All About Pocket Knives

I picked up this Moore Maker 3103LBB locking Sodbuster as a working knife. I usually carry it as a secondary knife to my main pocket-clip EDC, but sometimes as a primary EDC; it's carried in a sheath most of the time.

The knife came with a 1095 blade that was sharp and shiny, but I longed for that aged look. So yesterday, I added patina to the knife. Here is the routine I used and the results.

1. Cleaned blade with alcohol to remove oils, etc.
2. Insert blade into a Blood Orange fresh off the tree.
3. Every 20 minutes, remove blade and reinsert into the blood orange.
4. Total time in the orange was 1 hour.
5. Insert blade into a lime.
6. Every 15 minutes, remove blade and reinsert into the lime.
7. Total time in the lime, 45 minutes.
8. Using a Q-Tip dipped in white vinegar, rub blade vigorously. Let sit 2-3 minutes.
9. Repeat Q-Tip dipped in white vinegar with a new Q-Tip. Let sit 2-3 minutes.
10. Rinse with water.
11. Neutralize acid by submerging the knife in a water-baking soda mix.
12. Rinse with water.
13. Recoat knife metals with Pam cooking spray.

Here are the before and after pics:

No way I would ever do that to a knife. My 2 cents.

And in the news today, a knife collector was arrested for repeatedly assaulting citrus fruit. It is reported that he tried to remove evidence with vinegar but forensic said the evidence was impossible to hide.


Your approach seems to have worked.

doglegg wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 1:33 pm And in the news today, a knife collector was arrested for repeatedly assaulting citrus fruit. It is reported that he tried to remove evidence with vinegar but forensic said the evidence was impossible to hide.


Your approach seems to have worked.

I'm happy with the results and the experimental process.

OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 1:14 pm No way I would ever do that to a knife. My 2 cents.

I'm happy with the results.
I don't see the treatment as being any different than a blade being engraved or coated by the maker.

Jeepergeo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2026 2:37 pm 13. Recoat knife metals with Pam cooking spray.

Why the Pam cooking spray?

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 2:56 pm

Jeepergeo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2026 2:37 pm 13. Recoat knife metals with Pam cooking spray.

Why the Pam cooking spray?

I'm curious, as well.
That stuff gets gummy/sticky/nasty after a while.

I like the way the patina looks.
I no longer force a patina, but instead just use the knife and develope the patina naturally.
Cutting strawberries gives one a beautiful blue-ish patina!
As for oil, I like mineral oil for knives that I use on food. It is odorless, tasteless, and food safe. But everyone has their own favorites.

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 2:56 pm

Jeepergeo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 28, 2026 2:37 pm 13. Recoat knife metals with Pam cooking spray.

Why the Pam cooking spray?

Pam is what Moore Maker suggests. I like it for a knife that is likely to be used to cut food. It has never gummed up on my knives, likely due to their regular use.

I don't use Pam for longer-term storage.

I’ve never forced patina on a knife. But honestly I think yours turned out very well. I like it. Just my opinion

Runner 4 Knives wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2026 4:19 pm I’ve never forced patina on a knife. But honestly I think yours turned out very well. I like it. Just my opinion

Thanks. I was a bit of an experiment. I'd never heard of the process before starting to follow this site and thought I'd give it a try.

I bought a Case with the carbon steel blade that begin to rust and pit almost immediately. I cleaned it off thinking I had somehow got something on the blade while working in my shop. The rust and pitting came right back. I got some Birchwood Casey liquid bluing at the gun store. I diluted it with water, to about 30% strength. I use that to force the patina on the blade. It worked well and it stopped the rusting and pitting.
Normally I would not have tried to force the patina, but I needed the patina to protect the blade, which it did. I have had other Case knives with carbon steel blades that did not rust so fast. This is the first time I have had that happen on a brand new Case knife.

orvet wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2026 6:54 pm I bought a Case with the carbon steel blade that begin to rust and pit almost immediately. I have had other Case knives with carbon steel blades that did not rust so fast. This is the first time I have had that happen on a brand new Case knife.

I had the same experience, Dale: one Case CV blade that began to rust soon after I got it while all my others, including Damascus, had no rust even after years in storage. Very strange. Like you, I forced a patina on the rusting CV blade, only I used undiluted white vinegar, and that stopped the corrosion.

BTW--I've had to force a patina on every Moore Maker knife I have ever owned to stop them from rusting.