DIY- Flamed Ti?

T

TFin04

Joined
Aug 21, 2005
Messages
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I like the look of the flamed Strider knives, some Hinderer stuff, etc.

I have a Spyderco Sage 2 coming to me, which has full (plain) titanium scales.

Can joe schmore (carefully) apply heat from a butane or propane torch to achieve some of the flame patterns we see from the makers listed above?
 
I happen to know someone who can do this, I've seen some of his works on pics, I can help you ask if his interested and available.
 
You might try the knife makers forum, the only way I know of getting TI to change colors is with DC, and that's only academic.
 
This is how it's done, obviously try this at your own risk. Clean off the Ti with acetone, let dry, then spray with WD40. Make sure to not touch the Ti after it's cleaned and sprayed, or it can leave fingerprints. Take a pencil torch, and heat till light red glow appears, move torch back and forth in desired pattern.
If you try it, remember to stay away from the detent ball, it can shoot out if over heated. And be in a well ventilated area.
 
I seem to remember that there's also an Oxy-Clean technique, but I don't have a link handy.
 
The only way to get a Strider/Hinderer is with an Oxy Acetylene Torch, it's the only torch that will get hot enough and with a small enough cone of heat to produce the fine stripe patter. There are other ways to get effects.

Hot OxyClean will darken the surface, using rubberbands or other masking will allow for patterns in the coating.

Using a standard Mapp or Propane torch you can get Ti to color but nothing dark and deep like Strider.

With a TSP solution and adjustable DC voltage you can anodize the Ti into colors, with masking you can make any design you want.
 
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