Ceracote on OTFs?

[Comeuppance]

I don't think I've seen it done aftermarket, but the Sith Lord ultratechs have inspired me! For reference:

The only problem is... They're too small to be lightsabers. They should have done this with the Makora. DUH.

So, I recently picked up a S30V bead-blasted Makora in a trade, and Josh at Razor Edge Knives does Ceracote... What do you guys think? My biggest concern is the likely need for disassembly, but this size OTF is the -perfect- size for a pocket lightsaber.

 

[Misanthropia]

1. You're gonna have to buy the bit to take it apart for about $22.
2. Microtech will very much void your warranty (although a Microtech warranty is of questionable value to begin with).
3. The cerakote may change the tolerances on already finicky knives.
4. When the spring eventually needs to be replaced, it's going to be a much more annoying process trying to source the parts and do it yourself.

I would say enjoy the knife as is, and wait for the hype to disperse over the Star Wars knives thing.

 

[Comeuppance]

1. You're gonna have to buy the bit to take it apart for about $22.
2. Microtech will very much void your warranty (although a Microtech warranty is of questionable value to begin with).
3. The cerakote may change the tolerances on already finicky knives.
4. When the spring eventually needs to be replaced, it's going to be a much more annoying process trying to source the parts and do it yourself.

I would say enjoy the knife as is, and wait for the hype to disperse over the Star Wars knives thing.

Valid points all around. I just feel like it -should- be done, but I suppose it would be best just to wait for MT to do it so I'm not left with a really expensive knife that is essentially a ticking time bomb for a mechanical failure that is nearly unrecoverable from.

 

[Rich S]

Knife Center has a blue bladed one. Of course it is an auto, so they won't sell it to you unless you are a police officer or in the military active duty. No offense, but it looks pretty silly and next to useless except to stab someone. Yes, I am an opinionated old geezer.
Rich

 

[Comeuppance]

Knife Center has a blue bladed one. Of course it is an auto, so they won't sell it to you unless you are a police officer or in the military active duty. No offense, but it looks pretty silly and next to useless except to stab someone. Yes, I am an opinionated old geezer.
Rich

Are you saying they have a blue bladed Makora, or the Ultratechs? I was unable to find a blue-bladed Makora, but the "Star Wars" Ultratechs come in blue, green, red, and white.

OTFs are basically man-toys, it's no secret! Nobody is going to take offense to that.

 

[FullMetalJackass]

You'll have to take apart your knife, blast the blade then bake the Cerakote.
The thickness of well-applied Cerakote is between 1 to 5/1000, which may, or may not, create some tolerance issues.
You'll have to tapemask the grind a little bit higher, to get some buffer space for sharpening, as Cerakote chips.

Have fun, and don't forget to post pictures once it's done!

 

[Keussj76]

Valid points all around. I just feel like it -should- be done, but I suppose it would be best just to wait for MT to do it so I'm not left with a really expensive knife that is essentially a ticking time bomb for a mechanical failure that is nearly unrecoverable from.

Just do it.. spring breaks, buy a clone on dh gate and replace the spring from that one, or buy a spring from switchbladekits.com. Mechanically the authentic MTs and clones are identical, just not in terms of material quality and tolerances. I very much would like to see A microtech coated aftermarket, as I'm kicking the idea around of getting the hardware on one of mine coated in black.

 

[jimmyd1982]

otf's have never appealed to me, I normally lean more towards traditionals or at least natural materials....... that being said my inner 8 year old really wants one of those light sabers.

 

[PURPLEDC]

If you have him do it exactly as the ultratechs are done which is to say satin finishing the flats you will have no tolerance issues. Just dont let them sand the flats too much or you will have a little more slop than normal.

Just do it.. spring breaks, buy a clone on dh gate and replace the spring from that one, or buy a spring from switchbladekits.com. Mechanically the authentic MTs and clones are identical, just not in terms of material quality and tolerances. I very much would like to see A microtech coated aftermarket, as I'm kicking the idea around of getting the hardware on one of mine coated in black.

Mechanically many clone parts will NOT fit in a genuine microtech. Springs yes. But other parts are a crapshoot.

 

[typicalpest]

You'll have to take apart your knife, blast the blade then bake the Cerakote.
The thickness of well-applied Cerakote is between 1 to 5/1000, which may, or may not, create some tolerance issues.
You'll have to tapemask the grind a little bit higher, to get some buffer space for sharpening, as Cerakote chips.

Have fun, and don't forget to post pictures once it's done!

If anyone's cerakote is chipping then it wasn't applied correctly or cured correctly or the ratio of hardener to cerakote was wrong. So many trying to do cerakote today but nobody takes the time to do it correctly. And then all of a sudden everyone thinks it's either a bad coating or somthing else. Cerakote is awesome when applied correctly and doesn't chip, peel, or flake off