Alternative pins instead of stainless

MBB

MBB

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Apr 18, 2014
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I'm following the advice that the first 50 knives I make are giveaways, and as such one of my coworkers asked me to make a tactical type knife for her husband. The pictures she showed me that he liked all had black or grey blade/bolster/scales. My plan has been to go with 1075, dark etch with hamon, grey "Fauxcarta" for scales, and stainless pins and bolster.

I'm to the point where the blade is ground, polished, and about to go to the etch, and it occurred to me that using stainless with everything else being grey would look terrible. The only etching kit for stainless I found was Caswell Stainless Steel Blackener, which is $500 on Amazon.

So question is, what are my alternatives? I thought about 1018 for the bolster which I could easily etch, but if I use that for the pins, how do I etch them? Just apply ferric in situ with a q-tip? Or would you use something else for pins like micarta?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike
 
On this knife I used carbon fiber pins. Works well in the scenario you’re describing.

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Carbon fiber seems to be the consensus, so I'm good with that. Thank you, guys!

Any thoughts on the bolster? Would 1018 work reasonably well with an etch?

Thanks again,

Mike
 
MBB said:
Any thoughts on the bolster? Would 1018 work reasonably well with an etch?

Thanks again,

Mike
Click to expand...

Or cold blued with a good product. Several applications of OxphoBlue creme from Brownells is what I prefer.
 
CF or phenolic pins are probably your easiest option. You could also etch the heads of the SS pins with a drop of straight ferric. Will end up more grey than black, but will definitely mat them off.
 
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