Melonite/nitriding/hard chrome for carbon blades.

Bill DeShivs

Bill DeShivs

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jun 6, 2000
Messages
12,556
Why isn't anyone trying these finishes?
Nickel plating has been used for years, as has chrome.
I have had one blade done in Ionbond-but have no report as to how it has held up.
Melonite would seem to be the cat's as...um, rectum.
 
Wouldn't it be difficult to use a plating like nickel and chrome when you have to leave the edge bare? I would think your plating would start chipping off almost immediately due to the long uncovered area.
 
Unless the edge allowed to rust badly, there shouldn't be a problem.
Properly applied plating doesn't chip, and is much more durable than most people think.
 
Nitride coating has to be done at temp under a vacuum. A temp that would hurt the temper from what I understand. Have had a ton of gun parts done with it....

Chrome would just look 'off' IMHO. It would look like a cheap Knife someone is trying to hide under a chrome plating. And yes, the edge would have to be left bare and would abrade. Who knows how evenly that would progress and what would be left under. There has to be copper deposition first if I'm thinking of the right process. Altogether would be more trouble and less attractive than a nice high polish IMHO.

I've seen it done on cheap Chinese guards and pommels. Just reeked of cheese and bad craftsmanship. Looks great on a period 1911 or a Colt wheel gun. Or the bumper of my truck. Just not a knife blade. But to each his own.

Of course, to each his own.

-Eric
Overmountain Knife and Tool
Overmountain.us.com
 
Ionbond will not hurt heat treating. Don't know about Melonite.
You are talking about decorative chrome. Industrial hard chrome does not require any underplating. The finish simply reflects the finish of the metal that is plated. If it's shiny, the finished product is shiny. Most IHC is done to a matte finish.

You can't tell if steel that is bright polished has been chrome plated. It looks the same plated or not.
 
The best way to do chrome is to first reverse the leads and 'de-plate' removing oxide , dirt etc.This produces a chemically clean surface which is far less likely to peel.The leads are then reversed to the plating position .The deplating produces a matt finish though the chrome then can be polished.
Nickel plating it done by two methods , electrolytic or electroless electroless has in it some phosphorous producing a harder finish with a grey color.
 
Guys, I'm pretty familiar with the plating processes. I actually do plating.
What I am saying is that I feel these (with the possible exception of Melonite) are very viable coatings for carbon steel blades.
Painting blades with Duracoat and Ceracoat is popular. Even nickel plating is much more durable than any paint.
Why isn't anyone using any of these processes to protect blades? They are proven processes. Ionbond can even be done in some colors.
I don't know the temperatures involved with Melonite-but I suspect they are too high to use this process.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Guys, I'm pretty familiar with the plating processes. I actually do plating.
What I am saying is that I feel these (with the possible exception of Melonite) are very viable coatings for carbon steel blades.
Painting blades with Duracoat and Ceracoat is popular. Even nickel plating is much more durable than any paint.
Why isn't anyone using any of these processes to protect blades? They are proven processes. Ionbond can even be done in some colors.
I don't know the temperatures involved with Melonite-but I suspect they are too high to use this process.
Click to expand...
I talked to the guy who did the TiN, rose TiN and TiAlN coating etc on our AR and M&P innards. He said it couldn't be done... Didn't ask much further. May be just that HE can't.

And yes, these DLC coatings, TiN etc are durable as all get out. Very thin though... But tough, and slick! Could likely run no lube on my latest AR upper and it would just keep chugging.

The flatted out nickel plate finishes would be cool. And yes, I was thinking of decorative bumper chroming and stuff. Sorry if it's a different process...

I just blast and cerakote most stuff that comes to the shop. At the owner's request of course. Getting out of doing any guns anymore though. Too many new fads to keep up with... Lol.

-Eric
Overmountain Knife and Tool
Overmountain.us.com
 
Gerber did a hard chrome coating on their c300 series knives. I think the steel was M2 or M4. This one was made in 1975 or 1976 and the coating is still perfect. Although, I don't think it has seen any hard use in its life time.
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I wouldn't use any of the nitriding processes as you mentioned, due to the heat required in the process.

The biggest reason I don't even consider plating, is because in my dealing with platers through work, they're my least favorite supplier to deal with. Many different platers, many different platings, from zinc to chrome, and always the same issues: Never done on time (I don't care how long it takes just have it done when agreed upon), if the plating doesn't come out correctly it's like pulling a tooth from a wounded boar to get it corrected, and I never have the quantities necessary to be worth the hassle.

As a hobby maker who's yet to even sell a knife I've got multiple methods to color, coat, or protect a blade, I can manganese phosphate parkerize, hot blue, etch with ferric chloride, apply Duracoat or Cerracoat, even anodize aluminum (though not type 3) or simply use a wax or oxidizing vegetable oil on a blade left in the white. With those options it's just never been worth the trouble for me personally. I think Ionbond and hard chrome would be excellent blade finishes from my experience with them on firearms, if it weren't a hassle to have it done.
 
MadDog knives have a Hard Chrome over bead blast finish aka Kevin in Prescott AZ
He was having them done commercially locally here in Phoenix until the city shut down that operation for Hazardous storage of materials. Not certain where they are done now
Caswells sells a Hard Chrome DIY kit
and Yes they use that stuff on Race car cams etc it is lifetime tough
 
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