Parkerized or Bead Blasted? (1095)

Yosemite Sam

Yosemite Sam

Joined
Dec 17, 2001
Messages
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The "Polished or Stone Washed?" thread got me thinking about this. I'm about to order my first custom. It's a 1095 steel blade, and I have the option of getting it bead blasted or parkerized. I've been been told that parkerization will soak up and hold oil, thus providing extra protection to the tool steel blade.

So what are the down sides of parkerizing? Should I do this, or get the bead blasted steel on my first custom? I will probably be using either FP-10 or Eezox (both are high end CLPs for firearms) as a protectant on this knife.

-- PG
 
Parkerizing was used on a lot of military weapons and will provide a better degree of protection than you have with bare steel. It also cuts down glare as beadblasting does.
Downsides: It will still rust.(not as quickly)
It will wear.
The color of the finish is dependent on the quality of the
application of the finish. Ideally, it is some shade of grey and can be made almost black. Impurities in the solution can result in green (though this is sometimes the desired effect)and red tinged finishes.
Regards,
Greg
 
Parkerization is better for rust prevention than beadblast but like Ripper said, it wears. Sometimes slowly sometimes quickly. Occasional scratches is really what it boils down to (from dirty Kydex). Depending on the maker, you may get a lifetime of free touch-up on the Parkerization if you ever get scratches.

Personally, I'm moving towards beadblast. I just make sure it's oiled or coated with Renasainse Wax (sp?). I like the look better.
 
Howdy There ParaGlock.....!
I know a gentleman name Bill Maynard that makes military knives for the soldiers at Fort Bragg and he bead blast his blades and coats them with (you ain't going to beleive) Baby Oil. I have seen he demos at the NC guild meeting and the baby oil gives the blade a darker color, seems to have no comp;aint for the airborne fellows. Good luck deciding..!

Later "Possum":cool:
 
Im gonna have to go w/ parkerizing for this one. Ive had bead blasted stainless rust in my pocket. I hate to think what 1095 would do.
 
Nothing rusts faster than a blade with bead blasted finish. I'd stay away from carbonsteel bead blasted blades. Oiling prevents rusting but do you allways have oil with you?
 
Originally posted by Tommi
Nothing rusts faster than a blade with bead blasted finish.
Click to expand...
Oooh... I hadn't thought about that. What is bead blasting but another name for a roughed surface, meaning lots of "pores" for rust to get a start in? Hmmm... Good thought.

As for always keeping it oiled, well I will, and I'll be using a high quality protectant, but I do feel the parkerization (who was Mr. Parker, anyway?) will be an added benefit, and help it hold even more oil/CLP.

Thanks to all who responded!

-- PG
 
I think you are missing the most obvious solution and the one I would choose.Bead blast....and then parkerize.Parkerizing,blueing,browning etc. are nothing but controlled(albeit agressive) uniform surface corrosion,if it is already oxidized(read rusted,parkerized,blued..)the occurrence of further corrosion/oxidation is limited.Parkerizing will "age" gracefully....but bead blasted white metal just gets "skint up".
 
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