Copper

[Travis Fry]

I've recently begun using some copper for bolsters and pins and whatnot (check out my pics in the photo forum) and am really happy with how it looks. I wonder, though, how it will look when it tarnishes? So far I've compared whatever handle material I use to polished copper, slightly tarnished copper, and really tarnished copper to make sure it matches all of them, but my imagination is still having trouble making the leap from that to a formerly shiny but now tarnished bolster. Anyone got an pictures of well used knives with well used copper fittings?

 

[Patrick]

I made a Copper/Ironwood knife a couple years ago and it still looks great. The tarnish looks good as long as you take care of it. Coopper is used almost exclusively on my knives. It makes awesome accents to sheaths too.

Pat

 

[Carey Quinn]

Travis,

I would expect that copper fittings on a user will get a patina similar to a carbon knife over the years. The only time I have ever seen copper really get nasty is when it is exposed to moisture and left that way. It should not be stored in a sheath for long periods or it will get the same green color as copper ore. Being kept in a sheath shouldn't be a problem for a user because it will be in and out of the sheath.

Hope that helps,
Carey