Strip coating off of ESEE 6 and Izula?

R

Rdputnam

Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Messages
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I think it looks good but I think the blade may perform better without it. I really like the look of a forced patina as well.

has anyone done this? Pros and cons?

thanks
 
Well, it's big step backwards when it comes to corrosion protection.
Also, it's terrible for resale value of your knives too.
Not to mention you could strip down some of your steel while you are stripping down the coating, depending on the method you use.

Pros:
Patina looks good.

Cons:
Possibly damaging steel of the blade.
It becomes harder to protect the blade from corrosion.
Loss of resale value.
 
They will cut better due to less resistance.

Plus you don’t have to worry about the coating coming off in food prep.

You’ll have to keep it dry and oil it occasionally. You can force a patina or use the knife and it will develop one over time.

Citristrip works pretty good. You will still have to use a scraper and razor blade to get a few stubborn pieces of coating removed.
 
Last edited:
MolokaiRider said:
They will cut better due to less resistance.

Plus you don’t have to worry about the costing coming off in food prep.

You’ll have to keep it dry and oil it occasionally. You can force a patina or use the knife and it will develop one over time.

Citristrip works pretty good. You will still have to use a scraper and razor blade to get a few stubborn pieces of coating removed.
Click to expand...

Just to add my 2 cents on this, be sure to wear protective wear and do it outdoor with a aluminum baking tray. Citristrip supposed to be more user friendly, but the older generation of paint stripper is nasty chemical, which resulted in few deaths each year.
 
iv stripped 1095 ka bar and I don't think it makes a difference to cutting but I ended up acid etching it with Apple cider vinegar because it's a pain when it comes to keeping it shiney and it rains a lot we're I live so rust can be a problem and if you use it for cooking the 1095 will staind anyway endless highly polished so I acid etch and problem solved and it looks good
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

I never thought about resale, more about performance, sharpening etc.

I'd like to find a boogered up esee 4 cheap to redo but may just do my brand new 6
 
I just won't buy coated blades anymore. I have sold most of the ones with a coating, and just maintain the bare carbon steel ones I have and/or keep them lightly oiled. No problems.
 
Where do you get ESEE non coated blades? I might sell mine off and just buy non coated then.
 
My brother had an Izula which he stripped entirely a few years back. Worked just fine but there was one slight con due to the sheath/knife design.
The sheaths retention works by pinching around the ricasso. Stripping the entire knife cause that section to be ever so slightly thinner and caused the knife to be a little looser in the sheath. It wasn't an issue functionally, it just rattled a bit more than before.

Stripping just the blade should nullify that.
 
Take the coating off. Resale won't be any worse than a scratched up coating from use.
Leave the scales on and leave the coating under the scales to prevent rust under the scales. Just put vaseline on the exposed tang to prevent accidental exposure to the stripper, and clean it off afterwards.
 
Flecks of wood were imbedding in the coating while batoning. Used Kwik Strip, worked well. Left the handle coated. Noticeable difference. I never oil it, just keep it clean. I don’t like coatings.
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I stripped an izula with a box cutter and sandpaper. I haven't oiled it once and theres no corrosion on the blade, only the laser mark on the unstripped handle. YMMV only knife I've really managed to rust was an esee 3 in a 4 day snow storm.Screenshot_20200124-202130_Gallery.jpg
 
If resale value is a concern, buy a second hand knife to try first. I’d suggest media blasting to remove the coating. It leaves a nice finish. You can likely find someone to do it for the cost of materials if you do it yourself. Good luck.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys.

one reason this place is great.

my plan will be to strip the Izula first and make a new sheath. See how it turns out and try to buy a banged up 3. Then do my 6.
 
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