Anyone using Scandium?

[akadave2]

For handles or bolsters etc. I think it would add a bit of "Exotic" to a piece beside good ol Titanium.

 

[Haze]

I know that its sometimes added to aluminium to help keep the grain growth reasonable
when its being welded but other than that I cant think of any substantial use for it.

I also believe to buy scandium metal would be rather expensive (I dont know if you can even buy it in usable amounts ?)
so I think it would pretty much be a non starter for things like knife handles etc.

 

[mete]

The Al/Sc alloy has only about 1 % Sc. Scandium itself is a rare earth metal very $$$ !!

 

[Haze]

IIRC its even less than 1%, its more like 0.5% at most.

 

[wildjim]

I believe one of my bicycles has a Scandium frame.

 

[A_Blade_Afficionado]

Baseball bats from the early 2000s have scandium in them. I don't see the need for it in a knife though.

 

[tirod3]

Well, if ya'll had been keeping up, you'd know that there was a Scandium revolver produced just a few years ago. The material is available and priced about the same as titanium.

It certainly would be different - a light, strong material, silver in color, harder to work than aluminum, and with no major selling point other than cool factor.

Oh, wait, we already have that in titanium.

Oh well.

 

[mete]

Al/Sc alloys were developed in Russia and contain as much as 1.5 % Sc IIRC. It does increase the strength and minimizes grain size when welding .Yes revolvers and bicycles use them.

 

[robicon]

Well, if ya'll had been keeping up, you'd know that there was a Scandium revolver produced just a few years ago. The material is available and priced about the same as titanium.

It certainly would be different - a light, strong material, silver in color, harder to work than aluminum, and with no major selling point other than cool factor.

Oh, wait, we already have that in titanium.

Oh well.

Smith & Wesson uses it in their carry revolvers (and in their commander length 1911)...nothing like touching off a full power 357magnum in a 12oz revolver. Yep I shot one round (124gr. Speer Gold Dot) out of a model 360. One round only. Beats you up more than the 460VR.

I do believe that scandium isn't as brittle as titanium and alloyed with aluminum it's easier to machine.

As others have said, it's too expensive to use alone. Kinda has to be mixed with other metals to make it cost effective.