TRC Knives Post Apocalyptic Finish Experience & Thoughts

Others opinions on this really don't matter. Do YOU like it? Good, enjoy it.

If no one liked this kinda thing, they wouldn't keep selling them. There is clearly a market. Acid washing, forged finishes, even certain coatings in general are not all that different ultimately. Lots of expensive customs out there with "raw forged" blades. How is this any different? It isn't, its simply a look.

Take something as common as stone washing. Pre-scratching a blade so new scratches won't show up as much? Its like pre denting a car. Kinda idiotic if you think about it, and certainly less attractive then a well done satin or polish. Yet, we all accept it without a second thought. Obviously stone washing is much less dramatic of a look then this, but you get the idea. I just like to over exaggerate things to get my point across.
 
Having owned a couple I'll tell you my thoughts---
Definitely not food safe, if you smell the steel it smells like sour metal, it doesn't feel smoothed, although a minor issue, if they did away with apocalypse coatings their knives will sell a lot faster
 
I love TRC and have a few in apocalypse finish. Definitely gives each knife its own unique look. Im kinda indifferent to it and would prefer stonewash but like it better than satin. It wears in well. Im a bit surprised there is so much strong dislike of it but to each their own.

I don’t know if I agree that it’s not food safe. After use and a couple washes there is no odor in mine. I think the odor comes from the balistol they coat the blades with before it leaves the factory.

TRC is my favorite fixed blades next to CPK, their fit and finish and sharpness is unrivaled in the price range.
 
I think it's kinda cool. I'd like to know how they do it just out of curiosity's sake. I tend to buy satin bladed knives almost exclusively, or I should say uncoated just bare steel, however I think this fills a cool little niche within the knife industry and our community.
 
I recently bought a TRC south pole. The quality from every aspect including the edge, blade, handle, and sheath is no doubt the best that I have ever seen. I honestly just don't see how better the knife could be built. Granted I am not a fixed blade person that my experience was limited to brands like ESEE, Buck, Ka-Bar, Tops, and Cold Steel. After reading this thread, however, I checked again and more carefully online images and videos of the apocalyptic finish and I don't regret not getting a TRC in this finish. It looks exactly like rust spots on otherwise beautiful blade surfaces. Just don't see where the attraction or utility is.
 
Cerakote is supposed to be a pretty tough protective coating, but it seems to me more of an aesthetic treatment than something really necessary for knives. Each to his own, though, and those TRC knives are impressive.
 
Sagandavis said:
I love TRC and have a few in apocalypse finish. Definitely gives each knife its own unique look. Im kinda indifferent to it and would prefer stonewash but like it better than satin. It wears in well. Im a bit surprised there is so much strong dislike of it but to each their own.

I don’t know if I agree that it’s not food safe. After use and a couple washes there is no odor in mine. I think the odor comes from the balistol they coat the blades with before it leaves the factory.

TRC is my favorite fixed blades next to CPK, their fit and finish and sharpness is unrivaled in the price range.
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Mine also do not stink. They get used and washed regularly and smell like nothing at all.

I also agree that they are right up there with CPK, and Survive! knives, the only other "perfect" production knife builders that I know of short of a completely hand-made custom.
 
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MatthewSB said:
Mine also do not stink. They get used and washed regularly and smell like nothing at all.

I also agree that they are right up there with CPK, and Survive! knives, the only other "perfect" production knife builders that I know of short of a completely hand-made custom.
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Survive!? 🤦🏽‍♂️

You must be one of the ones who got their knife.
 
MatthewSB said:
Mine also do not stink. They get used and washed regularly and smell like nothing at all.

I also agree that they are right up there with CPK, and Survive! knives, the only other "perfect" production knife builders that I know of short of a completely hand-made custom.
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I have been eyeing on cpk knives but with the current craze and significantly overpriced secondary market, it was and will be an easy choice for me between CPK and TRC. But I digress.
 
I have one TRC which was extremely hard to find here in Canada…this one has the apocalyptic finish. It wasn’t my first choice of finish, but the knife has great fit and finish.

