Metal handle finishes

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DocT

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Mar 25, 2012
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Kershaw puts various types of very hard and durable finishes on their metal handled knives. These do make the handles a bit slick, though. I wonder if any of these would work on Spyderco handles? Or, perhaps that DLC or something could be put on the handles in various colors and shades?
 
Don't see much point, unless it's to darken the handle on an all black knife. But yes, obviously they can use whatever finish...if it works on a Kershaw knife's handle, it'll work on a Spyderco, c'mon. Don't know why you'd bother though, particularly on the Ti handles.
 
DocT said:
Because these finishes are extremely hard and resist scratching.
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Meh. DLC and other PVDs still scratch. I'd rather have stonewashing where scratches just blend in, or the satin/brushed finish on stainless where I can clean it up myself. Once a blasted or coated finish wears, there's nothing to do but reblast or recoat it.
 
Well Spyderco did used to have lots of knives with anno'd or polished metal scales. Just look for older stuff if that's what you're after.
 
DocT said:
Because these finishes are extremely hard and resist scratching.
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not really, anodized aluminum scratches at nothing. nothing beats plain stonewashed titanium in that regards, there are so few kershaws like that. the only one that comes to mind is the dimension.....that one quickly broke on me and the 4 torsion bars Kershaw sent me did not fit well at all. I just took it apart and used to scales to test the household stonewashing technique...other then that, t'was good for the can of the trash kind!
 
DocT said:
Kershaw puts various types of very hard and durable finishes on their metal handled knives. These do make the handles a bit slick, though. I wonder if any of these would work on Spyderco handles? Or, perhaps that DLC or something could be put on the handles in various colors and shades?
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Perhaps Spyderco doesn't use them because they are slick. Judging by the fact that almost all their G-10 handles are flat slab with a peel-ply surface, rather than being domed and polished to show off the grain, it would seem that the majority of Spyderco customers value traction over esthetics.
 
Speaking of metal handles , would you say that the fluted titanium Military is less prone to scratching than the plain titanium Military ? Does the plain titanium Military have a "stone wash" finish ?
 
mael333ca said:
not really, anodized aluminum scratches at nothing. nothing beats plain stonewashed titanium in that regards, there are so few kershaws like that. the only one that comes to mind is the dimension.....that one quickly broke on me and the 4 torsion bars Kershaw sent me did not fit well at all. I just took it apart and used to scales to test the household stonewashing technique...other then that, t'was good for the can of the trash kind!
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Well, we are not talking about Spyderco quality vs Kershaw quality knife build, are we? Nor, did I mention anodizing, which Spyderco does do, and it does not last. There are some super hard products/methods out there that will not easily wear away, nor scratch.
 
The Deacon said:
Perhaps Spyderco doesn't use them because they are slick. Judging by the fact that almost all their G-10 handles are flat slab with a peel-ply surface, rather than being domed and polished to show off the grain, it would seem that the majority of Spyderco customers value traction over esthetics.
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That may be one reason, for sure. Those coatings, while hard and durable, are rather slick. They are more durable than anodizing, though.
 
DocT said:
That may be one reason, for sure. Those coatings, while hard and durable, are rather slick. They are more durable than anodizing, though.
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So what metals are you discussing? Titanium can be anodized, and while it will wear, it tends to fade for a long time first. Windex will bring a lot of color right back. Aluminum can be anodized, but it's not the same type of anodization as is done to titanium.

The handle being slick has less to do with the coating than the surface texture. DLC on a mirror finished blade is totally different than DLC on a beadblasted blade. The same applies to the handles.

Slickness and lack of wear resistance...sounds like you've got your answer there. Lack of customer interest is probably part of it as well.
 
Wolverine666 said:
Speaking of metal handles , would you say that the fluted titanium Military is less prone to scratching than the plain titanium Military ? Does the plain titanium Military have a "stone wash" finish ?
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The Ti Military's scales are beadblasted.
 
Who is talking anodizing? When I brought this up I was talking DLC, titanium nitride, titanium oxide, tungsten, scratch resistant metal dyes, that sort of stuff.
 
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