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Anodized Titanium
- Thread starter Wolverine666
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2012
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- 1,104
I prefer to do electro-anodizing (vs. heat) as I believe the colors are more controllable AND less chance of damaging the metallurgical properties of the base metal (changing the hardness without reason, warping, etc.). Solid colors are simple and repeatable, color blends can be natural to abstract and be done freehand or with the use of stencils and templates (if you like patterns).
The process deposits a micro-thin layers of TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide) to the surface. These layers do offer protection to the surface. Scratches can happen, but are easily repairable with a new layer deposition of TiO2.
I think "liking" or not liking anodized Titanium is directly relevant to the process, colors, patterns, etc. Example: the guy who says he doesn't like "anodized Ti" on his knife may in fact have gray anodized scales on his knife. A bare Ti handle scale can be "anodized" to a color that appears gray/neutral, and bare Ti will naturally anodize as it is exposed to oxygen. So, for someone to say they don't like anodized Titanium is more or less to saying you don't like Titanium period, or you don't understand the term(s), or you live in time and space where there is no oxygen ;-)
Anodizing Ti does not actually change the color of the metal ..., (probably will loose a few here ...) it merely deposits TiO2 in a crystalline formation to the surface (pic's attached below illustrating). The thickness of the crystals affect the light color(s) reflected from the surface so as to produce colors much the same way a crystal reflects light and various colors of the rainbow. The depth of the light reflection through the crystal affects the color you see. As the surface deposition thickness (on a Ti handle scale) increases the color of reflected light changes.
This is very different to anodized aluminum, which uses a dye coating in the anodization process.
Few examples (anodized Titanium) showing various colors through the voltage range (personally I like natural blends of color range).
(the middle knife below was NOT done using stencils)
and here's a couple pic's showing the actual crystalline structure under magnification:
Hopefully something of use here ;-)
The process deposits a micro-thin layers of TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide) to the surface. These layers do offer protection to the surface. Scratches can happen, but are easily repairable with a new layer deposition of TiO2.
I think "liking" or not liking anodized Titanium is directly relevant to the process, colors, patterns, etc. Example: the guy who says he doesn't like "anodized Ti" on his knife may in fact have gray anodized scales on his knife. A bare Ti handle scale can be "anodized" to a color that appears gray/neutral, and bare Ti will naturally anodize as it is exposed to oxygen. So, for someone to say they don't like anodized Titanium is more or less to saying you don't like Titanium period, or you don't understand the term(s), or you live in time and space where there is no oxygen ;-)
Anodizing Ti does not actually change the color of the metal ..., (probably will loose a few here ...) it merely deposits TiO2 in a crystalline formation to the surface (pic's attached below illustrating). The thickness of the crystals affect the light color(s) reflected from the surface so as to produce colors much the same way a crystal reflects light and various colors of the rainbow. The depth of the light reflection through the crystal affects the color you see. As the surface deposition thickness (on a Ti handle scale) increases the color of reflected light changes.
This is very different to anodized aluminum, which uses a dye coating in the anodization process.
Few examples (anodized Titanium) showing various colors through the voltage range (personally I like natural blends of color range).
(the middle knife below was NOT done using stencils)
and here's a couple pic's showing the actual crystalline structure under magnification:
Hopefully something of use here ;-)
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2014
- Messages
- 62
Spey, with the science!I prefer to do electro-anodizing (vs. heat) as I believe the colors are more controllable AND less chance of damaging the metallurgical properties of the base metal (changing the hardness without reason, warping, etc.). Solid colors are simple and repeatable, color blends can be natural to abstract and be done freehand or with the use of stencils and templates (if you like patterns).
The process deposits a micro-thin layers of TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide) to the surface. These layers do offer protection to the surface. Scratches can happen, but are easily repairable with a new layer deposition of TiO2.
I think "liking" or not liking anodized Titanium is directly relevant to the process, colors, patterns, etc. Example: the guy who says he doesn't like "anodized Ti" on his knife may in fact have gray anodized scales on his knife. A bare Ti handle scale can be "anodized" to a color that appears gray/neutral, and bare Ti will naturally anodize as it is exposed to oxygen. So, for someone to say they don't like anodized Titanium is more or less to saying you don't like Titanium period, or you don't understand the term(s), or you live in time and space where there is no oxygen ;-)
Anodizing Ti does not actually change the color of the metal ..., (probably will loose a few here ...) it merely deposits TiO2 in a crystalline formation to the surface (pic's attached below illustrating). The thickness of the crystals affect the light color(s) reflected from the surface so as to produce colors much the same way a crystal reflects light and various colors of the rainbow. The depth of the light reflection through the crystal affects the color you see. As the surface deposition thickness (on a Ti handle scale) increases the color of reflected light changes.
