I had heard old timers used to patina their knives by lopping the bottom off a potato (so it can stand upright) and leaving their knife sticking into it vertically overnight. I couldn't find anything conclusive on the forum about Potato Patina, so I had a bash.
My knife has gone from this:
to this:
Which I am reasonably pleased with.
It no longer looks like Sherlock Holmes' knife, which is a pity. But now it looks like something the Mad Trapper of Rat River would carry - which I am pleased about
I had already scratched the blade up with use and slightly ham fisted sharpening. The knife could not pull off the shiny look any more - so I'd call this an improvement.
The patina-ing process has not dulled the blade at all. It went into the potato hair popping sharp, and it still is.
My knife has gone from this:

to this:

Which I am reasonably pleased with.
It no longer looks like Sherlock Holmes' knife, which is a pity. But now it looks like something the Mad Trapper of Rat River would carry - which I am pleased about

I had already scratched the blade up with use and slightly ham fisted sharpening. The knife could not pull off the shiny look any more - so I'd call this an improvement.
The patina-ing process has not dulled the blade at all. It went into the potato hair popping sharp, and it still is.