Aluminum and it uses in folders?

Blades aren't always made of steel. They make em outta ceramics, bronze, iron, and stone. (the last three are older methods)
 
You're also talking from the assumption that there is only 1 kinds of titanium and only 1 kind of aluminium.

Just like with steel there are multiple kinds of both alloys and they have different characteristics.
 
You're also talking from the assumption that there is only 1 kinds of titanium and only 1 kind of aluminium.

Just like with steel there are multiple kinds of both alloys and they have different characteristics.
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Correct. There are many different grades. Most of our knife scales and frame lock knives are made of 6Al 4V Titanium, or grade 5.
http://mrtitanium.com/tigrades.html

http://www.supraalloys.com/titanium-grades.php

Aluminium:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/aluminfo.php

I much prefer the feel of Titanium. Next steel, lastly Aluminium. I just don't care for Aluminium gripped or framed knives. Steel isn't my favorite either but I'll take it over Aluminium.

And, lastly the Beta Ti in my old Mission knives works pretty good. It's run much softer than most tool steels. It is about the same as 420J knives, maybe a couple points less than Case CV. It has advantages and disadvantages just like anything else.
 
I'm not an engineer nor an amateur metallurgist, so this is just my uneducated input drawn from personal experience. I've got a few aluminum handled knives, a couple have years of use under their belts, and so far I've had zero issues. I don't like bare aluminum, but I do like the feel of it when textured and anodized. Both my BM 943 and MT Socom Elite have aluminum handles, I carry them very often and I've got no complaints.
 
dragonsprayer said:
it is solft metal easy too remember

titanium is twice as strong as steel and half the weight, aluminum is half as strong but half the weight of steel

Al is soft therefore the coatings wear faster anodized - which is salt oxide. Hard ano helps.

New vapor deposit coatings such DLC if used will help 7075 is good alloy

Al like Ti gets an instant oxide coating

Ti is more flexible the steel and very difficult too weld, there are just 2 main alloys

alumium melts at about half that of steel 1400 f vs 2800 f processing approximate. Ti melts well over 3300 f

all can be powdered and made into explosives, Ti bottle rocket is very cool! Aluminum is used in flash powder, iron is used in black powder.

how will hold up just fine!!!!! for knive scale, terrible for blade.
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Titanium has a better strength to weight ratio. Strength to volume steel wins out.
 
I am a william henry edc, and it has an aluminum handle. It is holding up just fine, I am pretty sure you are not going to do anything with your knife that can break the handle
 
As has been mentioned, quality aluminum used by a reputable manufacturer is really tough stuff, the same family of material used to put together passenger/military aircraft and other high stress, maximum reliability applications. The only thing it doesn't handle well is the extremely fine threads used in some knife fasteners, if left alone theres no problem, but they don't take repeated disassembly very well unless there's a helicoil or other steel threaded insert to take the wear. Surface wear with good anodizing isn't a big deal, Type 2 anodizing (most common) will eventually wear and show marks, Type 3 hard anodizing is very thick and usually seems to wear better than the blade itself, to mark it you have to hit it hard enough (like dropping it on rough concrete) to chip through the anodizing layer. Type 3 may show cosmetic marks but it's usually just other material that's rubbed onto the surface, like chalk on a chalkboard.
 
TriviaMonster said:
My HTM Gunhammer is the same way, light weight even though it has these thick, chunky scales with no liners.
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I agree. While I prefer Titanium and CF as handle materials, I have no problem with Aluminum. But then I'm really not very hard on my knives and I haven't stressed any of these handle materials enough to find out how much they could take.
 
TotalDbag said:
Blades aren't always made of steel. They make em outta ceramics, bronze, iron, and stone. (the last three are older methods)
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ceramic blades are made of toughened zirconia which is the oxide, it a technical ceramic is fired until near liquid and has next too no pores. very few ceramics can meet the demands, this tech was developed for car engines until they found it degraded under use from guess what! water!

this has been made since the 80's and prices have fallen and fallen.

problem is the same while low porosity stops crack propagation, pores are smaller then the critical length too propagate.

hard too sharped, but can be wickedly sharp but the sharper the easier too crack, toughened mean it is resistant too tension but still not metal and does not bend. There is a solution but i am not going too discuss it and it has been researched along time.

Ceramic blades have a place, boker tried but replacing blades is expensive even at $200 a knife when that was a lot years ago.

