Additional suggestions for the Police

[Full Tang Clan]

The new carbon fiber Police looks fantastic. It's good to see the Police gaining such popularity again.

However, since there are those of us who enjoy the heft and sleekness of the stainless steel handles of the "Classic Police", I'd like to offer a few ideas on some special edition stainless steel handle models (which the Spyderco design team has probably already considered).

1. Acid etch the Spyderco logo, or other design, into the stainless handles.

2. Pearl inlays -- that's an obvious one.

3. Anodize the handles.
Now there are the standard anodize colors like red and blue, but I was thinking of keeping the back spacer silver and just anodizing the scales to give it a two-tone look. Example would be a copper (gold) and silver two-tone model, or how about a "black chrome" and silver two-tone version? The latter would look rather like a two-tone custom race gun.

 

[Grover_Cephas]

Umm... Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think it's possible to anodize steel.

I'm reasonably sure that aluminum and titanium are the only anodizing-friendly metals out there...

 

[Zardoz]

I'd love to see one with a deep, lustrous, gun blue. But I don't think stainless takes blue? But for putting up with the extra care in maintenance, it would look beautiful.

 

[KenN]

There is also the possiblity of reviving the aluminum handle Police(updated, etc.). then anodizing and coating with almite, etc. is possible, and I personally like the weight to strength ratio of aluminum for handles as opposed to SS, alot like the Lum Chinese and Ayoob. I dig the black chrome handle idea.
Aluminum has more verstility for handles in relation to ss, IMO, they have as much strength as needed from a folder handle minus the weight.

An idea to increase the grippablity of slick metal handles is to machine grooves in an aesthetic/yet functional fashion 1/3 or half of the depth down into the metal scale. I think alot of Darrel Ralph's work is an excellent example of this.

take care,
Ken

 

[jjcoolay]

While they are at it, why not put a lanyard hole in as well?

 

[Full Tang Clan]

Originally posted by Grover_Cephas
Umm... Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think it's possible to anodize steel.

I'm reasonably sure that aluminum and titanium are the only anodizing-friendly metals out there...

You may be right GC. Coincidentally, I perused a paintball website that had a recipe for anodizing aluminum at home but it's rather messy since you need to obtain and use battery acid tinted with fabric dye.

What process would be used to give an anodized look to stainless steel? Powder coating?

Then again, you could just make them aluminum and titanium and anodize them.

However, my point is that I think a metal black ("black chrome" to be more exact)and silver would be a very nice combo like two tone guns.

 

[glockman99]

I would also like to see (and to own!) a left-handed G-10 and stainless Police model, with VG-10 steel.

 

[Grover_Cephas]

FTC:

I think I've seen the exact same article. The advice that came along with the link: "Just don't bother. get it done professionally."

>What process would be used to give an
>anodized look to stainless steel? Powder
>coating?

Prolly. But going back to paintall, I wouldn't trust the stuff. I've seen powdercoat wear on stock-class Sheridan guns that'd make me wary of using it on a knife. It could just be that powdercoat doesn't stick well to brass, though.

However it was done, though, the two-tone effect'd be pretty neat to see.

Honestly, how hard <i>is</i> it to maintain a blued carbon steel handle?

 

[Full Tang Clan]

I think KenN had the smartest solution. Just switch the handles to machined aluminum (or titanium) and use the anodizing process.

Ohhh, here's a freaky one: one side is black with a pearl spyder inset, the other side is white with a black onyx spyder inset...the yin/yang Police!