Alaskan Guide series at Cabela's

mill428

mill428

Joined
Jan 11, 2010
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351
It's my understanding when the AG series came out years ago, they were DLC coated blades but 3-4 years ago they started to cerakote them. I read there was a lot of grumbling - for good reason - when that change took place. DLC is an awesome almost indestructible coating. Cerakote though seems to wear well on firearms but maybe not the best choice for a blade. But now that it's been out a while has the consensus changed? I ask because I was at Cabela's today and had some points burning a hole in my card so I picked one up. It's beautiful in every way out of the box. And I love that it's S30V. But I'm curious how well the coating will wear on it. I'd like to hear some experiences with it. Thanks.
 
yep. ya got the history down pretty good. It wears pretty easily if cutting more abrasive stuff. I cut some cardboard years ago with an Alaskan guide vantage cerakoted. it wore it pretty easily. just a few cuts. didn't wear it off, but you could see it had roughed up marks that wouldn't rub off.

s30v is decently stainless, though, so the coating really isn't needed for any corrosion protection.
 
jbmonkey said:
yep. ya got the history down pretty good. It wears pretty easily if cutting more abrasive stuff. I cut some cardboard years ago with an Alaskan guide vantage cerakoted. it wore it pretty easily. just a few cuts. didn't wear it off, but you could see it had roughed up marks that wouldn't rub off.

s30v is decently stainless, though, so the coating really isn't needed for any corrosion protection.
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It's interesting they chose cerakote for a virtually stainless blade steel. Cosmetics? Although, I'll admit I like the look. When I picked it up I assumed it would show wear but have you worn through the coating yet?
 
mill428 said:
It's interesting they chose cerakote for a virtually stainless blade steel. Cosmetics? Although, I'll admit I like the look. When I picked it up I assumed it would show wear but have you worn through the coating yet?
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naw. I haven't used that knife since that testing on anything abrasive. more openings packages and cutting tape type tasks.
 
cbach8tw said:
Seems it would be unnecessary if it is stainless.
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I copied this directly from the little paper that comes with the knife - "Cerakote blade coating for resistance to friction, wear, oxidation and corrosion."
So there you have it. I guess I'll have to use it and find out if it works.
 
Cerakote is a high end baked on paint, like on your car, with added ceramic dust. It isn’t hard to wear it off. DLC is harder and thinner but has much more resistance to wear and abrasion. DLC is Tungsten Carbide at 72 HRC. Cerakote isn’t as hard as a 60 HRC blade.
 
we all, I think, prefer the dlc Alaskan guides. just better. although, I'm okay with the cerakoted ones, just don't prefer them.
 
mill428 said:
I copied this directly from the little paper that comes with the knife - "Cerakote blade coating for resistance to friction, wear, oxidation and corrosion."
So there you have it. I guess I'll have to use it and find out if it works.
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It doesn't! If it was friction and wear resistant they would put it on the cutting edge, right?

This is what a little cardboard does to Cerakote.

view


If you're buying it for the display case, Cerakote is fine. If you're actually going to use it, be prepared for the coating to wear off. And the ugly knife is not covered under warranty because it's normal wear and tear.
 
tiguy7 said:
Cerakote is a high end baked on paint, like on your car, with added ceramic dust. It isn’t hard to wear it off. DLC is harder and thinner but has much more resistance to wear and abrasion. DLC is Tungsten Carbide at 72 HRC. Cerakote isn’t as hard as a 60 HRC blade.
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jbmonkey said:
we all, I think, prefer the dlc Alaskan guides. just better. although, I'm okay with the cerakoted ones, just don't prefer them.
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I would prefer DLC FAR more than cerakote. I have seen 1911's that are DLC'd and they look brand new for a long time. Cerakote, not as much.
 
MT_Pokt said:
It doesn't! If it was friction and wear resistant they would put it on the cutting edge, right?

If you're buying it for the display case, Cerakote is fine. If you're actually going to use it, be prepared for the coating to wear off. And the ugly knife is not covered under warranty because it's normal wear and tear.
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That's really sad. I like the look of the black blade but I have never been a fan of the thick powder coated blades. The only coated knives I've bought over the years have been Beckers. And I've always stripped them and then blued them. That crinkle finish is a monster for friction.

I didn't buy the AG 119 for display duty, but I have my regular 119 for normal use. I figure the AG knives aren't necessarily collectible. So I'll use it in time. If it gets bad I will strip it carefully. I do like the weight of the brass over the aluminum. But I'm strange that way. I like heavy things.
 
I guess the most disappointing part is that they're putting it on an otherwise stainless blade. So they're doing this for aesthetics? The aesthetics are ruined with a little bit of use. I know cardboard is an abrasive, but I've cut miles of cardboard with bare blades and they don't show the wear.

Go back to DLC or TiN, but please stop coating blades with cerakote.
 
MT_Pokt said:
I guess the most disappointing part is that they're putting it on an otherwise stainless blade. So they're doing this for aesthetics? The aesthetics are ruined with a little bit of use. I know cardboard is an abrasive, but I've cut miles of cardboard with bare blades and they don't show the wear.

Go back to DLC or TiN, but please stop coating blades with cerakote.
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I'm in complete agreement. I would love to find an old DLC AG 110. If they started making them again, I might buy 2.
 
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