Gold inlay after DLC?? Help!

[ThisIsMrX]

Hello Gents.

Would it be possible to inlay 24K Gold onto an already DLC coated knife?
Is it possible to remove/scratch/cut the DLC only in the places where the inlay is intended to go?
If I brought a knife like the 1st pic, would you be able to get the job done and not destroy the DLC coating around the inlay?
or
Would it have to be a raw Titanium knife like from 2nd pic?
but,
then I'm thinking doing DLC after gold inlay isn't really feasible either?

Any and all help is highly appreciated before I pull the trigger on this $1,300 knife that I don't really want if we cant inlay the scales.
Thanks in advance!!!

My photoshop skills


Raw Titanium Grimsmo Rask with Dragon Scales

 

[fishface5]

I don't know, but I -think- it is possible to do a near-gold anodization of the inlay area and then get a near-black oxiclean finish on the rest.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Waiting for W. Valtakis. He is the engraving and anodizing in Ti expert.

 

[WValtakis]

As a general rule, I never cut through coatings specifically because any mistake is impossible to repair. I also don't think it would possible to get the inlay surface finished without damaging the DLC coating. It might be possible to achieve that look with anodizing, but I haven't played around with the "black Ti" ano enough to say for sure yet.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Would a laser work for the cuts and then anodize?

 

[REK Knives]

Would a laser work for the cuts and then anodize?

Yes but the problem you would run into is - after you inlay the gold how are you going to sand it flush without messing up dlc?

 

[WValtakis]

Would a laser work for the cuts and then anodize?

You can laser through the DLC and then anodize, but it has to actually be high quality properly applied DLC. I've had a lot of supposed "DLC" that flaked off in the ano bath, I suspect it may have have been a different PVD coating but I'm not certain.

 

[REK Knives]

You can laser through the DLC and then anodize, but it has to actually be high quality properly applied DLC. I've had a lot of supposed "DLC" that flaked off in the ano bath, I suspect it may have have been a different PVD coating but I'm not certain.

You can also anodize with the laser (if it's mopa)

 

[WValtakis]

You can also anodize with the laser (if it's mopa) View attachment 2918855

Technically, that's heat coloring

 

[REK Knives]

Technically, that's heat coloring

True... That should be even more durable then than electro anodizing from what I've read. I should test comparing the two

 

[ThisIsMrX]

Oh man oh man. Wishful thinking huh.
Thanks for all the info fellas, WValtakis especially your wisdom!
So if someone absolutely wanted a black Rask with Dragon scales outlines in 24k gold inlay, and they're willing to pay for the work to get it done. What would the process be?
Get a completely smooth, raw Ti Rask and then have the engraver cut out the dragon scales, inlay gold and then anodize black?
How much would something like that even cost if customer is providing the knife?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

That is pretty much what WValtakis does for a living. He may need another person to do the gold inlay, or may do it himself. Send him an email to get the details..

 

[ThisIsMrX]

Big thank you to WValtakis for coming through with some knowledge.