Carbon Fiber and Titanium...So What?

[tiguy7]

Some companies let you choose your favorite combination. Custom makers do too.View attachment 411166

 

[Dcaggie06]

I think it's a generational shift in tactical vs traditional. Most of the popular makers use ti and CF in some sort of capacity. I personally carry a large CF Sebenza. It's mainly in outdoor fix blades and traditionals that you'll see woods and bones/antlers used. Those that tend to favor the tactical side probably lean towards the look of ti and cf, while those that don't lean towards the traditionals or hunters that are more apt to use natural materials

 

[Cereal_killer]

Some companies let you choose your favorite combination. Custom makers do too.View attachment 411166

Wow, incredible collection, do you carry all of those?

 

[Sonnydaze]

My favorite folder is a slab-sided folder utilizing titanium.
The initials are CRK.

 

[sixspeeddreams]

i like TI, and carbon fiber, but i also like wood and TI together, i think thats a nice combo

 

[gooeytek]

I like the trend a lot.

 

[dsimmons]

I'm sure somewhere out there for whatever reason, art, some crazy use, military, just because someone can make one, I bet there is at least one carbon fiber hammer somewhere in this world, people are idiots. And you know what else, that guy with one is sitting there thinking we're all idiots for using it on knives.

There are many carbon fiber hammers. I never said anything about NOT making hammers out of carbon fiber. What I stated, quite simply, in plain English, was that light weight was not a desirable trait in a hammer. Maybe for the excruciatingly pedantic or trolly I should have specified hammer HEADS.

JFC, you can't say anything on the internet without the thesaurus police nitpicking everything...

That actually strikes me as a much better argument for Ti than the strength-to-weight that's often cited.

The strength-to-weight thing simply doesn't matter. If you're using your knife in such a way that steel isn't strong enough you need to find the RIGHT tool for the job and quit destroying your equipment. No, it's the lack of upkeep that makes Ti desirable as a handle material. Ideally it would also be a good blade material but its properties just don't allow for it.

NOTE TO PEDANTS: Yes, there are titanium blades. They almost universally suck for one thing or another.

I have a ti hammer... and I've seen a carbon fiber tomahawk on here

Titanium is an excellent choice when you need to smack metal with metal. It usually wins the argument.

But it's not lightweight, is it? Which was my point.

Now back to the REAL topic...

Carbon fiber's purty.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike titanium and carbon fiber, but they don't really do anything for me. I get that they have some advantages in strength-to-weight ratio and such, but it seems like such incremental improvements that I usually find myself wishing that the money had gone into improved blade steel, a superior lock or top notch fit and finish.

There's nothing wrong with wanting your knife to look and feel like a million bucks, but these materials on folders just seem more like a trend than an improvement to me.

Am I crazy/stupid/just plain wrong?

So how do you feel about this stuff, and why?

I know! Right?
CF is lame.

But come on! Titanium? TITANIUM is awesome!

Seriously whatever makes each person happy. TI and CF seem popular or else it wouldn't sell.

 

[fetzer85]

I don't know why I read through threads like this...guess I'm a sucker.

You want me to explain why you don't like it? You want me to explain why I do?

Gosh, if I made threads posting every little thing about knives I don't like you guys might swear I was wearing a skirt and painted my nails. I tend to keep my nitpicks to myself. Oh well...

 

[bpeezer]

Kind of ironic to bag on Ti and CF for being 'incremental improvements' and then preach putting that money towards better blade steel which is usually an incremental improvement at best.

I think he was just saying that he would personally prefer an incremental blade improvement over an incremental handle improvement.

 

[DShiflet]

I don't like titanium at all. I really don't care for metal handles in general, actually, I'll take G10, micarta, or hell, even FRN over titanium any day.

Never had any experience with CF so I can't comment on that...I do think it looks nice, though.

 

[WRGreen]

Speaking of skirts & nail polish, I had a motorcycle with CF fenders, and using clear nail polish was the recommended cure for the inevitable dings and chips from road debris and stones. Just that.

 

[Planterz]

Carbon fiber is just cool. Different weaves, different finishes, even different colors. And they're all cool. The way it dances in the light can be mesmerizing. Plus there's the fact that it's incredibly strong, light, and stiff. It's an ideal material for countless and extremely varied things. From aerospace to violins and cellos.

 

[HwangJino]

What's wrong with titanium?

