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Old 08-10-2016, 09:25 AM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Now live in Las Cruces NM.
Posts: 1,345
Smile I like a nice blued finish, but some alloys don't take a nice blue.

I tend to blue all my carbon steel knives that take a nice blue and a bunch of my tools including a small 4lb anvil, it provides some measure of rust resistance, but will wear off and rust if used or not oiled and taken care of. I've etched stainless by leaving it in a salt-vinegar brine for a few days, looks like a splotchy stone wash finish. Ray is right though, you just have to take care of them.

If I take O1 to a mirror polish I always blue it. When you take it outside it's hard to tell what color it is because it is so reflective. O1 is a little harder to blue evenly and takes about three blues. The last application is done with fine 000 steel wool and rubbed vigorously into the metal and it helps to warm the metal to where it feels hot in your hand. Works for me and helps quite bit to get an even finish, then wax with a non abrasive wax and oil. I treat my sheaths with Birchwood Casey gun stock wax on the inside and spray Rem teflon oil in there as well. This will darken the outside by the way a bit, but my knives never rust in the sheaths as long as they don't get wet and left in there. I always print out instructions on proper care of a non-stainless knife and waterproof sheath or not I tell them to not store the knife or axe in the sheath long-term.
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