Pickling

There's a little bit of a "debate" on the Captain's knife build between having a stainless blade and a "pickled" carbon blade. Although I have taken the stainless side, I do like the look of the pickled blades that I have seen -- looks a lot like blueing (sp.?) to me. I have tried pickling a couple of my Case folders using a 50/50 vinegar/water solution and leaving the blade in the solution overnight. When I removed the blade, much of the blue or dark coloration wiped off with a paper towel but a light coating remained and it does seem to help against rust and I also just like the look of it. But, I don't think I did a particularly good job of pickling.

Based on some of the posts from the build topic, it looks like there might be several ways to pickle a blade. I have searched the forum for a thread about pickling and didn't find one -- just references to pickling here and there on various threads. Sooooo, I thought I would start this one to get some input especially about how to go about pickling a blade. Anyone willing to share some wisdom on this? Thanks.

Captain Chris has it perfected! I have a #8 I am gonna have thumb notches added to. After I get it back it's going directly into a jar. I will let you know how it turns out, but seeing his in person I am pretty confident it will look great!

I recently pickled one of my Model 5's and it turned out a little weird in that there is a real difference in how some of the blade came out very much darker than the rest of the blade. You can even feel where it changes color. Not sure if this indicates a heat or temper difference or something else. I used a rust eraser to see if I could even out the color but didn't make any difference. I may get the blade buffed out some or try some steel wool on it. Anyone else had this situation?

Pap

Hey Jim,

When I see a knife that has been tampered with, I immediately think the owner is trying to hide something. Just not my cup of tea!

This is what I know about being pickled...... vitameatavegamin!

Many different ways to get pickled huh Bill?

Mike -- Mine also came out a little uneven but I was probably doing it wrong. I was hoping to get a little advice on the process. For a carbon EDC or user, it seems like it might be a good option.

Mine "always" come out uneven. That's what I like about them! Ever seen a single-action Colt with only one, nice, even, non-mixed color case hardening? (& folks pay a boatload of money for them)
The bottom line, to me anyway, is getting the blade very clean and a little warm..then...just add pickle juice! I stick the blade, up to the hilt in pickle, Spanish olive, etc. juice and check it every few minutes. Usually you'll see the results you want. An earlier post (I think by Steve) showed a more consistent coverage with 100% vinegar. yeah? OK...whatever. Mine works and that's all I care about.
Good luck, Capt. Chris

Thanks Captain. I guess it really is as simple as it sounds except maybe for different folks using somewhat different pickling juice formulas and processes to get the effect they prefer.

OK members,
Here ya' go. I am still in the process of finishing this pickling project for a customer in New York. I will try and get this done in as few steps (photos) as possible. If ya'll have any questions, give a shout-out!
1st: Starting with a #7-4 1/2", thumb notches...(added a wrist thong and a waxed sheath, per the customer's request).
2nd: After un-wrapping I simply washed the blade real good with warm dish soap and water.
Capt. Chris

Single action Colt

...as you can see, it's good-n-shiny clean and ready to pickle! I use a "real" water glass, marking the approx. hilt line, once the knife in in the glass...(no sense muckin' up hilt real bad)...then I add the pickle juice (In this case- Pepperoncini juice) to the high water mark!
Best, Capt. Chris

...Changing the position of the knife, every now-n-then...you can see the results at 15 and then 30 minutes...
Best, Capt. Chris

....All done...All in...Total time, from start-to-finish was 1 hour! I took a small Randall pocket hone and touched up the edge after washing the knife. It's a done deal! If you are not crazy with this look you can:
* Leave it in longer or shorter, giving it more or less "darkness"
* Sell your carbon knife and order one in stainless steel!
This will give my customer some very functional use for the rest of his life. Hope ya'll enjoyed the trip.
Stay sharp, Capt. Chris

That was AWESOME Capt.! Thank you for the break down and the photos. =)

I have done this to a 1055 carbon tomahawk but just used boiling vinegar, no need to worry about the handle or the heat treat so I just tossed the whole thing in the pot, boiled it some, turned it off and walked away, came back a few hours later and it was all good, but I did then need to touch up the edge to a mirror finish once more, no it's not consistent colouring but it still looks good and weathered.

I tried the pickle juice years ago. Yes it does turn the blade dark, but also blotchy. Some of this may be due to oil left in the steel. Tried several times more and gave up. Each time I rubbed off the oxidation with 1000 grit non woven grey Scotchbright pad, it came right off down to original finish.
So last year I started using a little 21 for boning out a turkey carcass and don't you know it's now got a nice patina and it's part of my turkey disassemble kit.

Yes, thanks Captain for taking the time to do this. Knife looks great!

My son "pickled" his one night at the deer camp, cutting and eating his steak....next day, it was toned....
:-)Rocky

Before I found out about the Pickle juice trick, I would eat a few apples by slicing them with a new carbon Randall. However, I did not wipe off the Apple juice from the blade. Let it sit over night and then used hot water to clean it. After 2-3 apples, I felt better health wise and the blade had a patina.

Pap

I've tried the pickle juice method and like it. It left the mottled surface on the blade and helped to cure my not wanting to use the new knife because its too nice, "illness". The pickling seems to wear off somewhat as the knife blade is handled and cleaned over time. Anyone notice this?

Once, when I had just bought a knife out of the display case, I recall Pete Hamilton telling me to go out in back of the Randall shop, pick and orange and cut it up with the new blade to "season" the carbon blade. Another time he told me to get a tomato and cut it in half. Then, slice up half of it to make a sandwich for my lunch. Next, take the other half of the tomato and crush and squeeze it all over the blade. This would serve to season that blade, too.

