Blade coating for wilderness/survival knives?

peripatew

peripatew

Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
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I know there are a LOT of different coats and blade treatments. But what is your preference? I have several knives with coatings, BK7 CRK Skinner, SOG Revolver, etc... Do you choose coatings for aesthetics, cutting performance, blade protection, tactics, or other reasons?

I think I prefer the looks of naked steal, maybe a tumbled or stonewashed finish, but all of the coated blades that I have I like too!

Your thoughts?
 
For carbon steels my preference is non-coated but forcing a patina onto the blade using mustard, vinegar or other methods. I like this because I find it almost as rust resistant as a coating, but the patina is very flat to the blade and does not hinder cutting perforamnce at all. Also I like the splotchy look of the patina and particularly like it after the blade has been used and the patina gets that faded look similar to an aged knife.

For stainless blades I prefer a non-coated blade and also prefer a bead blasted or course grit. The mirror finishes I find very aesthetically appealing and even more agonizing when you get a big scratch on the surface.
 
Non coated. I love the look of patina on a well used carbon steel blade.

The only real downside of a coating is that when field dressing deer/hogs fats from the animal can start to 'stick' to the coating.
 
Coatings are not welcome on my knives other than naturally occuring patina. They usually mask a lack of fine finishing on knives when the manufacturer doesn't put in time to use finer grit belts to bring the knife to a higher quality finish.
 
ehhh, not a large deal for me, if I like a knife and it has a coating, in not going to not buy it because it has a coating.
 
Don't care for patina and don't prefer coatings on my blades. However, I own several with coatings, just because that's the way they come.
 
i like the look of naturally aged steel, so no coatings for me. i suppose if i found a knife i liked with a coating then i might strip it, but maybe not. i might just let it wear.

i'm not too particular about a knife looking good as long as its working hard...
 
Unless your dealing with constant water exposure or Salt water,then you will be happy you had a coating that can take it.
It's a trade off.
sometimes you will have nothing to coat the steel.
I've used fat, motor oil,oil off my beak and sand to clean the rust off before it gets too deep,
 
k_estela said:
Coatings are not welcome on my knives other than naturally occuring patina. They usually mask a lack of fine finishing on knives when the manufacturer doesn't put in time to use finer grit belts to bring the knife to a higher quality finish.
Click to expand...

My feelings exactly. I've stripped many a knife and what Kev says is fact. I no longer strip blades. Keep the knife clean, dry and oiled. You will not have any problems.
Scott
 
What Rat said.

i have a Gerber Yari....it has a coating over 154cm steel!!?? why... i dont know. however i like the coating on my howling rat.
 
any stainless steel with carbon in it can still rust.....*shrug*
 
I can't stand coatings for several reasons:

1] Purely subjective – The only coated blade I've seen that had taken a decent amount of wear and still looked the part was a Nimravus.

2] Same meat different gravy / the emperor's new clothes. - I refuse to be one of those marketing victims that pays a price premium for a colour that isn't black. Is brown drain paint more expensive?

3] Cheese and tack – Ever seen those that looked like a child tried to paint a zebra on it. Or what about those that looked like they got sprayed through a bit of chicken wire? Some makers really do see collectors punters coming.

4] I tried that Tini coating on a SOG and found no performance gains.

5] The Hard Chrome Mad Dog uses may be the exception for my negativity. I've got no experience but a couple of others here I take notice of said it holds up ok for them. [sub]jury out[/sub]

6] The overwhelming feature for me is the simple fact that the more finely a knife is finished the less it is disposed to corrode. Even though satin finish has taken over mirror finish as far more popular, and can be gotten away with more easily because of the advent of corrosion resistant steels, the same rules apply. If I want a blade to corrode slower I will polish it up to a finer finish.

7] Just because loops are fun – Look at what makers try to get away with under their coatings. Whilst it might be acceptable on a midrange blade, there are numerous examples on this forum of supposedly high end stuff that have shocking finishes, gouges, dimples, and tool marks under the skim coat. And that loops right back round to [2] and the hilarity of consumers paying extra for a colour of paint the vendor uses to hide them.
 
I prefer no coatings on my blades.

But I do love these 3 blades.

The Ontario Rat-5 coating is pretty weak compared to the coating on the RC-3 & RC-4

CTWILDERNESS035.jpg
 
k_estela said:
Coatings are not welcome on my knives other than naturally occuring patina. They usually mask a lack of fine finishing on knives when the manufacturer doesn't put in time to use finer grit belts to bring the knife to a higher quality finish.
Click to expand...

+1, no coatings for me. I dont even like mirror polished blades. If I see one I like, it will be stripped off.
 
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