best black or gray coating?

T

tmickley

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tried the search and it's acting up...

I'm looking to do a batch of knives with black or gray coating that is tough. I understand coating eventually wears away but still. More durable is better and it doesn't have to be DIY.
Any leads, suggestions, appreciated.
 
I would do powder coating. just not on the edge.
 
I was thinking that myself. I understand the process but have no experience. Is there any powercoating material better than others for blade coating?
 
Lauer tactical has a spray on finish (duracoat) in almost every color- no baking- cures at room temp,super scratch resistant - works great. The name of the other stuff escapes me at this time..you have to bake it...J.Norrell spray on coating-thats it! I think duracoat is tougher, though.
 
Why not a deep bluing? Some of those can be extremely dark and best of all they won't "wear off" if it's a good one.
 
If you want a dark coating that is tough as nails, and since you specified it doesn't have to be DIY...Look into Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAlN) or Titanium Carbonitride (TiCN) coatings. They can be applied to be a dark grey/black, are VERY thin (only a couple ten-thousandths), super hard (high 60s, low 70s RC), won't corrode, and self lubricate (not too important since they're not moving parts). I know they're a vapor deposition type, and you may have to check on the temps required to coat. It MAY be a tad high, I can't recall.

-d
 
DLC is the absolute best coating...but not cheap.

Powdercoating is next best.

Then the two mentioned above.

Followed by duracoat/gunkote/parkerizing/etc.

Lastly, a plain ole-fashioned patina.





somewhere in there I'd put a "forged finish"...but it's not really "applied".
 
So where does one find DLC? I did a thread about nitriding a while back, like where to have small batches done. No responses.

Thanks,

Gene
 
This shows just a simple fully hardened and etched blade. Its not durable but will add some surface protection and help mask that good old patina so it all blends in faster. Its my knife so usability is all I was going for.
done_S2.jpg
 
I've used gun-kote quite and bit and it is very durable. It is a baked-on finish and I (personally) think it is a better finish than powder-coating and definitely more durable than dura-coat.
 
powder coating can be very thick and unatractive on a knife. Thats my opinion anyways. I am leaning twords a simple parkerizing method myself :)
 
Check out www.Larsontactical.com . Click "Duracoat colors". It will show you all the colors available in Duracoat, and a description of the process. I read up on it, for I was going to put a different finish on my Glock, and it was recommended on the Glock Forum. I never got around to doing it, though. It looks pretty cool! Check it out. regards, TC
 
what about teflon coating this stuff is wicked the man that invented it is a friend of mine he does pistols for colt all the military weapons he lives right down the road a way's
 
I have some shop utility knives of 1095 that were etched with ferric chloride and I am amazed at how well the finish has held up. My idea was just to keep them from rusting on my bench but after 2 years of abuse the finish looks pretty good. I used a dilute solution and applied and then cleaned until I got a sanblast grey finish.
 
A user called 308sniper did a thread a little while back. Does knives up beautifully with camo patterns, etc. Might want to PM him. I believe he does a bake Duracoat or similar.
 
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