now, i dont mean to step on anyone's toes but...

S

SkaerE

Joined
Sep 9, 2001
Messages
428
i was looking at the Mad Dog knife webpage and noticed that he has his knives hard chromed. how well does that work? does the chrome chip when the knife is bent or used to pry? (which is one of the things i would assume the knives are meant to be able to be used for)
and another thing, im new to knives but have been using firearms for a long time. i always heard that (at least with pistols/rifles) a part with a higher Rockwell hardness (something like over 42) should not be hard chromed because of the high chance of hydrogen embrittlement in the metal causing premature fractures...

seems this would be the same with knives?

wouldnt resharpening them rub off the chrome on the edge? or is it not coated there?

like i said though, if i'm wrong please correct me...i like the idea, i just wonder how well it works. ive seen hard chromed handguns that have had tens of thousands of rounds through them, and they still look/function great.
 
I would suspect the entire blade is chrome surfaced and that the edge would be blade steel after initial sharpening. That is how you would want the edge to be. The chrome can be used to protect simple carbon blades from corrosion. My taste is that such knives appear cheap to me, kinda like chrome plated pistols - you know?

Roger
 
The process of hardchroming bonds the Chrome to the steel. It uses around 140deg temp and does not effect the temper much if at all. RC on it is 68-72 pretty hard and will not flake off, Cosmetic chrome will there is a BIG difference.
It will wear eventually but that is the stuff they use on crankshaft bearings in racing car engines and one of the coatings used in jet engines. A properly prepared blade and properly applied Hardchrome will last longer than a lifetimes use. You can always beadblast for a matt finish.
Overall it is an expensive and time consuming process added to each blade. That is why few makers even consider it and why the big knife Manufacturers don't use it.

The equipment involved starts at $3500-4000 just for a cheap transformer power supply not including the tank, chemicals permits Etc.
 
You're not only one rlinger, I thought same as you. :)

But that's what we have this for, so we can share information and learn
 
The problem is, it does nothing for edge retention. The most important part of the knife, the edge, is not protected by the hard chrome finish. A non stainless blade loses much of the edge by microscopic corrosion, whether it be from salt water, acidic foods, etc. Don't make sense to me.:confused:
 
i thought some were confusing the cheap shiny hard chrome with the actual durable industrial type (the kind i describe being used on high use pistols)

BTW, hard chrome will take on whatever finish the underlying metal has (matte bead blasted, brushed, or polished) the brushed looks a lot like stainless steel.

anyhow, the question i had didnt deal with tempering temps, but hydrogen embrittlement in the metal. (caused by hard chroming metal with too high of a Rockwell)

and hard chrome, while it offers some corrosion protection, will rust the underlying metal (seen it happen on handguns)

still have to use oil, just not as often.
 
There is a heat process used, to overcome hydrogen embrittlement. I don't know any more details about it. I seriously doubt that it is being used on these knives, or for that matter, many firearms being hard chromed.
 
Why don't you email ol Mad Dog and see what kind of responce you get...then post it here. He has been banned from the forums so you will need to copy and paste.
 
Just do a search in Good Bad and the Ugly forum and you will quickly see why.
I was just curious if you actually got a response what he would say.
 
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