looks neat. Imma try it tonight on one of my knoves i made.
best step by step explaination.thanks for making the video
Great video. Very well done. I will be doing this method for my pipe tomahawk. Thank you.
Great educational video.
Thank you for making this video, does the process affect the edge on the blade?
No my blade was razor sharp when done.
I usually need to touch up the edge, have heard nail polish on the edge will protect it but I don’t bother. Good Strop and it’s good to go.
*Thanks for the tip ...................................................So the geese smelled the vinegar ???*
I love the smell! Not a plugged nose in the house lol. Nice video!
what's wrong with you lol
@@WhuDhat lol! According to the wife, a lot! 🤣
Thank you for posting this my friend. It is so great to see this. I was looking at using Ferric chloride, but it's so harsh and worry about its ability to keep my knives food-safe (because that's my most dominant use of my pocket knives aside from using them as tools for opening boxes and cutting through cable (I work as an IT Engineer).
Anyways, I dunno if I missed this in the vid, but what steel did you use for this? I have 8CR13MOV pocket knives and AUS8, and various other stainless steels. Just curious what the steel blade was?
Also, when washing this, does the coating come off easily?
Thank you so much
I checked the manufacturer info on the steel type and it lists it as high carbon steel. Pretty broad lol. I have used this technique on many types of steel though. Including axe heads, mild steel, and even chain mail armor. The patina is very durable and does not come off easy.
@@FullMetalAmerican Thank you so much for your quick response, my friend! Okay, that's amazing to hear. So, here are a couple more questions for you, if you don't mind.
1) When doing this, would I need to use nail polish or some other kind of blocker for pocket knives on the places of the blade that interact with other metal components?
2)Do you have a time insight on how long an 8CR13MOV or AUS18 would need to be submerged for graying/black effect?
Btw, I subbed. I am really happy I found your video
This process "rustproof" a blade? How does it work?
I vinegarized my Green River Hunter last night. We'll see how it goes. Like it so far.
It essentially puts a layer between the metal and the air. Just like browning or blueing.
Well done!!! It came out really nice.
Few questions can you stonewash after the forced patina? And does it have to be a carbon steel knife?
A bit late to the party but yes you can.
And I guess it have to be carbon steel. Stainless steel will not rust/oxydize.
What do you think of me doing this to my Magazines?
With the vinegar does it matter if there’s two different forged temperatures on the steel will It patina The same color Unlike chloride acid
I'm okay with feric chloride and similar so long as the knife won't be used for hunting or food prep. This will be perfect for my kitchen cleaver build
Been cruising some of your videos! Good stuff!
You have a new subscriber buddy!!!!
does this weaken the blade?
Yes and no. If you leave it on it will rust. If you do the process properly and neutralize it, no. But the heat alone will not weaken it. Doesn't even get close to the heat needed.
will it work on D2 steel?
Nice job. Pretty sweet.
S35v also works?
Can I do this to cabinet knobs as well? Should I be removing finish from them before doing so?
Yes you can depending on the metal. I would remove any finish.
is there a way to reverse the process and go back to a shiny patina?
Just need to polish the metal again.
@@FullMetalAmerican with sandpaper or is there a polish you recommend?
I would use the finest steel wool you can find with ballistol. Then maybe some never-dull. I would not use sand paper it will leave scratch marks if it isn't ultra fine grit.
@@FullMetalAmerican thank you brother for the knowledge drop... i will try that!
You can use liquid gun blue, works so well
Will it darken 15n20 mono steel?
Could this also work heat-free if I let it set in vinegar over night? Living in an apartment atm haha
It will have an effect, works well to age brass.
I used vinegar to darken clear grinded steel parts it creates sorta matt light grey finish to them over 3 nights soaked in ot
Does the patina scratch off easily?
No not at all.
Can I finish it by stone wash?
If its the same as the ferric chloride echting
Would it booger up hardware? Like the screw threads? I would guess not but i dont want to be unsure and mess it up
if the screws are removable, I suggest doing that. The screws can be patinaed without problem, you just need to make sure they are properly cleaned of residue after.
Would this remove the temper of a knife?
No it doesn't get that hot.
What happens if ya don’t use heat ! It works on carbon steel but what about stainless?
Will take alot longer I would say.
Can we do it on a handgun?
If it is unfinished, it would likely be possible. However be sure not to remove any proofing marks or numbers. Also I strongly discourage you from doing this to a barrel or any part of a firearm that may be put under pressure.
I have a tomahawk head that just will not patina.
It's 1055 steel, I did two 24 hour sessions of citristrip wrapped in a plastic bag each time. Then steel wool, and 180grit sandpaper. Ending with non chlorinated brake cleaner and hot water rinse.
