**I wish CRKT would stop bead blasting their blade finish - What's your opinion?**

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nonbox

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I wish CRKT would stop bead blasting their blade finish - What's your opinion?

I don't like the bead blast finish because it promotes rust. A few of their folders have satin finish. The CRKT Crawford Falcon is inexpensive and has a great satin finish. Why not have this finish on all the other models?

I will email this thread to CRKT because I heard they listen to the opinions of their customers.
 
CRKT produces bargains. That´s why they have to keep the costs low. Bead-blasting is inexpensive. Simple as that.

I don´t like this finish either, but this - along with the not-so-great steel used on their cheaper models (AUS-6) - provides the possibility for them to offer well-made knives at low prices.
 
I don't mind, But I know fulloflead mentioned something about this not long ago. I guess I haven't really paid attention :)
 
I agree with Nonbox. I thought beadblast finishes were kinda cool when I first saw them, but it's quite tiresome now. Not to mention that we all know what those nasty little pits in bead blasts attract...rust.

I can't believe they even beadblast a gorgeous knife like the Wasp. Just think how fantastic that knife would be with a satin finish and how much it would stand out in the display case of a knife store (hint, hint, if they're any CRKT reps lurking at BladeForums).

Otherwise, I think they are still a progressive knife company with some very good designs regardless of price.

FTC
 
They have come out with a couple that has a brushed/satin finish.
The Crawford Falcon comes into my mind.
 
If CRKT could do "a little from column "A" & a little from column "B" they'd be one fine knife company.
But economics, as Quiet Storm points out, equals bargains. :( This may change
if enough CRKT customer(s) bitch loud enough. Who knows?

AET ;)
 
Beadblast is OK with me. While it might attract rust somewhat, the rust is usually very minor suface spotting that can be wiped away easily.

Plus, "fixing" a beadblast is about the easiest thing in the world to do. Just hit it with some really fine sandpaper and it will vanish. Somewhare aroud here I have a mirror finish stiff KISS I made that looks great.

I'm not sure that beadblasting is entirely a matter of economy. Companies such as Buck make plenty of knives at or below CRKT's pricepoint that are not bead blasted. I think it came to be more as a result of those mall ninja types who managed to convice themselves that having "low reflectivity" was a desirable feature on an EDC. Same thing with black coated blades, just a symptom of the Tactical diesase.
 
I recently received an M18- 04 Carson series. The blade finish appears to be a semi satin one(?). It feels absolutely smooth to the touch and its light grey color is just enough to prevent glare. Is this a semi bead blast or semi satin finish???

Nakano
 
the M18 has some kind of wierd coating, i think they are calling it a frost coating or something like that, i just sanded it off my M18, its not at 1200 grit and is almost mirror polished.
 
The rust problem with the bead blasted blades should be fixed on all new blades. CRKT is aware of the problem and changed the media they used to bead blast their blades. The new media and bead blasting procedure is supposed to eliminate the problem. The change is a running model change and there is no way to tell the difference in the old style blades and the new. I hope this helps.
 
I doubt that I will ever buy another bead blast blade reguardless of who made it or how good the knife is. I just don't like it as a blade finish.
 
Originally posted by Hawaiian
I doubt that I will ever buy another bead blast blade reguardless of who made it or how good the knife is. I just don't like it as a blade finish.
Click to expand...

I agree although I won't say I'll never buy another beadblast blade. But I'll look darn hard for alternatives. This is why I like Spyderco, because they don't have many beadblast blades. I even prefer the course grind look of their CPM440V over beadblast.

Let's be honest. There is often a sort of a macho element when buying knives and a lot of us like that tough look of shiny steel (even if it's a satin finish or stonewash) compared to that plasticky look of beadblast. Heck I don't even like coated blades.
 
Speaking of making a nice shiny finish out of a bead blasted blade, how much time, pain, elbow grease, tools, etc. would it take to turn a black Cold Steel SRK, Recon Scout, into a nice shiny blade??

John in Boise, like the knives but just don't like that "baked on" black finish.
 
my CRKT BearClaw PE took a nice shine...

dremel('00 purchase), 150grit drum, 3rd speed setting... took the slabs off and did the whole thing up into a mirror finish.

Thinking of buying a KISS for a money clip and polishing it up...
 
Its cheaper to give them a bead blast then to polish (even if its only satin). The m-18 is satin polished though!!! and better blade steel than many of them, aus-8. also the wasp has an aus-118 blade thats satin polished.
 
Hi everybody!

I agree with that anoying "rust atracting" feature of the bead blast although it doesen´t affect me to much. CRKT produces really sturdy knives and I think they could compete with the "best" brands if they overcame that rust atraction problem. Try satin... Why not?
 
bead blasting is still more expensive than satin finish. try picking up one of their bead blasted blades and look at it under a magnifying glass. you'll see all the imperfections easily hid by a bead blast. when you satin finish, or polish a blade you have to make sure everything is even, not pits, ect to have it look right. bead blasting requires no hand work so the cost savings is enormous for them. Thats one of the reasons they are so inexpensive!!
 
I had an M-16 14 in AUS8. My brother borrowed it for a few weeks and the side with the holes was covered with rust. He says he only carried it in his pocket and it diddn't get wet. I wasn't there so I don't know. I gave it to him after that. I've carried an AUS8 Endura daily for 4.5 years, an AUS8 Voyager for a year, and an ATS-55 Endura and 154CM CQC-7B for a year and a half. Aside from wiping them off if they get wet and occasionally oiling the joints, I've not really done much matinence on them and the only rust any of them ever had was a little in the "a" of the "AUS8" marking on the Endura. IMO the bead blasting does contribute greatly to the blades rusting.

I'll probably get another one though. It is ok if you know the limitations and treat it as a carbon steel blade. Actually, since it does rust that easily, maybe they should make them out of 1095 to get better edge holding.:D
 
The bead blast not only contributes to the rusting, but giving it a quick rub with Flitz leaves a blackish colored residue on the blade that's hard to get off sometimes, depending on how course the finish is.

I find that with the amount that i sweat when i'm exerting myself, any of my knives are susceptible to rust in my pocket. My VG-10 Endura got rust spots along the exposed portion of the blade when closed in my pocket when i was at the gym.. and that was only after about 2-3 hours.
 
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