a "High quality" non-magnetic folder...anyone?

Capolan

Capolan

Joined
Dec 31, 2010
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201
I recently got a blackie Collins non-magnetic "plastic" assisted opening "letter opener". Its a fun toy. This got me wondering.

Has any knife maker made something similiar but of high quality? -- G10, ceramics, copper springs, etc. ??

I would love to have a high-quality non-magnetic folder, just to have it -- Someone out there has to have built something like this just to do it -- or is someone on here willing to give it a shot for the right price?

Imagine a custom quality non-magnetic auto --- that would just be incredibly cool...


Ideas knife experts out there? Mr. Ralph - want to built one for me?
 
I am probably adding myself to the watch list just by replying to this thread but back in the early 90's I remember hearing about a ceramic knife that could pass through metal detectors. It was reputed to be ridiculously sharp, but pretty fragile. Word on the street was that if you dropped it, it was over. ( Probably an urban myth).

I also seem to remember a friend of mine who was a hot shot chef had this weird ceramic kitchen knife, that was crazy sharp, so I am sure it is technically possible.

Post 9/11 probably not something you would actually want to pursue to actively unless you like getting searched in really uncomfortable places ( and I dont mean like the back of a volkswagon.) :)
 
99% of all the 'ceramic' knives available have had iron filings or some other detectable metal added so you can't take 'em through airports and the like.

the other 1% would probably earn you a lengthy stay in Her Majesties Guesthouse if you got caught with it.
 
Ceramic knives that can't be seen on x-rays are a myth. X-rays/airport scanners detect items with high molecular weights. The ceramics most often used for knife blades have much higher molecular weights than iron since they are in a matrix with zirconium oxide. Even the low molecular weight ceramics (silicone, carbide, etc) will show up plain as day on a scanner.

(from a guy who spent most of his adult life in & around airports...)

Back to the OP, while I don't know of any non-ferrous folders, there are plenty of non-magnetic dive knives on the market. I've got a few of them in my dive bag that I've acquired over the years. I'd be surprised there there weren't a few folders on the market, although I suspect the demand for such an item is very, very low.
 
Strider made few all titanium custom knifes ,
1169090782_4dbbY-L.jpg

carbonized edge
1169094347_YQ4v2-L.jpg

Warren Thomas also makes titanium knifes with carbide edge
but I dont have any to post.
 
There was the Benchmade 970/CQC 7 that had a titanium blade. I think all the metal on that knife may have been titanium, but that could have been BS the clerk was telling me when I was handling one at a shop.
 
Planterz said:
There was the Benchmade 970/CQC 7 that had a titanium blade. I think all the metal on that knife may have been titanium, but that could have been BS the clerk was telling me when I was handling one at a shop.
Click to expand...

the 970st.

ti blade with carbide edge, ti liners. ti clip too i think. don't know about the pivot and scale screws.
 
I'm looking into trying the ni-cr alloy GNiCr40Al4. It is supposed to have good edge retention. If it tests okay I make a folder out of it... or some fixed blades.
 
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Ti will certainly show up on x-ray (most ceramics -- which are built around aluminum silicate -- do too even without being deliberately loaded with iron) and will set off all but the least sophisticated of metal detectors too.
 
wintersix said:
I am probably adding myself to the watch list just by replying to this thread but back in the early 90's I remember hearing about a ceramic knife that could pass through metal detectors. It was reputed to be ridiculously sharp, but pretty fragile. Word on the street was that if you dropped it, it was over. ( Probably an urban myth).

I also seem to remember a friend of mine who was a hot shot chef had this weird ceramic kitchen knife, that was crazy sharp, so I am sure it is technically possible.

Post 9/11 probably not something you would actually want to pursue to actively unless you like getting searched in really uncomfortable places ( and I dont mean like the back of a volkswagon.) :)
Click to expand...

