Looking for user experiences with Cerakote...

aarongough

aarongough

Joined
Mar 12, 2013
Messages
1,167
Hey Guys!
I'm trying to get a better handle on what everyone thinks of Cerakote for user knives. I love the look of freshly applied Cerakote, but it's definitely not as durable as something like TiCN. One additional point that I've noticed is that because the blade has to be sand-blasted before applying Cerakote, once the Cerakote wears off the exposed area is more prone to corrosion than if the coating hadn't been there at all.

So: tell me about your experiences, good and bad, with Cerakote. This thread will factor into my decision on whether or not I keep offering it as an options on my knives. Bear in mind that my knives are designed to be users.

Thanks in advance guys!
-Aaron
 
BTW: the experience that's prompted me to start this thread -

I have a personal user knife coated with Cerakote (5" Resolute made from A2), and I was away with it over the weekend. I've done a fair bit of carving with this knife in moderately hard woods like walnut, so the coating has worn off behind the edge.

I was using it out in the snow and the blade got wet, and was put back in it's sheath while still damp as I was in a rush. The next day I had a look at the blade. The edge on this blade is finished to 600 grit and was still completely free of corrosion. The areas on the blade bevels where the Cerakote had worn through were lightly rusted though.

This experience along with the fact that Cerakote shows wear fairly quickly is really making me question the utility of the coating. It was requeste initially by military guys who wanted a non-reflective coating, but it's become a pretty common request... I'm considering whether I should phase it out in favour of a finish that's more suited to hard use like a stonewash or acid stonewash.
 
No responses guys? I'm surprised, figured I would have had a bunch of people chiming in...
 
I have used...
Krylon
Hi temp paint... They suck any time you use them.

Then moved on to AlumaHyde II.
Better than Kylon. Nozzels clog up so order extras.
Its fairly durable.
Played with duraCoat.
Slightly better than AlumaHydeII

If you like the worn look. AH or DC.
You still have to prep the metal or it will chip off.

Then
Norrlles Moly resin
KG guncoat
and now
CeraKote.

All are great IMHO but preparation is key.

Sandblast " No glass bead"" and parkerize for steel
Heat , spray and cook.
You can use Jasco Metal prep in place of parkerize.

Looks good.
But as you use them they all will wear or just come off.
Even the DLC on on
my ZT350 shows marks.
I dont like black blades any more because scratches are more
visiable.


Now I go out of my way to get plain jain steel finishes or stone wash.
 
You might want to look into KG Gunkote or Duracoat - I know CRK uses one or the other. I haven't used my coated blades enough to wear them off, but Cerakote has always been good for me on guns.

I have chopped quite a few small plants around my home with my Green Beret, and the coating on it still looks good. It has barely any sheath wear (there is a mark, but it's not through the coating). I don't think either Duracoa or GunKote is as hard to work with as Cerakote either.
 
uxo2 said:
I have used...
Krylon
Hi temp paint... They suck any time you use them.

Then moved on to AlumaHyde II.
Better than Kylon. Nozzels clog up so order extras.
Its fairly durable.
Played with duraCoat.
Slightly better than AlumaHydeII

If you like the worn look. AH or DC.
You still have to prep the metal or it will chip off.

Then
Norrlles Moly resin
KG guncoat
and now
CeraKote.

All are great IMHO but preparation is key.

Sandblast " No glass bead"" and parkerize for steel
Heat , spray and cook.
You can use Jasco Metal prep in place of parkerize.

Looks good.
But as you use them they all will wear or just come off.
Even the DLC on on
my ZT350 shows marks.
I dont like black blades any more because scratches are more
visiable.


Now I go out of my way to get plain jain steel finishes or stone wash.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate, I probably wasn't clear enough with my question... I've been applying Cerakote for a while and I think I've nailed the application process. What I'm looking for is people's opinions on the coating during use. ie: you bought a knife that had a Cerakote coating and used it a bunch, how did you like how it performed?
 
uxo2 said:
I have used...
Krylon
Hi temp paint... They suck any time you use them.

Then moved on to AlumaHyde II.
Better than Kylon. Nozzels clog up so order extras.
Its fairly durable.
Played with duraCoat.
Slightly better than AlumaHydeII

If you like the worn look. AH or DC.
You still have to prep the metal or it will chip off.

Then
Norrlles Moly resin
KG guncoat
and now
CeraKote.

All are great IMHO but preparation is key.

Sandblast " No glass bead"" and parkerize for steel
Heat , spray and cook.
You can use Jasco Metal prep in place of parkerize.

Looks good.
But as you use them they all will wear or just come off.
Even the DLC on on
my ZT350 shows marks.
I dont like black blades any more because scratches are more
visiable.


Now I go out of my way to get plain jain steel finishes or stone wash.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate, just realized I missed the end of your post... Interesting that you're now going out of your way to get satin or stonewash... I will admit that's where I'm leaning as well.
 
aarongough said:
Sorry mate, I probably wasn't clear enough with my question... I've been applying Cerakote for a while and I think I've nailed the application process. What I'm looking for is people's opinions on the coating during use. ie: you bought a knife that had a Cerakote coating and used it a bunch, how did you like how it performed?
Click to expand...

It looks good but it will wear.

aarongough said:
Interesting that you're now going out of your way to get satin or stonewash... I will admit that's where I'm leaning as well.
Click to expand...


yes.. In the end it is easier to live with
Bright steel, patina or parkerize even worn PARK just looks better.

My 30yr old KaBar is looks great where the park has worn.

A painted surface.
Will never be DLC.. Melonite, TiNi where it is inbedded in the metal tough.

But it looks nice.
 
A Justice said:
You might want to look into KG Gunkote or Duracoat - I know CRK uses one or the other. I haven't used my coated blades enough to wear them off, but Cerakote has always been good for me on guns.

I have chopped quite a few small plants around my home with my Green Beret, and the coating on it still looks good. It has barely any sheath wear (there is a mark, but it's not through the coating). I don't think either Duracoa or GunKote is as hard to work with as Cerakote either.
Click to expand...

I've been doing a bunch of wood-carving in walnut, that seems to do a good job on stripping off coatings! Also got a bunch of grit in my sheath the other day and sheathed my knife anyway as I was in a hurry... That blade is definitely not pristine anymore!

I'm kinda leery of the sprayed on coatings now. From what I understand Duracoat and Gunkote are both supposed to be less wear resistant than Cerakote.

I've had knives previously with TiCN coatings and I liked that, but if I want to switch to that coating then I will also have to switch steels (the application temperature for TiCN is higher than the tempering temperature for A2, ~900ºF).

I'm still waiting for more feedback from my customers regarding the Cerakote, looking forward to hearing from them.
 
like this.

worn paint

Pew-Pew-Pew-Fire-Selector-Switch-Markings-AR15-M16-M4.jpg


or

patina

 
From what I have experianced from
doing what you are doing with the steel

Duracoat and AlumaHydeII
will were faster thermal "paints".

Out of these three.
Which is the best.

Norrells moly resin
KG gunkote
CeraKote

I like them all.
But not on Blades.
 
heres one of my blades with
one of the thermal paints.

dejavoocloseup_zps4a64953c.jpg


It held up better than the factory job but still ended up like this.:thumbdn:
 
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