"Black Ops" Persian - a new black coating finish...

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Oct 9, 2002
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I'm collaborating with a local paints / coatings manufacturer experimenting with other uses of already available paints / coatings (ie.- for knifemakers). I'm talking about a hardware-shop-available, spray can, cheap, home workshop accessible coating. This one is a spray on, baked, easily touched up and CHEAP to redo. The source wants to remain secret till the testing is completed. The natural canvas Micarta handles are removable with threaded bolts. Blade is 1/8inch O-1, 60HRC, deep freeze, triple tempered.

I spent 2 days doing this - Boning chicken in the kitchen, pruning my flower garden, whittling pine support stakes, cutting up (about 25) plastic fizzy drink bottles, hammer chopping off parts of the bases of the bottles to make them into little flower pots for seedlings. Hammered point first 1/4inch into oak & twisted out (x50 times). Split 1" thick oak panels (x10) lengthwise, hammered on the spine with a small chunk of wood. Used as a throwing knife against an old chopping board x30x (didn't always land point first). Dug holes in soil to plants seedlings (used like a spade). Left buried in wet soil overnight, removed examined, left under water for 12hours.

The knife as shown is after all that.

Results - very durable finish - sure is easy to apply. Not as tough as KGI / Kalgard Gunkote or some Teflon finishes. Maybe 80% as good, but jeez - its so cheap and quick to refinish. Even when the top surface wears out, there seems to be an undercoat that bonds strongly to the steel to prevent corrosion. The blade - still razor sharp ? No just kidding - so blunt you couldn't safely cut with it, but 60 seconds with a Fine (Red) diamond hone and it was back in business. No corrosion noticed except maybe a few spots on the edge. Removed the handles, a quick wash and dry and if required it is ready to re-spray and bake. No fuss.

I'm personally very happy with it and am going to use it more. Please let me know what you think. Jason.

http://fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dl...39-AE6A204BC2A4}&exp=f&moddt=37926.9390394329

http://fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dl...A2-C539EB03605B}&exp=f&moddt=37926.9390446875
 
Wow, you sure know the way to a Mall Ninja's heart...that is your best one yet!

RL (3rd degree black belt in Mall Ninjitsu)
 
How do you have the time?!!!!!! :D

Another great blade!
 
This coating is already commercially available and on shelves in hardware shops in Australia, but has never been used for this purpose before. But the manufacturer wants to be sure that the "performance" is OK for knives before it puts its name to that. I suspect there is a freak-out factor as well, when it comes to using it for knives...

Also, just to be clear, I am not the first knifemaker to use this coating. But the preparation methods and curing techniques I am using might be different to get better performance... I'll certainly tell everyone what it is when the testing is complete.

One thing is sure - it is NOT as durable as the more expensive and well-known coatings like KGI GunKote, which is my test bench mark. The difference is that is BLOODY CHEAP AND available and so EASY to use in home workshops. ason.
 
Jason, could you retouch the tested knife and show the results.

Preferably before and after pics together.

That would be great.
Thanks
 
Interesting report on the coating. Blade looks good in picture.

The cost factor is important.
 
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