Am I the only one that doesn't like blade coatings?

shootist16

shootist16

knife law moderator
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Am I alone in my dislike of blade coatings? Don't get me wrong, I know they usually serve some useful purpose, and I'll admit they look good when new. I like a nice satin finish on a blade (not to be confused with beadblast, which I hate even more than coatings). I have never had a problem with rusting, I take care of my blades and also use a tuffcloth. As far as the subdued thing, I think that is really overated. About the only coating I have found that I can tolerate is titanium nitride. Am I alone in my thinking or not?

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Dennis Bible
Knoxville, Tennessee


 
I forgot to mention that on a working knife I like the stonewashed finish that is used by Chris Reeves and R.E.K.A.T. It doesn't look as good as a satin finish, but it hides scratches very well.

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Dennis Bible
Knoxville, Tennessee


 
I dont like blade coatings either. Never had a rust problem either. Satin for me.

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lifter
Phil. 4:13

Dave
Wharton,NJ


 
I don't care for them either, 'cause once you scratch the coating, the blade looks horrible

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KSwinamer
 
Dennis, I'm with you 100%. In my experience the only coating that has ever held up is Rekat's Black-T. A Hobbit Fang has been part of my daily carry for almost 2 years. It's been in & out of its sheath at least a couple of times almost every day and the coating is just fine. Other than that, coatings can look good when the knife is new, but once you start to use it...
frown.gif


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Cheers,

--+Brian+--

I may be goin' to hell in a bucket, Babe, but at least I'm enjoyin' the ride.


 
No you are not alone. I HATE blade coatings no matter what kind they ALL scratch, Even the titanium nitride coating. I will never buy another knife with a coatings
(unless I get it real cheap
wink.gif
)
But the one that has held up best for me is not the titanium nitride coating but the epoxy coating that John Greco puts on his knives. Plus he will redo the finish for very little money.

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-Greg Johnson
ICQ#4236341



[This message has been edited by gregj62 (edited 21 November 1999).]
 
I think of blade coatings for corrosion control and nonglare for military application. I also agree that the blades look pretty bad after use, but as long as it works as expected, thats the bottom line. After all, the primary purpose of my daily using knives is the service I expect. I also get scratches and such on the nicer finished blades, so it gets down to, opt for the blade finish you prefer.
 
The only coated knife I bought was a 10$ butterfly knife; I think it was just painted or something.

I'm not into coatings. At all. Period. End. No thanks.
any other kind of finish is cool with me.

chizpuf
 
Other than my Ka-bar, which I really only bought to add to my military knife collection, the only coated knife I've had was a Buck. It looked great for a while, until I scratched the coating.

Maybe it's being a bit picky but, I just can't stand that one scratch. No more coated blades for me, unless I don't plan on using it daily.
 
More than once have I decided not to purchase a knife solely because of its blade coating. I thought about getting a nimravus for a while, but the thought of the coating getting scratched make me cringe. Wish Benchmade made a satin finish nimravus.
 
I much prefer a satin finish, with stonewashed being my favorite at this time. I avoid coatings like the plauge, and think it ruins the look of many a fine knife. The "Extreme Apogee" would look great with Darrel's hand rubbed, satin finish.

Felix, check out this thread http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000954.html to see the great job the4th did on his own Nimravus.

Heck, here is the picture (hope you don't mind, Joel)

<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=12895999&Sequence=1></center>

A great example of a nice knife hidden by a black coating.

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA




[This message has been edited by stjames (edited 21 November 1999).]
 
Blade coatings on stainless blades are almost worse than bead blasted finishes.

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Johnny
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It is about personal preference. My preference (read 2 cents) is it depends on what my daily carry is "probably" going to be used for. I've had a CQC7 with BT2 for a couple years now that has become my field carry just because of the coating. Yes, the coating has been scratched off all over the blade, but I've dug with it, stripped commo wire, pried with it (hated doing that one), and had it stay in the rain for three or four days straight (keep it dummy corded to my LCE, so its always "outside")...no rust--even where it has been scratched. When I'm in the rear or just a knife I collect to admire, I kindly agree with all of you on non-coated/satin. Just had to throw one opposing view in on this thread.
smile.gif
 
I don't like blade coatings for the very reason that water can get under them and rust the blade out without you being able to take control of it. Even if you use the blade once and it gets water or moisture under it you are on the road to problems.
People who like coatings to protect the blades are not willing to put the time into taking care of their tools.


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If a man can keep alert and imaginative, an error is a possibility, a chance at something new; to him, wandering and wondering are a part of the same process. He is most mistaken, most in error, whenever he quits exploring.

William Least Heat Moon
 
Uh, okay? Perhaps your right, I should probably have my Tuff Cloth at the ready and keep that knife in a ziploc, nice and dry. Not happening, though. Obviously we disagree on the use of a knife coating...get under the coating (much line a plastic bed-liner in a pick-up?) and cause corrosion? I am of the belief (asked the knife manufacturer's tech support about it) that since metal is porous, even if the coating comes off, it has made it into the metal; which leads me to believe water molecules aren't small enough to get between that baked on coating. Oh, and your right, that one is not so much a knife to me, as it is a tool, which I guess changes things.
 
I have two with coated blades: a SRK with the black epoxy and a Becker Knife & Tool Companion (a.k.a. prybar with an edge) which has some sort of tough grey epoxy-like coating. Great for tools that don't get a whole lot of use; just grease the honed edge well and don't worry about rust. Can't say I have had any problem with non-coated carbon steel blades, though, as long as reasonable care is taken to keep them clean and dry.
 
stjames...

Thanks for the heads up. I took a look at the thread in the review forum right before I saw your message and that o-so-lovely photo. I'd personally be afraid of leaving scratch/streaks if I tried to remove the black finish on my own, though. Perhaps benchmade may have a "coating removal" service? In any case, that picture is making me rethink whether I will get a nimravus.
 
The only coating I like is gun blue. They all wear, they all get scratched, but you can renew gun blue yourself; it only takes a minute. (Rust prevention is not great, though; blued knives still need to be oiled.)

The problem of rust "getting under" a coating isn't a matter of water getting between the coating and the steel. When the coating is scratched and rust starts it expands sideways in the steel, not between the steel and the coating.

-Cougar Allen :{)
 
I found out the hard way on coatings.I bought a 710 with BT2 and found out that it scratches very easily.The blade now looks like its been used for years!I think it looks kinda rugged and all and I like that,but if I decide I want to trade it I may have a hard time because it looks so worn.I will avoid all coatings in the future.I don't even like the black coated pocket clips.

My favorite working finish is the stonewashed finish or a nice 600grit satin finish.
scott w
 
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