Douk-Douk with mustard/vinegar patina

[MatthewVanitas]

Read about this on BladeForums, so decided to try it out on my El Baraka.

This one had two long soakings in 9% Acidity vinegar, then two 10hr coatings of French's Yellow Mustard. Then polished with a rag and re-oiled.

For reference, the white carbon-steel blade used to be almost as shiny as the nickel-plated grip. Now it's taken on a nice smokey patina. If you play with it right, you can get a full case-coloring effect, but I'm awfully lazy.

 

[gpdawg]

try using mexican hot sauce.leave it on for a few days.

 

[CWL]

Use BIrchwood Casey Liquid Blue.

Wipe it on, wash it off. Buff with steel wool, oil it and you're done.

No need to play with your condiments for days. Some of the food vinegars can actually etch-up your knife blade pretty badly.

 

[hso]

CWL,

The intent is to "age" the knife, not put a rust resitant finish on the blade. French's Mustard is near magical for doing the job (sometimes "black" magic if left on too long).

 

[gdvan01]

MV did a pretty good job, I have one of his efforts.

;-)

 

[joab]

One of the old tricks in producing ersatz antiques was to soak it in urine
Doesn't taste as good as mustard but is usually cheaper and easier to get in quantity

 

[hso]

joab,

You're not supposed to lick the blade clean after treatment!

 

[UberAmerican]

Just use it!

You want to "age" a Douk-Douk? just leave it in your pocket and use it for awhile. Nature takes it's course. A couple of years of cheese, salami, (horseradish really stains the blade and handle, but goes on salami and cheddar sooooo well ) Peanut butter and jelly (the point above the blade clip helps to scoop up and spread the jelly... a brilliant design!) Mayo, onions, basic pic-nic and lunch box duties. Add to this cutting tape, rope, scoring an occasional sheet of drywall, picking rocks out of tire treads, cutting open packages..... I could go on all day, but I think that just honest use of this knife (or any carbon steel knife that's not kept polished and oiled) leaves a distinctive "fingerprint" on the blade that reflects its uses... ( ie- drywall and even your fingers opening and closing the knife polishes some areas, and other uses stains, blues and/or browns the steel in an unpredictable pattern ( just don't leave it wet after cleaning.. rust reflects poorly on a man who should respect and take care of his tools!) No artificial mustard plasters needed, but if that's your thing, enjoy! It's still a sort of free country! BTW, I view the Douk-Douk as a utility knife, not a weapon as such.

 

[bikerdoc]

MV,

Thanks for adding to the toolbox of tricks.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Oldie

Just a note -- Matthew wrote that two years ago.

He's been off gallivanting around the world since then, so it's quite possible he's not currently viewing.

Just sayin' . . .

 

[bikerdoc]

OOPS!

 

[UberAmerican]

Then again, it's also possible he is! -- Didn't mean to splash water on a mummified topic, but sooner or later, everyone browses for how Douk-Douks and various relishes and condiments interact.

 

[Mike U.]

Then again, it's also possible he is! -- Didn't mean to splash water on a mummified topic, but sooner or later, everyone browses for how Douk-Douks and various relishes and condiments interact.

They do?
Why didn't I get the memo on this?

Mustard patinas are a very good way to "season" straight Carbon Steel blades. If I can remember to make it back here later today I'll post a couple of my experiments. I was looking for a way to force age a couple of blades and the mustard did a good job. Follow it with a quick dose of cold gun blue and voila!

 

[Coyote3855]

I'd like to know where that particular version of the Douk is available. The only ones I've found have different markings and a black grip.

 

[gb6491]

I'd like to know where that particular version of the Douk is available.

I had very good results when dealing with these folks:
http://www.artemis-cutlery.com/pocket_knives_douk_douk3.htm
They carry just about every version.
Regards,
Greg

 

[Coyote3855]

Thanks, Greg.