Everything is useless in someone else's eyes. Or another man's trash is another's man gold. Or something like that.

I personally like titanium, I see no fault really, but carbon fiber isn't my thing too much, haven seen many car parts go yellow, crack, chip etc.

I almost bought some CF scales for southard and sebenza CF insingo, but keep getting reminded of how CF ages (not so well I mean).

 

[Wharn]

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike titanium and carbon fiber, but they don't really do anything for me. I get that they have some advantages in strength-to-weight ratio and such, but it seems like such incremental improvements that I usually find myself wishing that the money had gone into improved blade steel, a superior lock or top notch fit and finish.

There's nothing wrong with wanting your knife to look and feel like a million bucks, but these materials on folders just seem more like a trend than an improvement to me.

Am I crazy/stupid/just plain wrong?

So how do you feel about this stuff, and why?

All of the above. I'll take the carbon fiber, titanium and the improved blade steel.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I don't know why I read through threads like this...guess I'm a sucker.

You want me to explain why you don't like it? You want me to explain why I do?

Gosh, if I made threads posting every little thing about knives I don't like you guys might swear I was wearing a skirt and painted my nails. I tend to keep my nitpicks to myself. Oh well...

I respect your decision to pick nits about others nitpicking.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

I like titanium because you can anodize it, it's light, it's strong, and, well, it's on my Sebenza!

I'm mixed about carbon fiber. I only have two knives with it--a Spyderco T-Mag and a Spyderco sprint Dodo. The T-Mag is fairly grippy, but the cf is rough and not very beautiful. The Dodo is shiny and polished, but it does not have any grip at all. I prefer G10 on regular-carry knives.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

What's wrong with titanium?

Everything is useless in someone else's eyes. Or another man's trash is another's man gold. Or something like that.

I personally like titanium, I see no fault really, but carbon fiber isn't my thing too much, haven seen many car parts go yellow, crack, chip etc.

I almost bought some CF scales for southard and sebenza CF insingo, but keep getting reminded of how CF ages (not so well I mean).

Nothing wrong with titanium, per se, it just adds nothing to my percieved value of a knife.

 

[Cereal_killer]

There are many carbon fiber hammers. I never said anything about NOT making hammers out of carbon fiber. What I stated, quite simply, in plain English, was that light weight was not a desirable trait in a hammer. Maybe for the excruciatingly pedantic or trolly I should have specified hammer HEADS.

JFC, you can't say anything on the internet without the thesaurus police nitpicking everything...



The strength-to-weight thing simply doesn't matter. If you're using your knife in such a way that steel isn't strong enough you need to find the RIGHT tool for the job and quit destroying your equipment. No, it's the lack of upkeep that makes Ti desirable as a handle material. Ideally it would also be a good blade material but its properties just don't allow for it.

NOTE TO PEDANTS: Yes, there are titanium blades. They almost universally suck for one thing or another.



Titanium is an excellent choice when you need to smack metal with metal. It usually wins the argument.

But it's not lightweight, is it? Which was my point.

Now back to the REAL topic...

Carbon fiber's purty.

Dude you really need to chill, we're all friends here and some FNG coming in romping around and trying to stir the pot doesn't help anything. Sorry but look at your post history, you've attacked several people randomly for no reason... This is a place for friends and like minded people to come together and talk about knives, who cares if we get a lite off topic or joke around about the topic at hand. I was in no way calling you out about the CF hammer comment, just joking around about it. Please bro, settle down and join in the fun, of you want to slam on people because of a miss interpreted internet comment there is a forum where that's more than acceptable- wine&cheese, but other than that it's usually best to try and not come off quite as hostile.

Also not everyone knows what "JFC" is (I had to think about it) and I find it pretty inappropriate... And again I wasn't calling you out or saying you were wrong, I had never seen any CF hammer before, regardless of what sort of hammer it was, so more than anything I was joking and having a learning experience. Thanks for the respect you showed me tho, I'll be sure to return it.

 

[dkb45]

You aren't crazy. CF really just looks cool. The weight and strength difference between it and G10 are nil, but the price is major. Titanium only really has the advantage of being lighter than steel, and not by much. It is also a lot more difficult to machine than steel, so the cost is higher.

Really both materials are premium priced without a major improvement. If I had a choice between two knives with the same design and steel with the only difference being CF/titanium handles or G10/steel handles I would take the cheaper option. Sadly that is very uncommon.