What do you guys think of blade coatings?

BenLong1018

BenLong1018

Joined
Apr 12, 2012
Messages
1,668
I've always been a satin or stonewash guy I have a couple of coated blades, but I never really liked them. More recently I find myself really liking black blades they just look really cool to me. Do you guys like blade coatings? What are your favorite or least favorite coatings?

Please feel free to post pictures.
 
I like the looks of patinas and stonewashes. However I love the idea of what different coatings are for, I just don't see myself committing to them because when scratched up or after use some heavy stone work is needed and then it just looks bad.
 
Don't like them. Look bad after a couple outings. Not needed for most of my knives. Stainless or carbon with patina.
 
I like a black coating on knives that aren't stainless with exceptions (it would look terrible on a buck 110). My personal favorite is satin. Though certain blades look much better with certain coatings.
 
Modern coatings are very different than even a few years ago. Stuff like Cerakote will outlast your grandchildren's grandchildren. And the lame excuse they're only there to cover up bad grinds is no longer applicable. Cerakote (and most modern finishes) goes on thinner than a layer of oil, yet is tougher than DLC. Because it's so thin the smoothness is still dictated by the finish of the object it's being applied to, so deep cutting ability remains unchanged.

The reason most like them is personal opinion, though they stretch for every invalid reason to discredit them. I like both depending on the knife.
 
I don't care for applied finishes, but don't mind bonded ones since it doesn't interfere with surface finish or texture. I prefer a bright finish (stonewash, high satin, or mirror) on bare steel when possible. It all depends on the knife and the application, though.
 
I used to not be a fan for them but I recently got a ZT0560BW and ordered a skyline BW last night. I really like the looks of their blackwashed knives.
 
I don't like coatings at all myself. I have no problem with scratching up a satin blade but coating wear bugs me.

I don't know how cerakote compares to dlc, but it sure isn't that tough in my experience. The benchmade contego I had scratched up fairly easily and I know other have experienced the same.
 
I like black but don't like it in my food. I eat organic whenever possible and avoid BPA so take my fear of eating paint, epoxy and teflon with a grain of salt.:p
 
I have one of the Blade Magazine Kershaw blackouts with the flat black coatings and it has not shown much wear and I also have one of the Chives with titanium nitride finishes and admittedly don't use it but it looks like I just got it today. I'd have to go check but I think I also have one of the Leeks in black finish also. I like their appearance.
 
I personally think a stone washed or satin finish on steel is beautiful. It's a shame to cover that up with a black coating! The only coated knife I have is the Spyderco Citadel and that is because it is discontinued and it was the only one I could find when I purchased it. There is a place for it if you truly need a tactical knife and you did not want the blade to be seem at night. In my experience the coating always starts to wear and come off anyways so why get it?
 
Used for appearances, I don t like them. Used for protection of tool steels, I still don t like the look, but I understand the benefit.
 
I generally don't like them. The way they wear on some knives looks good but not so much on others.

I have no need for them. I'm not some stealth military guy or any thing like that.
 
I love my ZT0300 in Blackwash. That look fits the blade so well. I also like how coated blades show wear. Each scar is a story. Like my last holiday when I spent some quality time with my son and carved him fishing rod to mess around with. The slight marks are a reminder of that fun day.

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I much prefer my blades uncoated but Kershaws BW looks and feels good.
Just got a Skyline with it and have had a 0560 for a couple months.
 
Never liked em until I got one of spydercos DLC blades. I was extremely impressed and wouldn't hesitate to buy another. Good stuff.
 
I've never owned any knives with blade coating so I can't really comment but I'm still up in the air about buying one. Take for example the ESEE 4. I would like to buy the knife one day but not sure whether I will be buying it with or without the coating.
 
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