While there are better choices price is the issue, grown Sapphire is very hard, born nitride is below diamond

Ceramic blade used carefully in the kitchen is interesting novelty but that is it. Non conduction and no sparks better then ti for that application. Complete resistant too salt, acid etc.

i had too add my 2 cents!


flint knives are interesting or glass knives made from volcanic glass, this was the most valuable item in south america pre-western invasion.
various glasses from nature are naturally non pourous due too condtions forced out gas and pressure made it toughened

i add 3 cents i guess

the ultimate knife blade is reverse what we all know, carbide is ceramic, reverse it, and solve the problem of the ultimate material but that problem has not been solved.

--------------------------

i have 20 year old project of making concrete as strong as technical ceramic - anyone have million dollars in seed money? email me!
 
I don't like the feel of aluminum scales. I love titanium scales. I like G10, CF, but don't like aluminum and wood scales.
 
Sonnydaze said:
I don't like the feel of aluminum scales. I love titanium scales. I like G10, CF, but don't like aluminum and wood scales.
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first, sorry for messing up your thread but i though the extra info would help.


Ti frame lock is the bomb, not a doubt. Composite g10 and Ti blade, like quartermaster, is really a collector piece IMHO. Wood when treated right is ok, but it does really need good aging and yoo be well stabilized. Then it it is really a composite.


Note: I had the leek in aluminum (gifted) and steel (both blades one gifted) and really makes a weight difference. Considering this is small think knife. As EDC not a survival or out door it is great choice for the leek.

I really think that old high tech micarta, new tech g10, carbon fiber (high end) blows everything away. Yes, composites could degrade over massive amount of time and exposed too really extreme conditions - like storing in alaska cabin for 20 years.

Really the only too use aluminum is weight savings plus cost savings. Unless you really like the feel or the look, it takes anno well.

Last too all my fans, all 3, i try too refrain form the lectures. Who knows, perhaps i will even spell check and proof too!
 
if you shear off any folder's handle, regardless of material, you should not have been using a folder for that task. aluminum is fine, even if it isn't my favorite.
 
dragonsprayer said:
ceramic blades are made of toughened zirconia which is the oxide, it a technical ceramic is fired until near liquid and has next too no pores. very few ceramics can meet the demands, this tech was developed for car engines until they found it degraded under use from guess what! water!

this has been made since the 80's and prices have fallen and fallen.

problem is the same while low porosity stops crack propagation, pores are smaller then the critical length too propagate.

hard too sharped, but can be wickedly sharp but the sharper the easier too crack, toughened mean it is resistant too tension but still not metal and does not bend. There is a solution but i am not going too discuss it and it has been researched along time.

Ceramic blades have a place, boker tried but replacing blades is expensive even at $200 a knife when that was a lot years ago.

While there are better choices price is the issue, grown Sapphire is very hard, born nitride is below diamond

Ceramic blade used carefully in the kitchen is interesting novelty but that is it. Non conduction and no sparks better then ti for that application. Complete resistant too salt, acid etc.

i had too add my 2 cents!


flint knives are interesting or glass knives made from volcanic glass, this was the most valuable item in south america pre-western invasion.
various glasses from nature are naturally non pourous due too condtions forced out gas and pressure made it toughened

i add 3 cents i guess

the ultimate knife blade is reverse what we all know, carbide is ceramic, reverse it, and solve the problem of the ultimate material but that problem has not been solved.

--------------------------

i have 20 year old project of making concrete as strong as technical ceramic - anyone have million dollars in seed money? email me!
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I wasn't arguing whether it's a good material, rather that it's been used before.
 
sorry d-bag (i, i mean totaldbag, hope i do not get more red points for that - haha)

(dude i am still laughing at your name, seriously you should change it something like love-D-bag-lol!) no insults intended, you make me laugh!

i am just giving information, yours was helpfull, if someone is interested in subject like this post. i think your post and all my bs is helpfull it is up too the poster too choose.

i did not mean too debate just add too yours.

g-10 and titanium laminate blade is crazy - we off the track of the orginal thread. but i just shows how complex something that used too be simple. stainless or high carbon! micarta or wood!
 
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Rat Finkenstein said:
if you shear off any folder's handle, regardless of material, you should not have been using a folder for that task. aluminum is fine, even if it isn't my favorite.
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agreed

Sonnydaze said:
I don't like the feel of aluminum scales. I love titanium scales. I like G10, CF, but don't like aluminum and wood scales.
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this short post is best, for the orginal thread, i agree 100%
 
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