How does satin finish compare to TiNi/TiN?

Titanium Nitride or Titanium Aluminum Nitride (also known as DLC) is an extremely hard and tough coating that serves to protect a blade against scratches and corrosion. If you see a scuff on a DLC blade, it is usually where the coating has ground off whatever contacted it. From strictly a hardness point of view, DLC is actually harder than diamond.

Where one needs protection from corrosion, a TiNi coating has some advantages if one tends to ignore proper maintenance. I have some Bucks and Kershaws with DLC coating and they look great, but I have not found any performance advantage over a properly maintained satin finish blade.
 
A.P.F. said:
Titanium Nitride or Titanium Aluminum Nitride (also known as DLC) is an extremely hard and tough coating that serves to protect a blade against scratches and corrosion. If you see a scuff on a DLC blade, it is usually where the coating has ground off whatever contacted it. From strictly a hardness point of view, DLC is actually harder than diamond.

Where one needs protection from corrosion, a TiNi coating has some advantages if one tends to ignore proper maintenance. I have some Bucks and Kershaws with DLC coating and they look great, but I have not found any performance advantage over a properly maintained satin finish blade.
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I always thought they are two different coatings.
DLC - Diamond Like Carbon.
TiNi - Titanium Nitride
 
Yes, DLC and TiNi are different coatings. They both look to serve the same purpose, protection against scratches and corossion.
 
Tony8179 said:
Yes, DLC and TiNi are different coatings. They both look to serve the same purpose, protection against scratches and corossion.
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My bad, you are right, they are a different critter. Titanium Nitride is gold in color. Buck used it once upon a time for a folder, whose name escapes me. Titanium Aluminum Nitride is a dark grey in color and whereas they both differ in hardness (very hard), neither can hold a candle to a DLC.
 
In reference to MartinQ's original question about the BK2; besides aesthetics, the only real functional difference would be the satin finish 1095 would tend to accumulate surface rust whereas the coated model would help prevent that. But if you keep the satin model properly maintained, it should not be a problem. Even if it did have a bit of surface rust, it should not affect the performance of the blade.
 
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