Bronco
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- Joined
- Feb 25, 2000
- Messages
- 7,580
For any of you who haven't seen it already, there's a very interesting thread on the subject of boron carbide coatings that's been ongoing over at the Reviews and Testing Forum:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=171848
Being familiar with the outstanding visual effect boron carbide produces on steel, I contacted Darrell Lewis of Bodycote, the thread originator and coating expert, specifically to inquire further about how the boron carbide coating reacts with titanium. When Darrell confirmed that the coating would increase scratch resistance on unanodized titanium handles, I immediately knew what had to happen next. To make a long story short, my small Sebenza was soon packaged up and on its way to North Carolina. Actually, only the blade, handle slabs and clip made the journey, but you get the idea. Well, the whole package made it back in the mail today, and I can't tell you how excited I am about the results of the project.
I apologize for the poor quality of the attached scan, but I'll try my best to describe what the picture can't really convey. The handle slabs have evolved from their previous matte battleship gray to a much deeper charcoal gray. The contrast between the handles and the highly polished screws is even more striking than before. And, at only 2 microns thick, all handle markings and machinings are as crisp and legible as ever. Best of all, and as hinted at above, the handles now possess a level of scratch resistance that I could only dream of before.
But as nice as the handles are, the blade is now the real show stealer. Again, because this coating is so thin, all the underlying character of the blade steel is readily evident in the finished product after the boron carbide coating has been applied. The beautiful (to my eye) stonewash pattern that is the hallmark of Chris Reeve's standard Sebenza blade isn't compromised in the least. Rather, the entire blade is now a shiny almost translucent black in a manner not entirely unlike the deep bluing you would find on a fine firearm. As an added bonus, the blade now enjoys even more corrosion resistance than the BG-42 stainless steel alone can provide. Of course, as with the handles, the blade also benefits from the same enhanced level of scratch resistance.
All-in-all a winning combination in my book. It's no small challenge trying to improve upon a Sebenza in any way, but I honestly believe that this process adds a couple of significant benefits. And, as might be expected, both Darrell and his associate at Bodycote, Ann, were absolutely wonderful people with which to deal. Communication was great, and it was obvious from beginning to end that these folks truly care about customer satisfaction. I'll be sure to try and get some better images to post soon.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=171848
Being familiar with the outstanding visual effect boron carbide produces on steel, I contacted Darrell Lewis of Bodycote, the thread originator and coating expert, specifically to inquire further about how the boron carbide coating reacts with titanium. When Darrell confirmed that the coating would increase scratch resistance on unanodized titanium handles, I immediately knew what had to happen next. To make a long story short, my small Sebenza was soon packaged up and on its way to North Carolina. Actually, only the blade, handle slabs and clip made the journey, but you get the idea. Well, the whole package made it back in the mail today, and I can't tell you how excited I am about the results of the project.
I apologize for the poor quality of the attached scan, but I'll try my best to describe what the picture can't really convey. The handle slabs have evolved from their previous matte battleship gray to a much deeper charcoal gray. The contrast between the handles and the highly polished screws is even more striking than before. And, at only 2 microns thick, all handle markings and machinings are as crisp and legible as ever. Best of all, and as hinted at above, the handles now possess a level of scratch resistance that I could only dream of before.
But as nice as the handles are, the blade is now the real show stealer. Again, because this coating is so thin, all the underlying character of the blade steel is readily evident in the finished product after the boron carbide coating has been applied. The beautiful (to my eye) stonewash pattern that is the hallmark of Chris Reeve's standard Sebenza blade isn't compromised in the least. Rather, the entire blade is now a shiny almost translucent black in a manner not entirely unlike the deep bluing you would find on a fine firearm. As an added bonus, the blade now enjoys even more corrosion resistance than the BG-42 stainless steel alone can provide. Of course, as with the handles, the blade also benefits from the same enhanced level of scratch resistance.
All-in-all a winning combination in my book. It's no small challenge trying to improve upon a Sebenza in any way, but I honestly believe that this process adds a couple of significant benefits. And, as might be expected, both Darrell and his associate at Bodycote, Ann, were absolutely wonderful people with which to deal. Communication was great, and it was obvious from beginning to end that these folks truly care about customer satisfaction. I'll be sure to try and get some better images to post soon.
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