Flame coloring of AG Russell Ultimate pen knife

[ginshun]

So this weekend I tried this little project out and here are the pics of the results.

Front view

Back view

With Atwood Prybaby, just for scale

I disassembled the UPK and held the sides with a pliers, and then heated them with a butane pencil torch. As you can see it worked, but it is imppossible to put any kind of pattern or striping on using a butane torch. It just doesn't have the heat or power needed to heat the titanium quickly enough to do that sort of thing. I also attempted to do it with a larger knife, and it really just isn't possible with the tiny butane torce that I was using.

Still, it worked out OK, and I am happy with the unique little Ultimate pen knife on my keychain.

 

[wwells20]

I like that! Good job and keep'em comming.:thumbup:

 

[Bob W]

I really like those little knives and would like to buy a set with the nice handles. Quick question on your propane torch job, are those fingerprints that became scorched into the metal? Do they rub out?

-Bob

 

[Cougar Allen]

 

[ginshun]

I really like those little knives and would like to buy a set with the nice handles. Quick question on your propane torch job, are those fingerprints that became scorched into the metal? Do they rub out?

-Bob

If you are talking about the little lines that show up in the pic that I have listed as the back view, yes, I believe they are fingerprints scoarched into the metal, and no they don't rub off.

 

[rebeltf]

If you are talking about the little lines that show up in the pic that I have listed as the back view, yes, I believe they are fingerprints scoarched into the metal, and no they don't rub off.

Good effort

Give this a try next time.

Disassemble as you did , wash in soap and hot water , make sure to get all soap traces off , dry with a clean paper towel - make sure it's dry.
Do you have an electric stove that uses the metal element ? If so clean off a section of the element , use a towel with some alcohol (stove is off of course at this point in time) just to make sure element is clean.
Put your titanium piece on Top Side Up and let it heat up , start low like at 1/4 way, then increase it , watch it and you can see the whole piece turn color , you should be able to get a pretty blue out of that , when you get to blue or your desired color , take them off and set them on a cermaic plate or similiar to cool , polish gently with some Flitz , not so hard as to take the color off but the Flitz will help protect the anodization some.
The end result is a nice even color with no fingerprints.
Also you can "stripe it" if you lay your titanium across ways on the elements , here is a pic to try an gaf what i'm sayin.

Do a search on my threads and you can see the CRKT Wasp I did a while ago , the color turned out amazingly blue , I just did a larger Wasp this weekend and wanted a different effect , my color range from a gold/bronze/greenish bronze/blue from bottom of handle to the top in that order.

Good luck
Todd

 

[ginshun]

Great plan. If I attampt another one I will geve that a try.