I've boiled it in White Distilled Vinegar for hour and hours. It is essentially unchanged in appearance.
What the heck? Lol.
Great video though.
It's either got a seal like paint on it or it's stainless would be my guess. A lot of companies are putting sealant layers on them now.
@@FullMetalAmerican
It definitely had a clear coat on it, which was a pain to completely remove.
It's a really light 1055 carbon steel, and I did get it a little bit darker, from an almost silver to a satin light-gray... Even after leaving it in hot vinegar overnight on my grill... Twice.
However, mustard seems to be doing the trick, a method I found in an old Yankee Magazine article.
I'm on my 2nd coat, and it's really darkening now.
The vinegar patina base really helped, so I can't thank you enough for the video.
Try citric acid rather than vinegar to do the same but without the smell. I suggest rinsing with sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the acid and avoid rust spots.
Tried citric acid ,vinegar etc..
but not results... do I need like 10 hours ?
@@dimmacommunication If you’re not heating it up, then yes. You can do this without heat, just let a knife sit for 1-3 days depending on the color you want to achieve.
@@Προμηθεύς-β1β Yes I know that , but isn't heat bad for the blade ?
I mean the hardness and other properties ?
@@dimmacommunication In this case you’re not heating it up to anywhere near hot enough to have to worry about that. You’d basically need to heat the blade directly with a flame for a while to worry about that.
What is the 5th step? what did you use? I am sorry not very good at listening
The last steps are washing off the vinegar with very hot water and then oiling it with a natural oil and cloth.
@@FullMetalAmerican thank you
Would this damage gold? I have a gold and Damascus ring i want to darken but dont want to damage the gold portion.
I am not sure what the effect would be. It might even clean the metal. Copper for instance can be cleaned with viniger.
If anything it may tarnish the gold but you can polish it back up.
Will this work on an unhardened blade?
It should work.
what blade steel?
What did it do to ur chainmaille ⛓️ 🔗??? I'm asking as my chainmaille is sitting in apple cider vinegar 🤦♂️
I tried using it on chainmail and I had a bad rust reaction. I heated mine up a lot and didn't oil directly after rinse. Always oil ⛓️
Does it loose the harden part of the blade?
No, it's not hot enough to do that.
I try cold vinagre for a night on a cold steel sr1 lite 8Cr13mov and it didn’t work. I also try mustard for a few hours and NOTHING!
Can it be because I always coated my knife with CLP ?????? I did wash it and degrease it first.
Interesting, it could be that the knife has a coating on the metal? Some cold steel axe heads are painted black or silver? I say try boiling the viniger.
Can the patina be sanded off?
Yes
can you use malt vinegar?
It would likely work fine as long as the acidity is high enough.
Would the same methods work for cable Damascus steel?
I believe it would.
😇mygreathanks and blessings
Or you could just use it?
Do you have any idea how long it takes a knife to develop into that level of a patina? We're talking decades
@@402grizzAnd? If you take care of your knives why would this be an issue unless you used it by the sea and couldn't maintain it? Maybe a stainless blade would be a good investment in this case.
Does it have to be ballistol oil? Would household vegetable oil work?
Yes it would work.
on a folding knife, any tips on how to mask off areas i dont want to patina ? (pivot area) ? Thanks !
I'm pretty sure nail polish works I've seen it done in other videos
or just disassemble
This does not seem to work on stainless steels. If the vinegar has any effect at all on 440 or 8cr13mov steels, it's so little it must take days rather than minutes or hours to achieve a patina, if ever.
Doesn't work well on stainless.
Only works for carbon steel. That's why it didn't work on chainmail. It's mostly stainless steel.
the poster of this video said in another comment that he was able to apply the finish to chain mail although it must have been carbon rings, as you said it dosent work for stainless but ferric chloride would
wow. you can do this on guns. cool.
Lol at naturally and really cheap. Any carbon steel blade will get a natural patina all you need to do is use your knife. What old timers did that back in what days?
basically what you are doing here is accelerating the rusting process not preventing it.
You are creating a controlled barrier between the air and metal. It is rusting is a sense. All metal coloration/preservation techniques work this way short of metal plating and spraying a sealant on it. Browning, bluing, and gray patina all use acids. If you brown a gun barrel you have to wipe the rust scaling off after every coat/treatment. The goal is to "rust" it once so it doesn't rust in the future. Its also in this case not the same as iron oxide.
*There is no need to heat the vinegar.*
Heating the viniger speeds up the reaction and deepens the patina.
@larry cumba Color and strength.
Coke would have done a better job.
Why all the unnecessary talking????
Communication is important?
I’d be worried about overheating and damaging the heat treatment