Titanum, the ultimate handle material?

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bilinghm

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Nov 10, 2005
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I recently bought a plate of titanium for some experimentation. My intention is to explore the utility/ practicality/desirability of titanium for a folder frame/ scales. Obviously, many others have already done this work and proclaimed titanium to be the ideal material for a folder handle.

My first impression upon removing this precious ($1 per square inch inch @ .125) sheet of metal from the package was that it wasn’t very light. In fact, I wondered if a mistake had been made and stainless steel had been shipped instead of titanium. Nope, it’s titanium, the sheet ink markings say so.

I resharpened a #14 drill to 135 degrees, center punched , set the drill press on about 400 rpm, put a drop of coolant on the punch mark and drilled away. Result: no problems, a good hole. I tried several more with the same result.

I put the sheet in the vise and hand sawed off a chunk. ( I didn’t want to risk a bimetal band saw blade) no problems, nothing worthy of note. I ground the titanium on a 60 belt. Very white sparks. So titanium appears to reasonably workable. I can fashion this stuff into a knife handle.

The question is WHY?

What does his material do that is superior to less expensive metals? Lighter? nope.
Stronger? all handle materials are sufficiently strong, no advantage. Beautiful? No really. The ground piece heat colored very nicely, but it was about as durable as the heat colors on a piece of steel, easily removed with a little rubbing. If it is just going to be bead blasted, it might as well be stainless or aluminum.

I guess that the answer is that titanium is exotic, expensive and exclusive. For a .125” handle slab, stainless is stronger, aluminum is lighter, and micarta is prettier. Aluminum can be hard anodized for an extremely durable and beautiful finish. Stainless can be machined, polished, and hardened for a virtually indestructible handle that looks great for years. Titanium is has a soft surface that is easily scratched. The best finish for this stuff would probable be to powder coat it.

Titanium, great for high performance aircraft, in my opinion, not great for knife handles.
 
What kind of ti did you get 6AL/4V or commercially pure? It is much lighter than steel and more ductile. I dont think it is posible to powder coat though? I like using it for bolsters and linners.It can be textured and than anodized several different colors.

Kirby
 
Hope it is 6AL4V.....that is better for liners on knives where you cut and bend the locks.
Titanium does heat or anodizer color better than steel.
Ti is almost an "expected" material in the linrlocking collector grade folders..
It is as expected by buyers of handmade tactical style folders with solid or "perforated" metal (Ti) handles.
It does hold a bend to spring/lock very well, it heat or anodizer colors well, and it seems to be expected on most handmade linerlocked folders, while stainless is more expected on slipjoints and lockback folders.

Don't be concerned using a bimetal bandsaw blade to cut Ti....but it is a dulling material to cut.....cut at SLOW speed this preserves the teeth best.
Also, I personally don't grind Ti fast enough to create those blinding white sparks.....they also can start a white light fire that can be put out but not real easily.
Cut slow....grind slow
It is neat material and seems to be expected in most of the handmade linerlocked folders....but you do have a very valid point....the stuff is certainly premium priced currently.....
 
I bought CP 2 grade titanium. It is know as "commercially pure" and is un alloyed. It is the easiest to machine, althought still not exactly easy. The aluminum/titanium airframe alloys are tougher and stickier. They have a higher untimate yield strength. but strength is not an issue anyway.

As for liner locks, Ti would never be my first choice for a spring tempered material. 420 or 17-4 stainless would make much better springs.

I guess my biggest problem is that you cannot put a scratch resistant coating/ finish on this stuff unless you cover it up (powder coating). People frequently talk about how easily marred the bead blasted finish is on their Sebenza handles.

Don't get me wrong, Ti is amazing stuff: 3,000 dergee heat resistance, etc. It just doesn't have any practical advantages for the knife maker other than exclusivity. Hey, I could make the handles from monel or inconel or other nickel based "super alloys". They are even more expensive than titanium. Would that be the new "gotta have"?
 
be careful with the shavings/dust, it is very flamable, burns at a very high temp and will even burn underwater, a client of mine who is a machineist told me that

I forgot to add, it is a self-healing metal, it builds up an oxide layer on the surface with aptmispheric exposure and will gradually fill in all but deep scratches.
 
I don’t think it is the best handle material. I don’t like the feeling of metal in my hand. This is one of the reasons I don’t like frame locks.

But for a liner and/or lock Ti alloy is great, perhaps the best material. I can use Ti alloy at a greater thickness then I can SS without the use of a relief cut. This greater thickness allows greater surface area on the lock. Ti and its alloys are lighter than SS. They are more corrosion resistant.

Is it worth the money though? I am still trying to figure that out. I think SS makes good liner lock material and perhaps good enough not to justify the price of Ti. I have to do more testing.

Customers like it and ask for it then maybe the customer is always right and that is what makes it so popular, not that it is better. Maybe some one else knows.
 
Ti is tremendously strong for its weight (though soft), and makes a decent spring without heat treat. Small threads benefit from Tis superior strength (especially when roll tapped) and, as stated, it's very corrosion resistant --- Much more so than stainless alloys such as 17-4 (which is also very expensive.)
For a folder, a titanium structure offers greater performance compared with a similar structure of the same weight in SS . It features superior corrosion resistance and the ever-important exotic factor.

I don't see any benefit in titanium handle scales.
 
JCaswell said:
For a folder, a titanium structure offers greater performance compared with a similar structure of the same weight in SS . It features superior corrosion resistance and the ever-important exotic factor.

I don't see any benefit in titanium handle scales.
Click to expand...

So if I read you correctly, Ti on a Sebenza, where there is a intergal frame lock/handle makes sense, but on a lock back knife (or possibly even a liner lock) where the Ti functions mainly as handle scales, it is not indicated.
 
bilinghm said:
So if I read you correctly, Ti on a Sebenza, where there is a intergal frame lock/handle makes sense, but on a lock back knife (or possibly even a liner lock) where the Ti functions mainly as handle scales, it is not indicated.
Click to expand...

That would be my take. I don't see any of Ti's advantages coming into play as handle scales, and that would irritate me (the almost silly use of a capable material).
I too don't particularly like the feel of all-metal handles anyway.
 
6AL4V is near perfect for linners on a linner lock because if done rite it work hardens and doesn't wear much after break in and "sticks" to the lock face of the blade making an acidental release a lot less likely. Also the corosion resistance and wieght factor makes a differance too. The only reason I'd put Ti on handle scales would be for wieght, it is a good bit lighter than steel, though not as light as aluiminum and I don't have means to aniodize aluminum.
 
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