LOL! thats what I was thinking when I started digging around for things..."Oh, crap...i'm going on a list right now...". the ceramic Boker's are very cool for ceramics, as are kyocera (but i know for a fact that kyocera specifically puts enough metal in their blades to be detectable - they do this on purpose when the blade is made.) YES - if you drop them, they chip, but they are insanely sharp and remain that way for a LONG time.


I just thought that the blackie Collins gizmo was neat (it was ...15 bucks i think?). Its all zytel (i believe) and from things I've read out there it passes through detectors and such without issue (one security guy uses the model to show what they "missed" when he's testing)

Here's a old "bladeforums" thread about this exact piece i'm talking about:
http://199.231.142.3/forums/showthread.php?t=272579

I don't think i can post where I got it from on here. lets just say it was a DISCOUNT on CUTLERY ...anyone seen my volleyball NET? They have them in black, blue, orange, green, white, and then mixes orange "Blade" black body, etc...

I will post a picture or two of it here.

So I was thinking -- Hmmm...the handles could be G10 or a non-flexing plastic..the locking mechanism....don't know... the spring for the assisted opening on the knife right now is Beryllium Copper ...The blade Ceramic,

I was thinking that a knife maker could essentially make a truely excellent 99% non metal folding knife.

some pics of the Blackie collins I have:

WFhCm.jpg
 
Carbon fiber.
 
Stone River makes ceramic folders - blades made from Zirconium Oxide, measuring 8.5 on the Mohs scale (as compared to 6-6.5 for hardened steel).

I saw these in the latest AG Russell catalog, with the option of carbon fiber, G10 or titanium scales.

The ad says "non-conductive and non-magnetic". Also says they need to be sent back to the maker for sharpening, as it takes special equipment.

Blades seem to be a bit fragile - quote from the ad "...the blades will break if dropped on a hard surface. They are brittle and cannot be used for chopping, cutting bones or frozen foods, or for prying."

I'd like to hear from anyone who has experience with these.
 
I'm surprized everyone has forgot about Talonite and Stellite blades. I've got 2 folders that From Deryk Monroe that have talonite blades. One has a titanium handle and the other has carbon fiber & titanium. The only thing that is slightly magnetic are the small screws. I work with a 1.5T MRI and I am able to carry these folders with no problem.
 
ROBB said:
I'm surprized everyone has forgot about Talonite and Stellite blades. I've got 2 folders that From Deryk Monroe that have talonite blades. One has a titanium handle and the other has carbon fiber & titanium. The only thing that is slightly magnetic are the small screws. I work with a 1.5T MRI and I am able to carry these folders with no problem.
Click to expand...

NICE. The screws were one issue i was wondering about - you'd have to have some custom made is my guess, but if you are working with a 1.5t (and I work myself at the GreatEnergy Meatball - I plan systems that plan 1.5t...) - and that 1.5 isn't ripping this out of your pocket then it might be ok.


I'm thinking NO metal -- carbonfiber+ g10 handle + ceramic/talonite blade?
 
Toyz said:
Stone River makes ceramic folders - blades made from Zirconium Oxide, measuring 8.5 on the Mohs scale (as compared to 6-6.5 for hardened steel).

I saw these in the latest AG Russell catalog, with the option of carbon fiber, G10 or titanium scales.

The ad says "non-conductive and non-magnetic". Also says they need to be sent back to the maker for sharpening, as it takes special equipment.

Blades seem to be a bit fragile - quote from the ad "...the blades will break if dropped on a hard surface. They are brittle and cannot be used for chopping, cutting bones or frozen foods, or for prying."

I'd like to hear from anyone who has experience with these.
Click to expand...


I was just checking these out. the ceramic/g10 handle is a brass liner lock so they were smart there. I'm thinking about buying it just to play with.

They have a carbon fiber handle one but I want to know about the lock and the liners....they don't mention those... :(

I'm trying to find NO METAL if possible (it doesn't exist....)
 
David Boye makes great knives out of dendritic cobalt which is metal, but is non-magnetic. They are mainly for marine environments and made so they wont mess up compass readings if they get too close. They also wont rust.
 
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