Tungsten DLC vs TiNi (titanium nitrate)

[ArkofGod]

For a while now i have been having problems in determining the quality level of Tungsten DLC and TiNi. Ever knife i have ever bought has been coated with TiNi mainly due to the fear of getting a DLC knife and it be prone to scratch\rubbing off. So does tungsten DLC prone to scratches and rubbing off, for that has never happened to me with TiNi. please assist me

 

[UnknownVT]

For a while now i have been having problems in determining the quality level of Tungsten DLC and TiNi. Ever knife i have ever bought has been coated with TiNi mainly due to the fear of getting a DLC knife and it be prone to scratch\rubbing off. So does tungsten DLC prone to scratches and rubbing off, for that has never happened to me with TiNi. please assist me

I don't know how they compare directly -
but DLC = Diamond Like Carbon
and tungsten DLC is supposed to be very hard - touted at one time as the next hardest thing to diamond (as was the similar looking Boron Carbide coating).

Wikipedia on DLC

" Hardness is often measured by nanoindentation methods in which a finely pointed stylus of natural diamond is forced into the surface of a specimen. If the sample is so thin that there is only a single layer of nodules, then the stylus may enter the DLC layer between the hard cobblestones and push them apart without sensing the hardness of the sp3 bonded volumes. Measurements would be low. Conversely, if the probing stylus enters a film thick enough to have several layers of nodules so it cannot be spread laterally, or if it enters on top of a cobblestone in a single layer, then it will measure not only the real hardness of the diamond bonding, but an apparent hardness even greater because the internal compressive stress in those nodules would provide further resistance to penetration of the material by the stylus. Nanoindentation measurements have reported hardness as great as 50% more than values for natural crystalline diamond. Since the stylus is blunted in such cases or even broken, actual numbers for hardness that exceed that of natural diamond are meaningless. They only show that the hard parts of an optimal ta-C material will break natural diamond rather than the inverse. "

Bodycote's own facts on Tungsten DLC (downloadable zipped pdf)

I have just one knife with tungsten DLC -
the Black "boron" Leek (link to review) which was actually tugsten DLC -
that has held up really well considering I EDC'd it for some years at home and got all sorts of use - it looks brand new - no visible scratches even now.
(the true black boron carbide coated Chive has not fared as well - although it has developed a really nice metallic black sheen somewhat like hematite nor shows any scratches - but it now has some small pitting...)

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[DennisStrickland]

a thanks to unknownvt for the explanation of a subject seldom approached.

 

[UnknownVT]

a thanks to unknownvt for the explanation of a subject seldom approached.

Thank you for your very kind words.

But now you've done it - you're making me feel responsible and putting the onus on me to give a more balanced view!

On checking I do have more than one knife with Tungsten DLC - as Kershaw seems to make quite a few with it - but they are matte finish - whereas the Black "boron" Leek I referenced is a polished tungsten DLC. So I do have a Kershaw Blackout - it looks fine now - but it's very lightly used.

here's the balancing bit -

TiNi at Wikipedia
"Titanium nitride (TiN) (sometimes known as “Tinite” or “TiNite” or “TiNi”) is an extremely hard ceramic material, often used as a coating on titanium alloys, steel, carbide, and aluminium components to improve the substrate's surface properties. Applied as a thin coating, TiN is used to harden and protect cutting and sliding surfaces, for decorative purposes (due to its gold appearance), and as a non-toxic exterior for medical implants. "

Differences in Kershaw Coating(Tungsten DLC, Boron, TiNi ... on BladeForums

This thread DLC coating on Spydies seems to give both positive (#9) and negative (#2) on coatings

Here's a comparison thread from a dirt bike forum that might give another perspective.

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