"Ice" on titanium

[T. Hendrickson]

Does anyone know how to get that sweet-looking frosted "ice" like finish on titanium that I've seen on a David Broadwell framelock?

Thanks!

 

[AcridSaint]

I'm not sure how David is doing it, but a vibratory tumbler produces the finish you're speaking of. You may have to play around with the media.

 

[T. Hendrickson]

here's what I'm talking about, if you're unsure.

 

[AcridSaint]

Sorry, that's not the frosted finish I'm thinking of. Without a better picture I couldn't say, but it looks hand rubbed to me. I don't know if he hangs around here, but I know he's over on Knet, so you might try posing the question there.

 

[Shakudo]

Satin finish wheel availible from jewelery suppliers,etc.

 

[bluejaunte]

Hey, that's my pic! I'll try to take a better photo tonight. I seem to remember David saying he uses a rotary tool to accomplish that, but I don't remember the specifics.

 

[T. Hendrickson]

Yea, blue, I grabbed this off an old thread I ran across! THe original photo was better, I think I downsized it too much.

 

[bluejaunte]

Two things occurred to me. One is that Todd Begg does finishes like this too. You can ask TnT, as they're around more often than David (though I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you).

I also remember something about a small rubber cylinder impregnated with abrasive and mounted on the end of a rotary tool. But that could be for the engine turning on a drill press that David and I discussed at one point? Sorry, it was a few years ago and my brain isn't getting any younger.

 

[bhyde]

I also remember something about a small rubber cylinder impregnated with abrasive and mounted on the end of a rotary tool. But that could be for the engine turning on a drill press that David and I discussed at one point? Sorry, it was a few years ago and my brain isn't getting any younger.

I think the name for that material is Cratex....


HTH


Bill

 

[bjalongi]

Bead blasting maybe?

 

[bluejaunte]

Cratex sounds right.

Definitely not bead blasting! Here is a close-up. You can see it's just many, many overlapping "tracks" made with a spinning abrasive of some kind.

 

[btboone]

Definitely Cratex. I offer the same finish on my rings. I call it Alien Skin.

 

[T. Hendrickson]

Much better picture! That makes it easier to see how it might be done. So, I am guessing that a pointed cratex bit randomly passed over and over the surface would yield that finish. Sound about right?

On a side note, how come so many makers put the relief groove for the framelock bar on the *outside* of the handle? Why not the inside?

 

[btboone]

That's it exactly. Just drive a sharpened Cratex tip around randomly. I add some fine stone lines to spice it up.

My only guess as to placement of the hole is to get more flex from the limited space you have.

 

[bluejaunte]

On a side note, how come so many makers put the relief groove for the framelock bar on the *outside* of the handle? Why not the inside?

I imagine it has to do with the fact that it leaves more material closest to the vector of the compression force when pressure is applied to the locking surfaces.

(That was me trying to sound like an engineer who knows what he's talking about. )

 

[silver_pilate]

My couple of physics courses back in college must have paid off because I understood exactly what you just said.

--nathan

 

[AcridSaint]

Ok, I thought you meant the finish on the flats in your pic before! I've never done cratex "random" patterned, but I just played around with jeweling or engine turning ti with cratex and they work quite well.

 

[T. Hendrickson]

I imagine it has to do with the fact that it leaves more material closest to the vector of the compression force when pressure is applied to the locking surfaces.

(That was me trying to sound like an engineer who knows what he's talking about. )

Not bad! I'm an engineering student myself, and I say that you could certainly pass for an engineer; no one would dare question an explanation like that!