I haven’t gotten to use it hard yet…but it’s on the table. The more I carry it and use it, the more I don’t mind the finish. It is unique.
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MatthewSB said:
Anyone else have experience with TRC's post apocalyptic finish?

View attachment 2335231

All three of these are made by TRC for Williams Blade design - the one on the left is M390 with green canvas micarta, middle knife is Vanadis 4 Extra with Fat carbon fiber handle, one on the right is Elmax with black canvas micarta. I see now that some bits of paper towel stuck to the laser engraved logos on the blade, sorry about that. I believe that the Apocalyptic finish is left over from heat treatment, and is somehow preserved instead of being ground through revealing shiny steel. Please correct me if I'm wrong. What you get is each knife is a work of art different from any other.

I got the Elmax SZT blade first. The flat surfaces (saber portion of blade and tang) are kind of porous, like Parkerizing or bead blasting, with a neat rainbow effect. The primary grinds are as smooth as any satin finish, and are caramel colored with patina-looking blobs randomly across the surface. The pattern looks different on both sides of the blade. After being carried and used (outdoors and in the kitchen) for more than a year I haven't had any rust form, and this knife has been used, washed, and immediately re-sheathed.

The V4E SZK is absolutely gorgeous, it is dark blue almost black with blue and orange spots and patterns all over. I can feel how hard the V4E was taken when sharpening. It holds an edge better than any steel I've ever used. This one had some light surface rust appear, after carrying it IWB after washing with dish-soap that removed any protective oil - the rust wiped away without any pitting or staining. Since I applied Froglube it hasn't developed any rust.

The M390 SZM is similar to the Elmax knife but a little bit darker. I use this one the most, no rust and holds an edge almost as long as the V4E.

These were expensive knives, but they are a joy to use and it's amusing when friends and family see them and either think that they are beautiful or look like old rusted junk. What I like the most about them is the Williams' design, ancient style with modern materials, and TRC's quality is outstanding. These are fit and finished perfectly fit like a handmade custom.

Anyone else have one of these?

One more picture of the prettiest one:

View attachment 2335285
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I have most of the TRC, but not this one. Have not seen one for sale. You got some nice ones! My first choice on their finishes is the DLC, then the apocalyptic, I like the colors, like some kind of nebula in outer space. Unique and original and a one of a kind finish on each knife. Their satin finish is not my cup of tea, but I own a couple. I buy TRC based on the price, finish is never a deal breaker, but sometimes a deal maker(DLC). Some of my TRC.IMG_1059.jpeg
 
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QUOTE="eveled, post: 22214339, member: 448520"]
The pictures look like ones from a thread titled “help! How to remove spots on knife after use?”
[/QUOTE]

Or from those sad guys living down south who have the Nasty Sweats all over their blades..... Maybe they could call the next version "Swamp Ass"
 
I love it becuase it’s different... Guess I have bad taste lol.

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I really like that Apo finish on TRC. Got two pieces in that finish - K-1s and Classic Freedom. Here's my pair of CFs and really can't say which one I like more:

freedoms_ig.jpg


I've been using this knife quite seriously for about two years now and there are some use marks of course, but generally, it ages nicely. Of course, I didn't chop bricks or cut metal with it. So no deep scratches, rather kind of patina. There's some sap & resin on that blade too, which can be easily cleaned:

20220816-DSCF6774.jpg


The biggest "issue" with Apo finish is that you can't use the spine to scrape stuff or use it on ferrocerium rod, so for a bushcraft taks I'd certainly recommend satin finish on TRC knife - this one has a nice and sharp spine (you can easily spot the ferrocerium marks on the blade, easy to clean of course):

20210515-DSCF4909.jpg


Here's my full report about that knife: https://packconfig.com/review/trc-classic-freedom-classic-with-class/

Enjoy!
P
 
I dig the finish actually.

Does anyone know what it means for maintenance? Does it act as a rust inhibitor? Or a rust magnet? Or is it the same as something like stonewashed finish?
 
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