Patina poll

[chinacats]

For those of you who do not patina, how do you 'stabilize' the knife to eliminate discoloration and smells?

 

[Customfan]

I have another question... What food generates which colors?

Ive done citrics, mustard, red meat protein patinas but I am interested in finding out what kind of foods, reactivity or ph generates which colors on diferent steels...

Thanks!

 

[Cutty Sharp]

Hi Guys - maybe you can look at another thread for this, though I've hardly read more than a bit of it. Try checking: http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/299-My-favorite-color-is-BLUE!-A-patina-thread

 

[Benuser]

Depending on steel reactivity, smell and finish, I force a heavier or lighter patina, fooling with different vinegars, mustards, cold or hot...
And I want the patina to feel smooth and look shiny.

 

[Cutty Sharp]

Thanks for the responses so far, guys. (I doubt any of you have been girls, but can't tell for sure.)

Benuser, customfan - sounds like I should put you down for pro-patina. Chinacats you have already said you are.

Right, so the tally so far...

11 who generally like patinas
6 who say it depends on the blade, with no patina single-bevels preferred
9 who seem generally to prefer no patina

Almost equal so far!

 

[JasonD]

patina, hides my bad sharpening.

What he said ^
Plus the blue looks sweet.

 

[Andrew H]

Patina all the way.

 

[Sara@JKI]

no patina... i'm trying to understand it and appreciate it though. but coming from japan it's hard to personally "like/love" it. i've never seen japanese chefs (both in traditional japanese restaurant and all others) with knives with patina. Shiner and well-kept their knives are, i more credit i automatically give for the chefs.

 

[Sara@JKI]

It's very interesting to me that (some?) Asian cultures perceive patina as a hygiene issue...how do they feel about carbon steel cookware? or cast iron cookware?

I can only speak for the case in Japan, but there even carbon cookwares are kept really really well. they use those cookwares for things that are designed for, and thus preserving them in a good condition for a long long time... for instance, we have traditional "imono"(cast-metal objects) cookwares, and they are often used to boil water for traditional tea ceremonies. Not only people take great care, but also these cookwares contribute to the flavor (and probably nutrients such as iron) of green tea. Another example would be a square copper pan for cooking eggs. They are carbon, but by following instruction for how to care for it, you won't see rust....

 

[panda]

definitely pro patina. reactivity is a VERY big drawback to carbon, and anything that reduces it is a win. does anyone know how to force a black patina on cladding? i know the core steel can get dark, but what about soft iron and stuff.

 

[Fran Rendina]

No patina, but how do you keep your carbon from getting a patina? Some say flitz,

 

[Brad Gibson]

never let the knife gain patina. it shows that you do not care for your tools enough!

 

[toddnmd]

never let the knife gain patina. it shows that you do not care for your tools enough!

I don't think it's that simple. Patina doesn't necessarily indicate a lack of care. I like the protective coating of a patina. Aesthetically, it's a matter of taste. To each his own.

 

[split0101]

Not a huge fan of patina, however if I had to choose between natural vs forced patina, I would choose natural.

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

never let the knife gain patina. it shows that you do not care for your tools enough!

Meh. Some knives, like Shigefusa and Kato, need a protective patina or they are too reactive with certain foods.

Having a patina on your blade does not indicate you are not caring for your tools.

Rick

 

[stevenStefano]

never let the knife gain patina. it shows that you do not care for your tools enough!

Yeah sure. And just stop eating a load of things you would have before

 

[stereo.pete]

Yeah sure. And just stop eating a load of things you would have before

+1

 

[Benuser]

Should I really remove the patina from my Hiromoto's?? And Dave's etching as an example of poor care??

 

[Timthebeaver]

If you dislike patina, maybe stainless is for you. IMO not all patina is created equal. A well-established patina on a monosteel hagane knife is a lot different to someone's "orange patina" on their soft iron-clad san mai.

 

[aaamax]

A clean, shiny, highly polished carbon blade is beautiful. But I like using my blades in all situations and never want to have to switch to stainless. Try processing a case of pineapple without patina and your nose will cry bloody murder. There is no way around it that I know of.

 

[panda]

i intentionally not care for my carbon tools enough. i dont want them to get clingy or anything..

 

[Lefty]

Old thread, but I like it.

I love a good patina. If I didn't, I'd likely use stainless, because there are some great ones out there now. As Rick mentioned, with a Shige, for example, you basically need a patina so you don't taint your food. And I love my Shige!

 

[Justin0505]

I usually take my blades to pretty high polish: either mirror or close to it and then watch the natural patina develop. I like they way that very smooth sided blades cut/ move through food, but don't mind if they're not shiny.
I've played around with etching my stainless clad, damy, or highly reactive blades.
Periodically, if a patina stops looking interesting or gets an attractive patch, I'll polish it back up and start over.

 

[Chuckles]

Putting a patina on a carbon blade is like trying a new hairstyle on a Barbie Doll.

 

[Chuckles]

Wow. I wish I remembered the thought process that got me to that post.