Titanium Handles

T

Thirteenth Star

Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Messages
525
Is there a practical reason a person needs a knife with a handle made of titanium as opposed to a more common and less expensive material?
 
It's lighter and stronger than the same amount (volume) of steel. Stronger than aluminum. It's not magnetic. It doesn't tarnish or rust. It has better spring "memory" than aluminum. It can be anodized for aesthetic and protective purposes (steel can't).

And it's cool as hell. :cool:
 
Doesn't Zytel weigh less than titanium? Also, Zytel is not magnetic, does not rust, and is less malleable than aluminum.
 
what knife are you looking at and for what purpose? If you are going to open the mail a Delica FRN and a small Sebenza will both do a great job within the blade steel limitations. S30V vs VG10. (premium steel vs good steel) If your needs are for a stronger knife,then you'd want to 'handle ' accordingly.
 
Ti vs Fe


Density:

Ti alloys are less dense than Fe alloys (~4.54 g/cc vs. ~7.87 g/cc).

Strength:

Depending on the alloys and their heat treatment Ti alloys can be either weaker or stronger than Fe alloys. Yield strength for Ti alloys ranges from ~25 to ~160 ksi. Yield strength for Fe alloys ranges from ~45 to ~350 ksi. Stainless Fe alloys can reach yield strengths ~260 ksi.

Other:

Ti has the adventage in corrosion resistance but stainless alloys can be sufficient for most common applications. Fe has the advantage on hardness, wear resistance and resistance to galling.

Finishes:

Ti can be anodized. Both can be coated with any number of processes.

And finally the real reason:

The common public preception that Ti is "cool"/"indestructable"/"bling bling"/etc. This mostly stems from Ti's use in the aerospace industry where its lower density and better strength at elevated temperature makes it a common engineering choice.
 
Garageboy said:

"Zytel flexes like crazy, and besides, you can't make a Sebbie outta one."

Yep, just ask CRKT about that one ;)

Chris
 
Because Ti is too cool. The only thing cooler than ti is Ti combined with Carbon Fiber! Do I need it? Technically, no. But yes, I NEED Ti!

John
 
for handles, ti gives you less weight than steel and finish options. Ano and a beadblast that won't rust ar enice to have. For a framelock, I feel ti is better than steel, and that's hardly an option for frn (but Shrade did try it anyway) Is there a practical reason for mother of pearl, stag, leather, oosic, abalone, exotic wood, horn, ivory, polished carbon fiber, etc. etc. etc.
 
Planterz said it all. The memory that titanium has is much better than anything else out there. And it is pretty cool!
 
Planterz said:
It's lighter and stronger than the same amount (volume) of steel. Stronger than aluminum. It's not magnetic. It doesn't tarnish or rust. It has better spring "memory" than aluminum. It can be anodized for aesthetic and protective purposes (steel can't).

And it's cool as hell. :cool:
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What he said but doubled. Ti is the best handle material, IMNSHO.
 
To answer your question: No

There isn't much of a practical reason for Ti handles, but if you want them go for it.

If someone offered me a SS Police or a Special Titanium Police, I would choose the Ti.

Ti is just kool, but despite all the answers you will get about it holding memory and being stronger then zytel, lighter then steel and so on..., it's no more practical then any other handle material. Steel holds memory for frame locks just fine. Zytel done right doesn't flex like crazy and is more then strong enough. Steel is a little heavier, so just make the handles thinner and BAM! It's lighter and more then strong enough still.

So back to the point. No practical reason for Ti. It's just "neat." :D

-Kevin
 
If anyone wants to preview a new titanium handle material at Blade, stop at Tom Ferry or Todd Begg's tables. We are calling it Texture Tech™.


guy g said:
S30V vs VG10. (premium steel vs good steel).
Click to expand...

guy g,

What testing have you done that brought you to the conclusion that S30V is "premium" and VG10 is "good"?
 
Morgoth412 said:
To answer your question: No

There isn't much of a practical reason for Ti handles, but if you want them go for it.

If someone offered me a SS Police or a Special Titanium Police, I would choose the Ti.

Ti is just kool, but despite all the answers you will get about it holding memory and being stronger then zytel, lighter then steel and so on..., it's no more practical then any other handle material. Steel holds memory for frame locks just fine. Zytel done right doesn't flex like crazy and is more then strong enough. Steel is a little heavier, so just make the handles thinner and BAM! It's lighter and more then strong enough still.

So back to the point. No practical reason for Ti. It's just "neat." :D

-Kevin
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Gotcha.

Glad somebody was capable of understanding the question and answering it without building a strawman or being a smart-ass.
 
