Blade coatings, how good are they?

Cosmic Superchunk

Cosmic Superchunk

Joined
Jan 28, 2001
Messages
3,709
Teflon, Black-T, Titanium Carbonitrate, Chromium Nitrate, BT2, How to they compare? Which is best, which is worst on a folder?
 
I am of the opinion that the current proliferation of blade coatings is based mainly on the "LCF" (look cool factor) that the general population seems to respond to when buying "tactical" knives. This same phenomenon is also responsible for the atrocity known as the "combo edge" but that's another debate
smile.gif
. Also, after having removed the coatings from a factory blade or two and seeing the finish underneath, I have come to believe that they are actually a production shortcut. It is probably cheaper for a manufacturer to "coat" a blade than to properly satin finish the bare steel. However, coatings do have a place on blades that will be exposed to corrosive enviroments, and some allegedly "penetrate the steel" underneath and will continue to protect despite wear.

Here are the coatings that I have experienced:

Teflon, Black-T, BT2 - Basically the same thing, basically crap. It's too soft and scratches off very easily in my experience. My Nimravus was BT2 coated and even taking it in and out of the sheath made it look like a POS in short order. I Scotchbrited it off and have no regrets. I have passed up good deals on hard to get knives because the only one available was the BT2 version.

Titanium/Chromium Nitride. Better. These coatings are actually harder that the steel of the blade, and should therefore be more durable than the teflon-type coatings above. My CQC-7 (titanium carbonitride) still looks like crap after cutting/opening aluminum cans and other things, and aluminum is certainly softer than steel, so go figure... My Microtech a*tos are CrN coated, but I dont use them so I can't comment on durability there. Sure looks cool though. Nice smooth matte gray finish that won't encourage rust like bead-blasted blades do!

As for the protection factor, I have rarely had corrosion problems with any of my uncoated blades (incl. carbon steel), so for me coatings are an added-cost "solution" to a non-existent problem.

Paul.


[This message has been edited by mr44 (edited 06-27-2001).]
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by el cid:
Teflon, Black-T, Titanium Carbonitrate, Chromium Nitrate, BT2, How to they compare? Which is best, which is worst on a folder?</font>
Click to expand...

The teflon based ones really suck as far as looks go. BT2, Black-T, etc are supposed to keep protecting after scratched but they look like hell. If you don't care how your knife looks then they are fine.

Chromium Nitrate, TiN, and titanium Carbonitrate are a lot tougher and more scratch resistant. Some say it is possible for rust to develop under these coatings though.

I personally dont like coatings. My favorite blade finish for a using knie is stonewash.

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Dennis Bible
 
None of them stay on the blade very long.

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Danbo, soul brother of Rambo
 
Shootist, I believe you're right on Teflon coating. My neighbour bought a Gerber AR 3 with a black coated blade, which he said was Teflon, and although he hadn't used it all that much. the coating had rubbed off the thumb stud and the corners on top of the blade. Why do manufacturers even bother with it if it's not going to last?
 
my experience w/coatings have been varied, from excellent (ie REKAT, BM) to ok (ie emerson) to absolutely terrible (ie masters of defense, who wont recoat the blade for you, so once it looks crappy enough, all you can do is polish it ) it is amazing that w/equal use, how they wear at such different rates - REKAT imho has the most durable that i have run across, my knife is over a yr old and looks brand new while my MOD is 3 months old and looks 3 yrs old. oh well, go figure.....


sifu
 
The best thing about coated knives is they look good you can,t beat the bad ass look of a CQD in black but if
you were to use it i bet the coating would get scratched and start wearing off i only get my knives in black if i am collecting them just my opinion but i haven,t seen a coating that won,t scratch yet
Tim


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Some say the end is near. Some say we'll see armageddon soon. i certainly hope we will. i sure could use a vacation from this bull Sh!t three ring circus sideshow of freaks
 
It will scratch and look bad. But if corrosion is a concern and it is a user then fine. I had an old Kabar USMC that the black was worn and scratched. The sheath was dark with age and scratched too. I thought it looked damn cool.

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Always remember - you are unique, just like everyone else.
 
shootist16:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Chromium Nitrate, TiN, and titanium Carbonitrate are a lot tougher and more scratch resistant. Some say it is possible for rust to develop under these coatings though.</font>
Click to expand...

I have seen it happen with SOG's TiN.

I think mr44 made a great point with :

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">I have come to believe that they are
actually a production shortcut. It is probably cheaper for a manufacturer to "coat" a blade
than to properly satin finish the bare steel. </font>
Click to expand...

This is exactly true.

-Cliff
 
Having suffered from the scratched-to-hell syndrome in the past, I wont buy a black-T/teflon coated knife if its intended for use. Even moderate use like makes it wear off all too soon.

I have had better luck with my Socom and mini-Socom, which are Chromium-Nitrate (matte-grey) coated. It gets a streaky appearance with use but seems much tougher and the marring is less noticable than on black finishes.

I still prefer plain steel blades though...

Andrew L



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"Praise not the day until evening has come;a sword until it is tried; ice until it has been crossed; beer until it has been drunk" - Viking proverb
 
Microtech now uses a Blk Boride coating that runs about 88 on the Rockwell scale. It is harder than most steels and you will have a hard time scratching it.

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Aloha
 
So far the discussion has been around the Teflon and TiN stuff. Anyone have experience with Mad Dog's Hard Chrome, or comments on Busse's crinkle finish stuff (what is the material used?), or some of the customs makers who use baked-on or spray-on stuff?

I can't recall which maker it was, but he had this baked-on coating that he was willing to replace for the life of the blade.

BTW, can hot or cold bluing be considered a coating?
 
yeah, how is that "boride" coating that BM is using on the 690? Granted that's not really a hard-use field knife, more of a big gent's city-carry knife, but has anyone put that blade coating through some real paces?

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[previously incarnated as fishface, since 10/98]

the beatings will continue until morale improves
 
Thanks for the confirmation Cliff. I had heard of that happening but didn't want to state it as fact until someone could confirm.

I have yet to use the Boride coatings, but they sound promising.



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Dennis Bible
 
I also think that coatings as well as bead blast are a shortcut. Easier than putting on a good satin finish.

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Dennis Bible
 
Teflon would have to be my personal pick for worst, only had two blades coated with it, and the coating literally chipped off at times.

I've way more than my share of knives with BT2, and it is a great coating for protection, but not for looks. The coating was not designed to stay on the exterior of the blade and stay black for appearane. When it is applied it actually goes down into the steel for the real protection. Benchmade isn't lying when they say dont worry after the black wears off. My 750 and 800 never had any corrosion problems long after the black was worn off. As long as you can accept that a blades looks aren't important in a user knife, you are safe with BT2.
 
TI-Nitride is the only think I have had last for more than a week.

Anything else on the blade and I think they should charge less for it! :D
 
I have a MOD CQD MKII in all black and the finish has held up excellent. It's one of a couple EDC's and sees plenty of use. I have not had any marks that didn't rub right out.

Otherwise I generally stay away from blade finishes because they are annoying once they scratch.

I had one piece in Teflon and I was always afraid I'd scratch it.
 
The BT(BT2?) coating on my BM CQC7 would literally wear off by itself. I kept it in it's box, never used, for a year. Finally took it out and the coating had worn off on all the edges and bevel lines. I think it actually cracked... That didn't bother me much, though. My favorite finish is the stonewash, I don't much care for coatings, they're useless unless you're the type that doesn't take much care of the knife. That is, you don't wipe the blade down after exposure to water, never oil it, etc.
 
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