Stupid Utilitac II paint...

[Banger102]

I love this knife but I tend to be very anal about how my knife looks. The other day this knife barely bumped into something else on my dresser and it scrapped a little of the black paint off the blade. How annoying this was, any suggestions on what I could do now?

 

[RevDevil]

Go on about life. Being obsessive compulsive about things isn't good. Especially if it is in regards to a a cosmetic blemish on a $20 knife. I have some scratches on my $400+ knives and it does not worry me. It's all about perspective, if you don't have it then get it.

 

[bladeboss]

Finish ripping it off. Use a razor blade and scrape it off.

 

[fetzer85]

Perhaps you could use it and cover the tiny scratch with a larger one?

 

[Banger102]

Haha fetzer, I do use it just hadnt scratched it yet.

 

[Acesn8s]

Those are three great replies. RevDevil goes with the philosophically profound reply, bladeboss goes with the pragmatic reply, and Fetzger goes the comedic route, which I found to be hilarious. Way to mix it up guys. I love the early morning mental stimulation.

 

[craytab]

I will go the learning from mistakes route...

In research before you buy, know which companies use that cheap spary on type of coating. Not all coatings are the same. The Utilitac II I would only get with no coating because of the very issue you describe, and in research is how I learned of this. Cold steel has the same cheap coating (found that out the hard way). Also, the ESEE Zancudo is the same way. You can usually research before you buy to figure this stuff out so if you care how the knife looks that would be a good route to go in the future.

 

[Banger102]

I wish I knew how acid wash or something like that, that might look cool.

 

[Comeuppance]

Stonewash it.

 

[Banger102]

Stonewash it.

That looks cool, how do I do it?

 

[o4tg]

EDP sucks. I hit mine with some really fine sandpaper and it significantly slowed down the chipping. I might strip mine chemically as it looks like a stonewash finish underneath but am afraid it won't be an acceptable washed finish.

Luckily for me the woman wants a black one. I may just give her mine and get a satin model to acid wash.

 

[Cereal_killer]

That looks cool, how do I do it?

Do you have a young child? They're perfect for it. Stick blade in bottle (PB jar or other thick plastic jar) with some river rocks and WD-40, shake well (this is where the kid comes in). Pretty simple.

Alternately you can wrap a layer or two of padding around the jar and toss it in the dryer on low/no heat.

 

[skyhorse]

You could always go for the tiger stripe look with a small paint brush and paint stripper.

 

[Comeuppance]

I took the blade out of the knife, covered the pivot and lock surfaces with duct tape, filled a powerade bottle halfway with a bunch of river rocks that I had smashed with a hammer to produce small-grape-sized jagged chunks of rock, added some brasso into the mix, put the blade in, and shook violently in different directions and at different speeds for about 10min total. I would shake it in sort of a centerfugal motion so that the contents were being forced to run along the sides of the bottle, then I would do that the other way, and then I would shake it sideways (as one would, say, maracas) - alternating whenever I got bored, raising and lowering speeds randomly.

If I was trying to put a finish on steel, it would have taken a lot longer - the paint is much easier to stonewash, though, and takes less time.

Be warned that this will ruin the edge. You will likely have to re-profile it afterwards, which I did on my Wicked Edge.

 

[RevDevil]

That looks cool, how do I do it?

Search for the how to posts in the maintenance, tinkering, and embellishment forums !

 

[Franciscomv]

Expensive, super wear resistant coatings are not going to be found on budget knives. Even the coatings on very pricey folders show wear after a while.

I stripped my black coated CS American Lawman using some simple paint remover bought at the supermarket and a palette knife. I removed the blade, covered it in paint remover (I bought one that's a gel, not liquid) and let it sit for a while. Then I just gently scraped the paint off, it was very easy.

 

[grownstar]

Be proud, man. Knives look better with a little character.