Rat-7 Blade Finish?

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
759
Maybe not the right place to ask this but I can always depend on getting answers at the HI forums. Anyway, can anyone tell me if the finish on the Rat-7 in 1095 is the same type as on the Air Force Survival knives and if it is easily buffed off. One reason that I ask is that I finally removed the black coating from my Cold Steel Recon Tanto and it has a lot of grind marks on it underneath the coating which I am having a lot of trouble removing by hand so this actually looks worse than the black coating. I decided to get a Rat-7 and possible the TAK or Rat-5 for Christmas but want to research a little before messing with the finish.
 
I removed the finish on my TAK with a wire brush, Some hand polishing brought out the 1095 very nicly. I took the clip out to a zero edge but did not lenghten it any. I also cut the spine with a very agressive pattern just in front of the tang so I could use my other hand to "push" the knife in a hard cut. I live in a dry climate so simple Remoil keeps it nicly but it will still let ya' know if ya' don't keep it protected. After brushing off the protective finish the steel appeared to be blued underneath but polished very well. Can't say about the Rat 5 or 7.
WOOK
 
Probably a really early form of rust protection. I was cleaning some adhesive from a traditional Puukko that had a black carbon finish that seemed quite similar. I used windex and steel wool and effectivley removed it pretty darned easily. Now it is bare carbon steel and I have to be really careful with it after use. Hope this helps.
 
I've seen some really ugly stuff hidden under "tactical" finishes. Blade coating add nothing to cutting ability.
 
Nasty said:
I've seen some really ugly stuff hidden under "tactical" finishes. Blade coating add nothing to cutting ability.
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Really. I'm no expert but I heard Mike Stewart once say that the coating actually detracted frm cutting efficiency and after he said that I kinda tried to notice that when I had coated and uncoated blades out together and of course my comparisons were totally unscientific but I believe he is correct.

I mean for most people it's probably not enough to really be a problem but I fond coating to slow the cutting down some.
 
I set my Swamp Rat CT and HR in a jar filled with premium paint stripper gell for about 45 minutes and returned to find all of the coating floating in the soluation. No rubbing at all. I have a picture of this posted here somewhere...I'll look for the link.
 
I can't stand tac finishes on a blade. That has been exasterbated by learning here that soldiers normally use a knife the same way we do. As a tool. I removed the coating on some of my beckers. You've just got to be comitted to sanding out the rough finish.
 
aproy1101 said:
I can't stand tac finishes on a blade. That has been exasterbated by learning here that soldiers normally use a knife the same way we do. As a tool. I removed the coating on some of my beckers. You've just got to be comitted to sanding out the rough finish.
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I hate them too. I wanted to remove the coating on my Becker Crewman. I saw one in a post on one of the other forums here on Bladeforums where they replaced the handles with wooden ones and made a really nice leather sheath too. I've put it off because of the trouble that I am having with my Recon Tanto although I've heard that the Beckers are not as bad underneath. I did polish up an Air Force Survival knife really well but I guess that that is not really the same thing.
 
I would do it to a Becker before I'd mess with a RAT. The RAT's usually have a very well done black finish, and I don't find that it is thick or bothersome enough to affect cutting performance.

Norm
 
cucharadedragon said:
I hate them too. I wanted to remove the coating on my Becker Crewman. I saw one in a post on one of the other forums here on Bladeforums where they replaced the handles with wooden ones and made a really nice leather sheath too. I've put it off because of the trouble that I am having with my Recon Tanto although I've heard that the Beckers are not as bad underneath. I did polish up an Air Force Survival knife really well but I guess that that is not really the same thing.
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You may have seen my mod on my Becker. I did a leather sheath for mine.;)
 
Svashtar said:
I would do it to a Becker before I'd mess with a RAT. The RAT's usually have a very well done black finish, and I don't find that it is thick or bothersome enough to affect cutting performance.

Norm
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It's not so much the cutting ability. I just don't like the look that much and for some reason to people who are not knife people it seems to make the knife look more combative instead of utilitarian.

aproy1101 said:
You may have seen my mod on my Becker. I did a leather sheath for mine..
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It probably was. I was thinking that it was someone from the HI forum. If it was, that is the look I am going for.
 
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