Do aluminum scales add anything to a folder?

O

oguruma

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Jan 3, 2010
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I am curious, other than they are less prone to chipping/cracking, do aluminum scales add anything to folder by way of durability?
 
Not in my opinion... I have one in black and all it does is show scratches, just like a painted clip :thumbdn:

Ski
 
Aside from weight, it does serve as a scratch display. I have a preference for G10 or FRN. Aluminum handles look really cool, but they feel cold and non-grippy on most knives. Same gos for Ti, looks awesome, but unless there is a nice texture on it, not really practical.
 
Aluminum handles actually prevent me from buying the knife. I do not like them and Ti and stainless are not much better. The aluminum shows scratches much easier then synthetic materials and makes them look worn much too soon. Not only that but they aren't very grippy and all metal handles can feel heavy from the ones I have held. They also have a cold and 'lifeless' feel for lack of a better word. :thumbdn:
 
As others have said they scratch too easily and are really a practical handle

material. I have 1 Bm with alumnim handles and wont buy any more.:thumbdn:
 
oguruma said:
I am curious, other than they are less prone to chipping/cracking, do aluminum scales add anything to folder by way of durability?
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Aluminum is a reasonably inexpensive light weight metal and brings to the knife those advantages when used for scales. Aluminum is more durable than FRN or composite (G10 and Carbon fiber), even though composite is actually stronger in the direction of the fibers. So yes, there is less likelihood of chipping and cracking, though most folks do not experience these issues with plastic scales. Aluminum is lighter than stainless steel or Titanium. It is less expensive than Titanium.

Many do not care for aluminum because it is not as grippy as plastics and because it shows scratches. I am one such and prefer FRN or composite to aluminum. But it is a personal preference, so YMMV.
 
I don't much care for the tactile feel of aluminum but it can be knurled, grooved etc to give a decent grip. When I was a kid I edc'd a SAK for a long time, a plastic scale finally came off, for that type of design maybe the metal body (not really a scale) would have lasted longer.
 
Thanks for the input everybody. I am having a hard time deciding on my next blade. Right now I am thinking about a benchmade 5500/5000 (or possible manual version).
 
With aluminum scales you just have to take a bit better care of the knife if you don't want scratches on the scales.

So far my knife has held up fine. I figure when and if it does get a scratch on the finish (hasn't yet), I'll just bead blast it and then clear anodize it for that uniform worn look. At the moment it's black anodized, which is the way I got it. So far no scratches. Then again if I carry a knife, I only have a knife in the pocket and nothing else in the same pocket.
 
my benchmade autos have held up very well, the coating on the aluminum is great....

you can even file your nails on it
 
Depends.

It is 6061 or 7075?

Type II anodizing or hard anodizing (type III)?

I think that, generally, aluminum gives good strength to a folder without a lot of added weight that would come from a stronger, but heavier stainless frame.
 
I guess I'm in the minority, I love aluminum handles when done correctly. The coating on my BM 525 is tough as hell and is very grippy.
 
The only Al handles I like are Victorinox's. They're actually grippy thanks to the texturing, and the alox knives feel more rugged than the cellidor ones. On the other hand, you loose the tweezers, toothpick and maybe a pen.
 
Is it me or do aluminum handles take on some sort of patina? I have a small linerlock knife with thick alu handles made by Herbertz (or marketed by). It's 14 years old and the handles have darkened considerably,very even too. I wouldn't have noticed if i hadn't read this post, but it's clearly somesort of patina, if thats at all possible with alu?
 
SusAntigoon said:
Is it me or do aluminum handles take on some sort of patina? I have a small linerlock knife with thick alu handles made by Herbertz (or marketed by). It's 14 years old and the handles have darkened considerably,very even too. I wouldn't have noticed if i hadn't read this post, but it's clearly somesort of patina, if thats at all possible with alu?
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Dunno about discoloration, but aluminum does oxidize. The difference is that it's aluminum oxide that forms, which actually stops further rust almost entirely, unlike iron oxide which is detrimental. In fact all that anodizing is, is a thicker layer of aluminum oxide.
 
I'd say it depends on what you are comparing the aluminum scales to. In some cases yes, in others no. The aluminum brings some things to the table that make it appealing. Lighter weight, the choice of color by a hard coat anodizing and so on. Strength depends again on what you compare to and there are different alloys of aluminum so it depends on that too.

STR
 
I love me some Aluminum. It's very light and when companies add trac tape to it becomes grippy. BM's anno is good and MT's and Dalton's are pretty tough as well.
 
Socom Elite said:
I love me some Aluminum. It's very light and when companies add trac tape to it becomes grippy. BM's anno is good and MT's and Dalton's are pretty tough as well.
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Some folder handle designs are best made in an aluminium alloy (6061), the MOD CQD series are a good example and the rest of their aluminium alloy handled knives seem strong and solid.
 
Vinnie the Nose said:
I guess I'm in the minority, I love aluminum handles when done correctly. The coating on my BM 525 is tough as hell and is very grippy.
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I'm also a big fan of aluminum scales. I don't care for cheap plastic (or expensive plastic, for that matter) scales on knives whatsoever. Never understood the appeal of composites from a buyer's perspective, but different strokes for different folks I guess.
 
I like aluminum handles if they are either milled out with a grippy pattern or if some other material is inlaid/onlaid to the aluminum provide some grip. A example of an aluminum handle that I do like is the Kershaw Blur series. They have tough anodized alumium scales with rubber "trac tec" inserts that really make it nice and grippy while not being too hard on the pockets. Thats another plus with aluminum, they are usually relatively smooth so it doesn't ruin your pockets. They are also a good source of light strong metal. If only alumium were plyable like steel/titanium so you could make a framelock out of it.

All that being said I prefer g10/micarta/carbon fiber on my knives almost 100 percent of the time. Only because they have just about all the strength of aluminum but are nice and grippy, just as impervious to the elements, keep your hands warm and just plain look cool (actually aluminum looks cool too...)
 
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