finish questions

R

RGR

Joined
Oct 11, 1999
Messages
49
Probably this has already been asked but being fairly new to the forums I missed it.
Concerning blade finishes is the electroless nickel and black chrome process something that has been done on knives?
Perhaps it is and is called something else?
I would think it would be a valid process to consider but realize it probably has been used but didn't fly for some reason. Comments? Thanks Ron Ryder
 
Maybe it has but Im not familar with that term. Please explain in more detail. Maybe you are on to something new for knives. Bruce Bump
 
Ron, I worked as a gunsmith for several years before I went fulltime bladesmith. Your question is a good one, BUT,(always one) hard chrome plate is good only if it seals the material completely...ie. sharpening the cutting edge would allow for chipping/flaking to occur (tried it),don't know about the black chrome, assume it's the same. I have had good results teflon coating survival and dive knives though. Hope this helps.... Lee/Bearclaw Knives

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I am not familiar with the black chrome process. I am familiar with the electroless nickel process (EN). It is fairly easy to plate a protective nickel coating in this fashion. It is a soft finish though. I believe the best you can get is 45 Rc. You can also polish the EN coat bringing it to a mirror finish. It offers great corrosion protection, not much abrasion protection. Would the black chrome go over the top of the EN coating? I am assuming that the black chrome would be much more wear resistant. If so, it sounds like a very good coating. Does black chroming still pose all of the regulatory and saftey concerns as hard chroming?

Regards,
Glenn
 
Why oh why would anyone want to chrome plate tool steel? Just use a high chromium stainless tool steel to begin with.
You'll run into many problems electroplating steels. (voice of experience) All steels must be first underplated with a coating of zinc to inhibit eventual bleed-through. Then, you can follow with nickel if you'ld like. Who says nickel isn't hard? Try to get some of it OFF a substrate!
The best black finish for carbon alloyed tool steels is a professional deep gun blue. This passive oxide coating penetrates the first few molecules of the steel and inhibits corrosion. But it isn't easy.
Spray on coatings are cheap. Your clients won't appreciate a scratched, flaking bumpy surface that will undoubedly occur over time.

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Jay
www.gilanet.com/JayFisher/index.htm
 
Friends, thanks for the replies. My background is also in gunsmithing, always liked knives and have rehandled some factory folders and was thinking about grinding some O1 blades for a "good" traditional folder/user. So far I am still blessed with two hands and find a traditional opener no great challenge to live with!
The points about the RC of electroless is agreed with. But I had always heard that electorless process would not chip as with "plating". There are several aftermarket guys
applying electroless to firearms.And other similar finishes as well.
Another finish was being applied to shotgun recievers, Armoloy or something like that.. several years back. It looked like a french grey.
The thing about abrasion is also understood. But experience with pistols/holster wear etc
tells me that the electroless is quite a bit better than any powder/spray on teflon/whatever. Granted, "black" is in.
Gun bluing is also a possiblity but lacks a lot of practicality. High nickel or alloyed steels give gunsmiths fits in a bluing room and it offers no abrasion resistance to speak off.
I was not offering this idea as a new type of wheel.. just wondering.
The black chrome I have seen looked splotchy but that was 15 years back and the process may have improved.
A guy named Robbie Barkmann down AZ way who did a lot of this metal tech stuff. He was advertising a lot in the gun magazines recently.
Maybe we just ought to wipe the dadgum things down once in a while?
Again, thanks for all the input. Ron Ryder
Cutters & Collectors Knives
 
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