Blade finishes hlep please

Birdhunter1220

Birdhunter1220

Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
1,369
Hello all, can someone tell me the difference in a beadblast, sandblast and working finish? If you have pictures that would be great. I guess Iam more interested in what they look like. Thanks
 
kwazyjuice said:
Look at the pics on this page. It tells you the finish and gives some pics of each

http://www.rickhindererknives.com/r...ales/titanium-smooth-scale-for-xm-18-3-5.html
Click to expand...

Those are great pics for comparative purposes, here was my effort at a description in the Generation Thread (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...Generations-History-and-General-Information):

What is the difference between stonewashing (tumbling), working finish, and blasting? There are a variety of surface finishes used on XMs as follows:


  • Stonewashing is one of the more common treatments, it consists of tumbling the metal parts with ceramic media to impart random scratches
  • The working finish results when they take a ground or tumbled part, it is then sand blasted and then tumbled with ceramic media for a short period resulting in a hybrid blasted/tumbled finish.
  • Blasting can either be sand or bead, sand blast is coarser and generally appears darker while the bead blast is smoother and more matte.
  • Satin / Hand Rubbed results when the blade is hand ground by Rick and the flats (either blade and/or Ti lockside) are hand rubbed.
 
Great way to explain the different finishes. I remember when I got my first sandblasted XM, I compared it to a Sebbie, and they were very close. It also looks just like the lockside of some older Gen 1 ZT 0550's.
 
Thanks to each of you! Great information. RDA a great write up, I printed it out and will keep it for futher study. Once again thank to each of you for your time.

Bill
 
Not that you were asking for this information but I thought I would contribute: RHK Stonewashing is some of the best I have experienced. Nothing hides "use" like it. It helped me with the, "Gosh, this was kinda expensive, I don't want to carry/use/scratch it if I don't end up liking it".
 
Ray I was waiting to post this, but now I can't help myself.....The Hinderer XM18 in stonewash with a textured carbon scale is BULLETPROOF! Nothing can touch it! I've been carrying an HDS light with a crenelated bezel in my right pocket next to my EDC knives because thats always been where my lights go....That bezel is like an angry badger on the finishes of any knife I own save the XM18, my umnamzann looks like a dog that found the wrong kind of cat, its all scratched up, same with my brand new seb25, that got totally converted to daily trasher after one day with the HDS, but my XM still looks brand new, Ricks stone wash is amazing... if you want a knife that you can carry with change in your pocket, and use every day, and have for a lifetime to remind you of where you've been and what you've done, IMO the XM18 in stock trim is the only way to go... as to the OP and his question, if the handle in stonewash can take the battering of daily life, IMO the stonewash finish is the clear choice for a blade that is intended for work, I'd guess it probably cuts better too...bead blast and working finishes are both beautiful, the working finish is my favorite ascetically..... the final choice really has to be up to you, the best advice would probably be to go to a show and handle a few in person before deciding..(had to add this) well Bird now that I've seen your umnamzann I'm guessing you need no advice from me, you're a user RESPECT..... I'm thinking you're a XM 24 spanto kind of guy......
 
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