This is very different to anodized aluminum, which uses a dye coating in the anodization process.
Few examples (anodized Titanium) showing various colors through the voltage range (personally I like natural blends of color range).
(the middle knife below was NOT done using stencils)
and here's a couple pic's showing the actual crystalline structure under magnification:
Hopefully something of use here ;-)
whitty
Dealer / Materials Provider
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2005
- Messages
- 5,992
What I love about anodizing a Ti knife are all the different options and colors and finishes you can do. The more we travel down the rabbit hole the more we experiment and learn. I really do have a ton of fun doing it!
These are some of my favorites over the past few months:
https://flic.kr/p/Kpau3J bhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
https://flic.kr/p/Jss5Zt https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
https://flic.kr/p/JJHfeJ https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
https://flic.kr/p/PpAGqN https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
https://flic.kr/p/MLfpLE https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
https://flic.kr/p/Mog2oU https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
https://flic.kr/p/LN6qeg https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
Even simple things like anodizing the liners on a Southern Grind Spider Monkey just give it a little more pop to its already classy look:
https://flic.kr/p/PxwtVP https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
These are some of my favorites over the past few months:
https://flic.kr/p/Kpau3J bhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/https://flic.kr/p/Jss5Zt https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/https://flic.kr/p/JJHfeJ https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/https://flic.kr/p/PpAGqN https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/https://flic.kr/p/MLfpLE https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/https://flic.kr/p/Mog2oU https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/https://flic.kr/p/LN6qeg https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/Even simple things like anodizing the liners on a Southern Grind Spider Monkey just give it a little more pop to its already classy look:
https://flic.kr/p/PxwtVP https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2012
- Messages
- 1,104
Sharing is caring ...
Just trying to give back a little to a super forum.
Hope some find interest in a little more knowledge of things.
whitty,
pic's above ...
I like the polish the highs and come back at lower voltage technique. That is unless someone wants the opposite :-/
Nice work there ;-)
Last edited:
whitty
Dealer / Materials Provider
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2005
- Messages
- 5,992
Thank you! It is fun to mess around with. Thank you also for the magnified pic. That is very cool as I have never seen that before.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2009
- Messages
- 6,642
Spey , great explanation and excellent pics. Thanks a bunch. That helps clear up the ano process for me. And it's actually quite interesting.
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2005
- Messages
- 5,874
Red is not an option. Magenta is the closest you will get to red. Here are the possible colors:
View attachment 675602
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2014
- Messages
- 62
What I love about anodizing a Ti knife are all the different options and colors and finishes you can do. The more we travel down the rabbit hole the more we experiment and learn. I really do have a ton of fun doing it!
These are some of my favorites over the past few months:
Even simple things like anodizing the liners on a Southern Grind Spider Monkey just give it a little more pop to its already classy look:
Those ZT 0456s look incredible, especially the greenish one.
I had a couple of questions:
1) does anodizing work on bead blasted finishes like the Sebenza or Umnumzaan?
2) How do you get those fade jobs or multi color using the electric-current method? It seems like if you dip the Ti into the solution, you would just get one color, or strongly banded colors from multiple dips.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2016
- Messages
- 564
Another fresh ano job from USA Made Blade. Looks awesome, Whitty thanks again!
XM-18 3.5" Spanto with a custom purple ano lock, black/gray G10 scale
View attachment 676281View attachment 676279View attachment 676280View attachment 676282View attachment 676283
XM-18 3.5" Spanto with a custom purple ano lock, black/gray G10 scale
View attachment 676281View attachment 676279View attachment 676280View attachment 676282View attachment 676283
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2016
- Messages
- 564
.....................
accidental
accidental
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2016
- Messages
- 564
mattal, those are very nice & creative; love the different designs & color schemes ^^
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2016
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- 564
The last knife on the bottom is one of my favs, but the ones directly above are also amazing. Looks almost like camo.
whitty
Dealer / Materials Provider
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2005
- Messages
- 5,992
1. Yes it does. As a matter of fact I think the blue we have done in the past on the Sebenzas is one of my favorites!
2. It really depends on the finish we are going for. A lot of time it has to do with controlling the current up or down as you pull the knife out of the solution.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2016
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Any major difference in the look of the finished product when you anodize bead-blasted versus non?
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- Nov 20, 2016
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That's very nice ^