"Naked" BK 16's ?

I

ignatius

Joined
Jan 13, 2012
Messages
126
One of the reasons that I like owning Beckers is the fact that it is possible to customize/individualize them according to my own tastes. I got a 16 about a month ago and absolutely love the size of the blade and the handle contours BUT I am not a fan of the epoxy finish. I recently stripped a new laser engraved BK7 and found the steel to be really rough with a bunch of light "ridges" that probably help the coating to adhere better( much different steel finish compared to my Camillus era BK7), and I was wondering what the steel is like under the epoxy on the 16. If the 16 has the same type of ridges underneath, I am not sure I want to remove the finish, but if the steel is smooth I would prefer to strip it and add a vinegar patina.
Can you guys who already own "naked" 16's chime in and let me know your thoughts on what you found as you removed the epoxy?

Please post pics too if you have them!

Ignatius
 
The FPR (First Production Run) BK16's with the saber grind had a slightly smoother finish under the old flat black coating (as well as being roll stamped for the logo) and the newer ones with the new coating do in fact have a more "rough" finish, as well as stonewashing, which does help the new coating adhere to the blade better.
 
I just stripped my new 10 and actually like the ridged machined surface. It's "smooth" to me like the bottom of a well made cast iron pan vs. the newer pebbly types as is being discussed elsewhere.

I can see how spending not a lot of time with some wet/dry sandpaper could get the blade to a nice polished serface ready for any finish you might like.

My gut feeling is that a mottled vinegar patina type surface might look better if there's a little texture as there is and a blue would be better over polished or just polish and oil.

My 10 will be a working blade so I just may oil it and let it mark up as it does.

I have a 16 coming and plan to strip the whole knife (I left under the scales and the pommel coated on the 10) and make wood scales for it so it will be more tarted up.

I will probably sand/polish it a little before deciding on a finish.

TG
 
The newer lined machine finish does hold the patina nicely, those ridges allowing it to stick in the valleys and not be polished off as easily by use. I say strip it and go for it.
 
Acid-etched the logos before stripping, thn patina'd the whole thing. I personally love how it looks.
QvYDE0y.jpg
 
It could and probably should be said that the coatings are there to hide the srface imperfections from the machining process as well as to protect against rust. A company would have to spend much more time on a knife to make it presentable if a coating was not applied, so it (the coating) is a cost cutting process as well.
 
The machining/grinding marks on my BK2 were fairly severe towards the tip... just deeper than the rest of the blade. My BK14 has very small concise ridges that are pretty much perfect, and I kind of like them. They do really hold the patina better since its deeper on the surface.
 
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