how to darken steel liners?

sogflash

sogflash

Joined
Aug 28, 2011
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The steel (stainless?) liners on my benchmade barrage are shiny. I'd like to take the shine out, and perhaps darken them. Will heat do the trick?

I have used heat to darken pocket clips with good results, but they are a lot easier to replace if something goes wrong.
 
I'm not familiar enough with axis lock to say if heat-coloring the liners would affect operation or not...
but if it's not structural I say go for it.
 
I haven't considered using chemicals. Those things are not readily available were I live.
 
would not heat the lock it will soften it and wear quickly. ferric chloride avalible at radio shack or online. or have it plated or anodized.
 
At best, you can get them satin finished to grey. You can't practically get stainless any darker than that.
 
As soon as there is the slightest wear, the stainless will begin to brighten again. It's best left alone.
 
Black oxide is pretty tough. And how shiny it gets when worn through depends on the texture of the surface.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Black oxide has no effect on stainless steel.
Click to expand...
Do you mean one cannot apply black oxide to stainless?

I had a super shiny cold steel pocket clip. Boiling vinegar/salt solution showed no effect, phosphoric acid I tried up to 40% and nothing. Therfore I'm sure it was stainless. Applying DC turned it black in less than a second.
Also worked in etching black patterns into stainless SAK blades.
 
Last edited:
It rubs off, generally.
Why does everyone want to turn stainless steel black? It's far too difficult. Just use carbon steel.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
It rubs off, generally.
Why does everyone want to turn stainless steel black? It's far too difficult. Just use carbon steel.
Click to expand...
If you are a maker of course you can use whatever you think is best from the beginning. Nothing better than that.
As a user you've got to work with what you can buy.
Let's take that cold steel knife. I bought it because I like everything about it, except for one thing that shiny clip.
So shiny that it gets unwanted attention. Not from sentries I need to take out but from everyday people.
I can't really machine one from carbon steel and my only way is to turn it less reflective and darker myself. Mine doesn't rub off so easily but maybe that's only because before oxidizing it I took some sandpaper to it.
 
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