The patina comes from a reaction between the iron in the steel and the tannins in the tea. Tannins are used for "tannin" leather and are to blame when your apples turn brown after they're sliced. Same sort of principal applies when dissolving #0000 fine steel wool or rusty nails in vinegar or water and then using the resulting solution as a wood stain. The iron in solution reacts with the tannins in the wood to produce a nice dark stain similar to the patina formed on clean steel by the tannins in the tea.
@@seanthomasdowd boiled oak bark to patina metal or for making a stain with iron oxide? And acorns could be boiled also, you'd get some food out of it and have the tannin "tea"
It is a great technique and all the various comments about other forms of tannin are right on. One small enhancement is to add a couple of drops of lemon or orange juice in with the tea. Literally just a couple of drops! You want to give the tea a minuscule level of acidity to help the tannin bind with the steel. Too much acid will etch the steel and it won't look like patina. Also, the water you use is important, if it has chemicals (like municipal treated water) or well water with a lot of minerals it can impact the outcome. If in doubt use distilled water to brew the tea to get the pure effect of the tannin.
So glad I found this vid. I'm restoring an old DB head my F-I-L had tossed in the corner of his garage decades ago - broken haft still in the eye. I soaked it in vinegar off and on for about three days to get through the rust, it worked but, like you said, it's too shiny and it's lost its character. I was thinking about rust bluing it but I like your idea better, it keeps that old, vintage, working man's axe look.
killinger sent me over..he said I would like your channel. .he was right. .this was awesome, I can't way to try it..so glad I was sent in this direction. .
That's a new one on me! Certainly looks great. I sometimes let a surface rust build up on shiny axes and hit them with Rust Converter (not Rust Remover), that makes a nice blue-black finish. I imagine chopping into green Oak would lead to some nice patina as it is very acidic...what do you think Billy?
This is cool. Nice grey, way better than that shine it had. I usually use a steel brush on my axes weekly, over time this creates a really dark, blackish, patina that work as rust protection as well.
Also i used white venigar boiling for my hatchet but u can also do apple cider venigar and if u want stone wash put it in a tumbler. Makes pretty neet effects. Love craftmasship Great looking axe head . Billy
That is pretty slick and surprisingly it doesn't just wipe off. I like to blacken the plastics on my saws, which I use Rite clothing dye and slightly boiling water, only takes a few minutes and it doesn't come off or scratch off (like spray paint would). I wonder if it would work as well. Stay sharp and stay safe my friends.
Yes, I get sidetracked also whenever I see some pull-cords. Drives me nuts when I can't give them a yank. I swear it's an incurable disease, but I'm proud to have it.
DANG!!!!!! I love that!!!! Now the question, Black tea, Green tea, Earl Grey tea or Chinese tea....I sure hope you made iced tea with the brew when you were done......Have a great day!
I've been watching some of the older videos this one about using tea for a pateana. I learned from my grandpap, boil some black walnuts in a wash tub with our traps it would blackin them and slow down the rust. Try it out on a piece of scrap see what you think .
I always use the vinegar soak to get the rust off. To get the colour back to original I use Birchwood Casey's Super Blue. It's an easy wipe on application made for rebuking firearms.
Turned out really nice I used Mustard on my Bushcraft knife same result I wiped it down in alcohol air dry to remove oils then used 3 treatments an hour at a time with the Mustard / could also use potatoes they work good no need to boil anything and doesn’t take days
Find a nice spot in your yard that has some really nice black topsoil,dig a hole about 2-21/2" deep and take your axe head and bury it with a couple of pieces of nice cleaned copper,silver is better but copper works too but make sure they are touching(the axe head and the copper/silver.leave em in there for a month or more,but not more than 2 months.afterwards dig it up and it should have a nice patina on it.
did you use the Vinegar and water solution? If so you might try not leaving it in as long and that may help it to not get so shinny also use more water and less vinegar might work. That is if you decide to try it again
Id bet that giving the piece a sanding or even hitting it hard with some emery clothe and then degreasing it before dunking it in your tea would give a bit if a better finish if anyone tries this
Can I do this with the handle still attached? I'm wondering if I can tape up the handle where it'd get wet, I don't think I'd be able to remove the handle and put it back on
