Previously I have spread regular mustard onto the blade, wrapped it all in plastic food wrap, and left it overnight. Being somewhat worn out after work, and thinking about the 10 stairs I would need to ascend to reach the mustard in the kitchen, I decided instead to grab some vinegar from the cold room in the basement and fill a Nalgene partially with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.
I put the knife up to the hilt in the liquid and left it for 36 hours.
I took it out, wipped it with a paper towel and lo and behold I had a nice, rich looking patina. My fingerprints were evident in the coating - next time I will clean the blade with a bit of methanol etc... prior to treating it.
Although I didn't take any photographs of the metal prior to treatment, I am comparing it with a laminated steel Mora (the blade contains rich carbon steel in the middle - hardness about 59/60, sandwiched between slightly tougher, lower carbon steel laminate strips).
Cheers,
Mungo
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Great post, Mungo. Very informative on blueing, which, before reading, I knew nothing about. I'll be curious to hear how the finish holds up. Maybe you could do a follow-up post in a month or so?
Hello Mungo,
A very informative post, like Tim I'd also like to know how this stands the test of time.
Regards,
John
Nice trick :)
awesome info dude
Mungo, excellent post! I carry and have owned Mora knives for over fifty years. The first one was when i was about seven years old and saw and ad in the back of one of Dad's Esquire Magazines for a Swedish Mora knife for 100.00 And that included postage...Got it some months later, found it razor sharp, and handy. To this day, I have them to skin/clean out my game of all sizes. I've always bought the cheapies, now about 10 bucks a piece, but have learned of a dealer in NY that stocks every one ever made along with sheaths, so maybe I'll upgrade! And I'll try your method because mine are pitted and rusted except for the section of the cutting edge that I keep sharp. Thanks! Jack
Neat trick. I'll have to try that.
Very nice. Question: Do you need to do anything to "stop" the oxidation process other than remove and wipe the blade?
Good question, Farmee...
I'll put it this way. Aluminum rusts in the blink of an eye, forming an invisible layer that excludes oxygen from the surface. You won't see aluminum often rusting to 'bits' because once the initial layer is formed, it stops further rusting from occuring. Same thing happens with Magnesium, and many other metals - Sodium included. All of this initial layering of rust, followed by a statis in oxidation is contingent on the rust molecules occupying space no larger than the original metal structure, or at the very least causing a non-structurally-disruptive layer to remain.
Red rust, as we typically know of rust on iron, disrupts the surface. A molecule of red rust occupies a larger volume, and pushes and pulls the initial layer until it crumbles, revealing fresh iron beneath to be oxidized. So basically, long answer is behind you now. Short answer is - nothing more is needed. The conditions to allow black rust to form were created by the wet vinegar/water solution. The rust layer was formed, and I suspect you could leave the knife in there for a year and it wouldn't significantly rust anymore.
Phew.
Nice one Mungo.
i've always used Clove oil to stop my knife from rusting but find it doesn't last very long. in preparation for camping trip next week I followed your instructions and blued my Mora Clipper. I used malt vinegar as that's all I had in the house. I left it to "soak" for 2 days. and it came out spot on. a lovely shade of bluew/black. only problem I had was the smell of the vinegar. not nice. but a quick wipe over with Clove oil and it now smells lovely.
be advised: I do not condone the smelling of knives in any way!
Thanks Mungo,
Chris.
Very nice. Question: Do you need to do anything to "stop" the oxidation process other than remove and wipe the blade?
awesome info dude
Hello Mungo,
A very informative post, like Tim I'd also like to know how this stands the test of time.
Regards,
John
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