Strider tiger strip to satin?

Frankey

Frankey

Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Messages
23
Forgive the typo in the description it's hard to type and proof on my stupid phone.

I recently bought a strider SMF DGG, tiger stripe S30V blade here on the exchange. This is my first Strider so I don't quite have all the nuances down. I live in South Carolina & work outside, and it's HOT. I sweat a lot in this hot humid weather, and have noticed that the bead blasted blade harbors the salt and water witch has allowed the blade to develop little specks of rust. I would take the knife apart and polish the blade my self if it didn't void Striders warranty. I contacted strider to see if they would polish the blade for me and their response was; "We can not change the finish on the blade it will ruin the lock up have you
tried a Marine tuf cloth?" So my question to the forum & those that are smarter than I. Can you explain to me why? I understand removing material next to the pivot will change the overall thickness of the blade and the's may interfere with lock up do to blade blade play. But maybe I'm missing something. Should I polish out the blade myself? Secondly has anyone use the tough cloth method to hinder oxidization in Lou of taking my knife apart and polishing the blade?
 
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Take some 0000 steel wool or a worn scotch brite pad and smooth the blade out. As long as you don't touch the pivot area, the warranty is not voided. Disassembly is ok and will not void warranty either. For corrosion resistance, weapons CLP or mineral oil works best for me.
 
Some added info from a dedicated Mick Strider moderated forum:

Rust Prevention:
The best way to prevent rust is to buy a stone-washed blade as the polished surface is great for rust prevention. The bead-blasted surfaces of the Tiger striped blades are much more prone to rusting. One solution is to rub down the blade with wd-40 and some 0000 steel wool or worn out ScotchBrite pad. This will smooth out the surface of the blade and help prevent rust but some fading of the stripes may occur. Another tried and true method, and the one most recommended by Mick himself is to wax the blade... any good car wax containing Carnouba wax will do (this is my preferred method and it works better for me than all these others which I have also tried). Also, some people swear by Renaissance Wax, EEZOX, Frog Lube, or even Rain-X. Some hardcore folks have even been known to spray their blades with paint or lacquer... it may eventually wear down but it will stay forever around the stop pin and inside the thumb hole. Another good tip is before treating a blasted knife blade wash it down with dish soap and really hot water then dry it and then rub it down with alcohol and let it dry... this ensures that you don't seal in any salts, acid or moisture.

Can I take my folder apart?
Yes... but only if you have some Common Sense regarding the procedure. Taking apart your folder is rarely necessary and is not recommended, but as usual this is because companies are forced to play to the lowest common denominator... many people do not know the difference between a flat head screwdriver and a Philips, let alone Torx, Allen, and Spanner Tools. As simple as folding knives are as compared to more complicated devices they are Rube Goldberg Machines to the majority of the population. That being said, if you know what you are doing then knock yourself out. If you doubt me just note that Mick has even offered up the occasional tidbit of advice regarding various aspects of disassembly/assembly. Where the common sense comes into play is knowing whether or not you are qualified to tinker around with your folder... If you manage to damage it in the process you may be subject to a "Stupid Tax".

Can I refinish the blade?
Maybe... it just depends. Here is where common sense is required. Mick has plainly stated that most things done to the blade are fine as long as it is not done to the pivot area of the blade. You may paint the blade to change it's looks or to help prevent corrosion. You can use ScotchBrite to scrub the Black Oxide off the blade. You can smooth out the Bead Blast with Steel Wool. You could even Media Blast the blade to refinish it BUT you have to stay away from the pivot and tang areas... messing with those areas can change the tolerances as well as the way the parts interact with each other and it will Void your Warranty.
Will adding something like CeraKote to the blade void the warranty? I don't know... Did it add a layer of material to the pivot area where the washers lie? What about inside the pivot hole? Did they coat the tang where the lock bar engages? Did they heat the **** out of the blade and ruin the temper? In other words, you probably 86'd your warranty. Only Josh or Mick can rule on that and I guarantee that neither one will come on here and state that it is okay to do it... there are too many variables at play and therefore the answer must be that any such actions will void your warranty.
 
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Yes.^
Get that rust off and by maintaining your blade, you will not have this problem again. I know.
 
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