Coated vs. Non-Coated blades

[tiguy7]

Hard coatings like Titanium nitride, Zirconium nitride, or Titanium Aluminum nitride will not wear off any time soon. The have HRC's of 82, 86, and 92 respectively. The will not prevent corrosion of the micro edge, but they will help prevent the blade from corroding or getting scratched. A side benefit is the ability of the coated blades to be used as a finishing steel for blades with a lower HRC.

 

[robbobus]

the coatings always look scratched up and used looking, even if the knife hasn't cut much, opening and closing will wear it off at the thumb post