First attempt at modifying a folder

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xtylerx

Joined
May 17, 2014
Messages
10
I'm new to collecting knives and new to the forums. It's definitely not perfect, and I'm not happy with the scales yet, but this was my first whirl at heat anodizing, and acid washing. Also, I can't seem to get the blade centered again. I've followed multiple videos with loosening and tightening the pivot and body screws and can't get it right. Anyway, here's my Boker Kwaiken.

Heat anodized titanium scales
Acid stone washed liners, clip, and blade
Added jimping along the top of the blade and flipper.


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Pretty damn good for your first time man. Looks like you didn't clean the titanium liners well enough before heat anodizing, and the colors are pretty dark. What sort of torch are you using? Remember to pull the torch away when it's at temperature so it can react to form the color.

The jimping looks good too, only 1 notch on the spine and the last notch on the flipper closest to the blade look a bit off. What did you use to cut the jimping? It looks like dremel work to me. I've found far greater success using cheap diamond files to cut jimping, plus then you can do some sick filework. I'd recommend you pick up some cheap diamond files on amazon, the ones I've got came with red rubber grips.

Your acid stonewash looks damn good, what did you use to stonewash it?

Keep up the good work, mate!
 
blutkrieg said:
Pretty damn good for your first time man. Looks like you didn't clean the titanium liners well enough before heat anodizing, and the colors are pretty dark. What sort of torch are you using? Remember to pull the torch away when it's at temperature so it can react to form the color.

The jimping looks good too, only 1 notch on the spine and the last notch on the flipper closest to the blade look a bit off. What did you use to cut the jimping? It looks like dremel work to me. I've found far greater success using cheap diamond files to cut jimping, plus then you can do some sick filework. I'd recommend you pick up some cheap diamond files on amazon, the ones I've got came with red rubber grips.

Your acid stonewash looks damn good, what did you use to stonewash it?

Keep up the good work, mate!
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Thanks guys!

Yea it was dremel work for the jimping. I'll definitely look into the diamond files! I used the PCB etching solution and then used some small smooth stones that came in a bag from Home Depot. Around 10 minutes soaking, and then shook it in a Gatorade bottle with the stones for 5 minutes with WD40. I just used propane torch for the titanium. I wish I had the ability to electrically anodize, but I'm not that adventurous yet.
 
Aside from the anodizing, it looks like a stock job. If you told me that it was a one off custom I wouldn't argue.
 
Diamond files are great for making really fine jimping that offers a lot more grip than what I could ever do with a dremel. Like I said before just buy the cheapest set on amazon or a hardware store. Mine have lasted a few years now.

Your stonewash looks gorgeous, really nice and uniform. If you want to do a really fine stonewash (small scratches) I took a plastic peanut container and put in some small stones and broken pieces of coffee mug with a spray of WD40, glued a vibratory motor from an old xbox 360 controller onto the cap of the container and hold it sideways in my hand while the motor spins. Shake the container for a few seconds every now and again and turn the blade around every now and again to cover the entire area. Varying the amount of media you use has a significant effect on how quickly/fine the stonewash occurs.

For heat anodizing I'd recommend cleaning the scales with acetone first, then heat them up on a ceramic plate (might crack be careful) or inside of a coffee mug. I've only heat anodized steel but heating the object while it's sitting on a plate makes it much easier for me to pull the torch away and let the color develop, then continue down the spectrum if I want to. It also gives it a much more uniform look in my experience.

Look into electro-etching for steel and electroplating. Both can be done with a phone charger and a usb cable you don't need. Lots of fun to be had with both of those.
 
Decided to get rid of the heat anodize. Did the OxiClean method to darken the titanium and then stone washed it to match the blade.

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Looks solid. Great first attempt. My modification has only been to the extent of filing a sharpening choil or acid etching a blade.
 
Looks solid. Great first attempt. My modification has only been to the extent of filing a sharpening choil or acid etching a blade.
 
Thanks guys! Anyone have any other tips on getting the blade centered? It's driving me insane. I've disassembled and reassembled at least a dozen times trying to correct it.
 
Just reshaped my ZT0801 to a more wharncliffe style blade, acid stone washed the blade and clip, and boiled the titanium scales in oxi clean and stone washed them as well.

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