My blade O-1 very quickly darkened, when I cut melon.
I think also a good way, but first it is necessary to degrease the blade as advised by captain,that there are no spots after

Hey Cap,

That's great! Thanks for showing the steps.

But ...

If I ever ask ya to do this foe me, PLEASE use ITALIAN peppers!!!!!

Grazie!

Why Italian Peppers Tony???

It's a "GUMBA-THING"!
Capt. Chris

Yep!

Soooooooooooo, I pickled my #8 Old Style last Thursday. I followed the Captains instructions on this thread. I let it marinate for about an hour and 35 minutes. It came out GREAT!!! Capt. saw it on Saturday and can vouch for that.

Like the true clown I am I forgot to take an after picture, and the knife is at the Gutcher getting a lefty sheath. So when it returns to me I will post 1 up.

But, if you are interested in doing this everything Captain Chris posted is EXACTLY what to do. It only cost me a $2 jar of pickles from Wally. I will do it again on future Carbon blades as it looks great.

Can you still eat the pickles?

Split 1 between my pugz, the rest in the trash!

That's a terrible waste of perfectly good pickles. And, for what? Just to make your knife blade look "awesome". This country is just going to hell in a hand basket. Shameful.

Hello,
I often make a forced patina on my blades from 2442 or 01, helps to prevent rust and looks... cool
Important to clean the blade very good with soap, acetone etc.
I use hot water with added vinegar, the blade will start to bubble and within a 5 mins it will turn dark.
The 01 will not turn black, but grey (my 2442 will turn dark grey).
I whipe off some the patina and repeat, maybe use some steel wool. If you repeat this several times, it will come out an even dark grey patina.

Regards
Nicolas

The pickling topic reminded me that in the food industry etc. there are commercial procedures for passivating metal products--aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, and carbon steel.

Anyone who wants to read more about this process might check out the links within this website: http://citrisurf.com/whatis.htm?gclid=CMHT9Yji_80CFQ6EaQod8-MBPg

It is interesting that this site points to advantages in using citric acid over nitric acid because the nitric acid is more aggressive toward attacking the metals in the structure that is being treated. And the posts here point out that citric acid in fruit does a good job.

Makes me think that if I want to pickle a knife I will just juice some lemons ["lemons and limes have the most citric acid"]. Cleaning the blade thoroughly with soap and hot water, heating the picking solution a bit, and constantly stirring the solution would probably give a more uniform result and also speed the reaction

And bluing (as on firearms) is a version of passivation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)

For practical purposes, while these processes offer some (small) measure of protection against rust, the experts recommend application of oil to block oxidation even of the treated surfaces. Think of your guns, and you get the idea.*

One lesson to take away is that carbon steel knives still need to be maintained, even after they are "pickled" or blued. A soap and hot water cleaning, wiping dry and allowing the hot blade to finish air drying, then a protective coat applied--the blade will probably last several lifetimes.

Larry

*A side note. On a mountain elk hunt, we endured a long day of just about solid rain. That evening in camp, I wiped down my Weatherby and made sure it was ready for the next day's hunting. I did not find any evidence of rust on the gun. However, other hunters were carrying Remingtons, Winchesters, whatever, and they all had rust staining on their barrels and bolts that evening. I never looked into the alloy used in the Weatherby or the finish they used on it, but whatever the facts--they did make a more rust resistant firearm!

The key is in the name... Weather. .by...

Good info Larry thanks.

Not to take away from your "Weatherhby", however I doubt that a little "surface" rust would have deprived the aforementioned firearms from their assigned task!!
I still like the "pickling" seems simple...simple is good!!!
guns are guns....most do what they are supposed to do...when you alter them(guns), they tend to get better than the shooter....only an observation....
:-)Rocky

I recently worked on small damascus parts, and at first I could not get a good drawing, then I realized that I always made one mistake. It was about one little thing that turned out to have an impact.

Then I think it will be interesting for you to hear about my etching error - while etching damascus, after acid treatment, I washed it in running water - the pattern was not very contrasting and there was a lot of black dirt when I cleaned the surface [this black mud has already been mentioned here earlier]. The drawing was dark and not persistent, although I did everything according to the instructions. But then I found another instruction from one of our master on damask steel, there was a note that after etching, acid residues should be neutralized in a strong solution of baking soda. Then I immersed the parts again in an acid solution and then immediately into a baking soda solution, the reaction turned out to be interesting - a lot of bubbles and pink foam))) But the most important thing is that after processing with soda, the drawing became resistant, that is, rubbish and very little remains on the rag, and the drawing is also contrasting!

And about this point that the drawing is not persistent, if you do not use baking soda or other alkali to neutralize the acid, is not mentioned anywhere at all. Perhaps this was done on purpose so that people do not know this and turn to professional etchers for help, who do not explain what they are doing.

Once I etched a knife in vinegar, I did not like the fact that after processing the surface became rough and creaked when I cut bread or something flaky and dry.

I think now I know how to do it correctly - first I need to polish the knife [In the case of the Randall, this is not required, since it is already perfectly polished], then degrease well with alcohol and gasoline, then dip it for a for the required time in a suitable acid (vinegar, sour plant juices, ferric chloride, nitric, hydrochloric, sulfuric, etc.) and then dip in a strong baking soda solution, then do not rinse with water, but soak with hot machine oil [I like sewing machine oil] so that it is absorbed into the surface irregularities. Then you can make a light polish, if everything is done correctly, then the patina will not easily come off, she will be persistent =)