Snail Trail Question

[Stumpy72]

I’ve done my homework about snail trails on Ti handles, but I haven’t been able to find any answers about one question. Are Ti scales/handles that are what I’ll call “treated” (i.e: blackwashed or anodized/colored--whether black or any other color) any kind of resistant to snail trails? I know that bare naked Ti scales/handles aren’t any kind of resistant because my own knives have proven that to me in almost no time flat, but what about the anodized, colored or “washed” ones?

 

[Schwifty]

I have 2 anno’d knives and although the scales have a stonewashed, tumbled finish to better hide wear, they still pick up trails. The trails seem to be a bit lighter than the color applied, so it’s not like I’m seeing bare grey ti, but they are there.

 

[myowngod]

Flat or bead blasted finishes seem to trail way worse to me. At a certain point of wear I just scotch Brite rubbed my user that was bead blasted on the lock side. My stonewashed and anodized still show wear but it's far less noticable.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

Never had any problem with stonewashed getting snail trails, though they still can be scratched. What I refer to as a snail trail is the rub mark on bead blast. Scotch briting will solve this, but leave you with a bit slippery knife handle, which I don't like. Stonewashed or live with the trails is where I am at. I only mind the 1st snail trail after that they are character marks.

 

[Murindo]

[QUOTE=I only mind the 1st snail trail after that they are character marks.[/QUOTE

Exactly. Troublesome if you sell but they add character to a user.

 

[tiguy7]

View attachment 994783 I have a Sebenza that was full of snail trails. The original knife was raw Titanium. After removing the trails, I had it anodized. No more trails since.

 

[Stumpy72]

I have a Sebenza that was full of snail trails. The original knife was raw Titanium. After removing the trails, I had it anodized. No more trails since.

Where did you get it anodized? I’m planning on buying a new Star-Benza when Wilson gets some back in stock and your experience tempts me to get it anodized before I even let it see the light of day or the inside of a pocket.

 

[McFeeli]

No snail trails that I can see with my stonewashed 0900. I was expecting some, but so far so good.

 

[tiguy7]

Where did you get it anodized? I’m planning on buying a new Star-Benza when Wilson gets some back in stock and your experience tempts me to get it anodized before I even let it see the light of day or the inside of a pocket.

The guy who anodized my Seneza is Phil Hyun. His email address is maprik_2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

 

[Stumpy72]

The guy who anodized my Seneza is Phil Hyun. His email address is maprik_2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

Thanks for your help! Now to wrestle with the (I suspect age-old) “to anodize or to not anodize” quandary...

 

[Stumpy72]

My quandary-wrestling match just came to a sudden end. The warranty becomes void when you have a CRK knife anodized. That’s made clear in their website and I verified it with them via phone conversation. Oh, well. Another of my great ideas just headed off to the Great Idea Graveyard. Looks like I’ll have to keep my Star-Benza in one of their leather pocket sheaths or in a pocket that doesn’t have anything else in it.

 

[Sonnydaze]

If I sell a nice "collector" Sebbie, I often get a spa-job first. Other knives, I don't sweat it.

 

[Motega]

Sorry to bring up an old thread .
Does disassembling your Sebenza for cleaning/sharpening void the warranty?
If so, then I would humbly suggest that the Sebenza is either a delicate little flower or an intricate and complex tool.
Chris Reeves has cujones to suggest that NO ONE is capable of doing a simple anodizing job on a Sebenza without voiding the warranty. Do THEY offer this service and that's why they insist that anodizing voids their warranty?
Seems unlikely since anodizing is a pretty straightforward process with low profit .
If their knives are as well-built as people seem to suggest, and there's nothing particularly intricate about putting a Sebenza back together once disassembled, why would it matter if someone runs some current through the scales to anodized them before reassembling?
If the tolerances and complexity of the Sebenza are high tech and require specific knowledge and skills to reassemble to perfect working order then I get it.
But I was under the impression that the Sebenza was a tough and reliable yet simple tool in which case there should at least be individuals authorized to take them apart, anodize them, and put them back together without voiding any warranties.
Anodizing shouldn't change any tolerances, we're talking about oxidizing 100 nanometers of material on the surface of non-moving parts.
I find it hard to believe that the company would put this policy in place because they care about the $20 worth of profit that they would get from performing this service.
By the time you pay someone for their time and consider the equipment necessary to anodize, doesn't seem like anyone is going to become a millionaire doing it.
If the concern is someone futzing up screws or whatever then they could certify people to perform the service without voiding the warranty.
Do they offer this service and don't want competition or the potential liability of sloppy work from a third party making a mess they would have to clean up?
If they do offer this service direct it would make more sense to me, but if they don't then it's in everyone's best interest to certify people to perform the service.

 

[soc_monki]

Because, they are the maker and can make that decision. Taking them apart doesn't void the warranty, they give you the tools!

Call and ask them. They would be the ones to give you their reasoning.

 

[Motega]

I don't have one, I just feel for the guy that said he'd void his warranty if he had his anodized.
I disagree that manufacturers can apply certain matters regarding the warranty of products based solely on their arbitrary preferences- in fact the "Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act" codified this federal law. It would be interesting to see how this would be judged if it ever came up in court.
Despite the fact that CRK specifically asserts this exact situation, in reality- and ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ENCOURAGE DISASSEMBLY BY PROVIDING THE TOOLS TO DO SO, they would have to prove that the anodizing itself created an issue- which would be difficult to do.
In recent years the strength of this law was made clear when cell phone providers tried to void warranties on phones that were "unlocked " or "jail-broken" and they lost their cases. In my opinion the manufacturers had a strong case there!
I don't have a dog in this fight, but the cosmetic alteration clause that CRK asserts in their warranty wouldn't hold up in court just because it exists.

 

[eKretz]

I could see them voiding any cosmetic finish warranty on the scales, but nothing else should be affected unless there was improper assembly or parts got damaged. That kind of thing is exactly what the Magnuson-Moss Act is supposed to prevent. If the knife was improperly assembled and that caused damage then they could legitimately deny a warranty claim.