Thirteenth Star said:
Gotcha.

Glad somebody was capable of understanding the question and answering it without building a strawman or being a smart-ass.
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Except that he's alone in his opinion. Nothing wrong with that, everyone has their preferences.

Zytel is weak compare to other materials. It can also melt. It's a great material for the price. But there's a reason (or rather, several) that you don't see it on higher end knives.

G10 is strong, stiff, and lightweight, but it's not the most durable.

Micarta is stiff and light, but isn't very durable. Expensive.

Carbon fibre is extremely stiff and extremely light, but it's also extremely easy to damage and wear out. Very expensive.

Aluminum is lightweight and stiff, but isn't remotely as durable as other materials. Durablility can be improved with hard-anodizing, but this adds costs to production.

Steel is strong. But it's heavy. More importantly, it tarnishes and rusts easily. Hands sweat, remember? That's saltwater, which is extremely corrosive on ferrous metals.

The fact is, titanium is used on premium knives not because it's exotic or "tactical" (whatever the hell that means), but because it's simply the best we've got. There might be some exotic NASA developed alloy that'd be even better, but not at a reasonable price. Yes, titanium is more expensive than other materials, plus it's harder to work with which adds labor cost. But it's not absurdly expensive either. Titanium is the best "all around" material for handles. Anything else and you're probably comprimising something.

A Spyderco Police is a terrific knife. Does it need titanium? No. Would titanium handles make it a better knife? Yes, in just about every way except price.

Of course, this is all for folding knives. On a fixed blade, Zytel is an excellent handle material. It's impact resistant, it absorbs shock, it's easily texturable, it's "warm" to the touch.

EDIT: And if I came off as a smartass, I apoligize. I didn't mean to be.
 
Planterz said:
Zytel is weak compare to other materials. It can also melt. It's a great material for the price. But there's a reason (or rather, several) that you don't see it on higher end knives.


Titanium is the best "all around" material for handles. Anything else and you're probably comprimising something.
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All these things are true, but...

Zytel is weakER then Ti. Of course it is. When has someone ever said the handles on their Griptillian or Native broke?? Strong enough for the application.

Zytel can melt...at VERY high temperatures. I have left Spydero Delica's Endura's and Natives out in the sun on hot summer days. The handles certainly get warmer but they do not melt. They DO melt, but so does steel and Ti, even though there melting temperature is higher. You would have to put a Delica in your oven to melt the handles.

The reason it is not on higher end knives is becuase of it is not an expensive handle material with a wow factor. Its just plastic. (Not being on premium knives has nothing to do with performance.)

I wouldn't say Titanium is the best all around knife handle material at all:
G10 has better grip, is also corrosion resistant, non magnetic, very strong, etc.
Carbon Fiber is much better looking, has better grip with a matte finish, not corrosion resistant, non magnetic, very strong, etc.
Treated Woods, are MUCH better looking, have great grip, don't corrode, won't rot unless seriously neglected, non magnetic, strong, etc.

I don't think Ti is the best at all, and I think you will find tons of people on here who agree. Just becuase you think Ti is the best doesn't mean you can make a blanket statement that it is. It is ONE of the best. It certainly isn't THE best and I wouldn't like most of my knives with it.
-Kevin
 
Seriously, the right handle material depends on what you're doing. Micrata is nice, but it'll absorb fluids like blood, etc. That's when you want metal or zytel. I personally don't mind the zytel flex (hell, all I own are zytels). Metals might not be good when you are working in wet conditions as it may cause your hand to slip.
 
Morgoth412 said:
Carbon Fiber is much better looking, has better grip with a matte finish, not corrosion resistant, non magnetic, very strong, etc.
Treated Woods, are MUCH better looking, have great grip, don't corrode, won't rot unless seriously neglected, non magnetic, strong, etc.
Click to expand...

These materials are fine for inlays, but are certainly not comparable to titanium in terms of strength. I, too, believe that titanium is the ideal handle material. It doesn't have anything to do with what's "cool", it's all about performance. If you want a wood handle, buy an Opinel. Nothing wrong with that. But I personally prefer Sebbies.
 
Like most of you, I have a selection of 'user' knives that are used for everything from skinning game to opening envelopes, and if there is a job that seems to need a rugged knife that I am not afraid of damaging, I invariably reach for the Ti handled Buck 110.

I believe there is a perception that Ti is stronger than other handle materials, and that this influences the choice of handle material for many users.

It undoubtedly has the 'wow' factor as well, and manufacturers know this, just look at all the ads for "space age material" etc.

Ti is here to stay, despite the wide range of composites and other metals.
 
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