What's the story on anodizing?

R

RCC

Joined
Jun 27, 1999
Messages
172
In recent I have read some articles on anodizing. I am wondering a little more about it.

What steels can be anodizing? What are the processes to achive anodizing? Any other info. on the topic that you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ric
 
Well there are two types of anodizing, neither of which have anything to do with steel, unfortunately.

Most anodizing you see on knives refers to a proccess of colorizing Titanium or Aluminum.

Colorizing Titanium results in a thin layer of oxidation on the surface of the metal that refracts a certain color of light to the eye, making it seem like a different color.

Colorization of Aluminum is a process used to open the molecular structure of the surface of the metal in which a dye can be added to colorize the material, then the surface must be sealed to make the color stick.

Other metals can be colored in the same ways but most of them are very close chemically to Aluminum or Titanium.

If you find a way to make steel turn cool colors please let us all know!!!

Hope I could Help, Alan...



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If a Man talks in the forest, and there is no Woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?
 
RCC,

someone has lead you astray
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steels cannot be anodized but can be heat colored. titanium and aluminum can be anodized but i beieve the process is quite different for both.

as for steel, heat coloring can be accomplished with a torch and due to the reaction to the smog and various additives in our air now the colors are quite vibrant
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experiment. magnificent blues and purples can be achieved.
 
Tim (or anyone else), can you explain on the heat coloring of steels a bit more? What I am looking for specifically is what types of steels can be heat colored (like cheapo stainlesses for pins and such, or just non stainless or what), does the heating reduce the strength of the material, and if it is possible on stainless, does the heating reduce the stainless properties of the steel, necessitating a clear protective coating? Also, how durable is it?

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I've become increasingly interested in anodizing materials too. What does it take to go about anodizing aluminum and/or titanium? I've seen colored damascus on a few art knives here and there, is that done by the heat coloring process you've mentioned here already?

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-- Mark Ciampalio
 
Chiro, polish up a peice of 303 and give it a try!! I would suggest heat coloring stainless steel due to the fact that you dont have to deal with corosion taking you color off from the inside! I have done some 416 pocket clips that look almost like Ti when they were done! I find that the color is durrable enough, and that the higher temperature colors tend to last a lot longer than the lower temp colors, probably thicker...email me and I will send ya some pics of the clips and give ya some tips.

mciampag, as far as equipment involved, I started out with a basic car battery charger, some cords and clips, and some TSP, that was for playing with coloring Ti. Since I have purchased a proffesional Titanium anodization rectifier and find it much easier to control and to use that the frankenstein rectifier..
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For anodizing aluminum you need slightly different equipment, since it is a pigment coloration versus an oxidation, you have to have some way of opening the pores on the surface of the metal, I have seen anodization of aluminum range in the 100 volts DC area using a solution of caustic Lye to open up the pores, then a soak in muriatic acid with electricity to remove the oxidized and burned particles of metal then followed by a dip in the dye.. all of this with areas of rinsing and drying in between, not an easy procedure for the backyard chemist IMO. I think anodizing Ti is a lot simpler and even though not as versitile its a heck of a lot more fun..
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Your question about the colored damascus's, I think they use a hot blueing proccess that act differently on the different steels incorporated in the damascus, chemical proccess I beleive..

Alan...

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If a Man talks in the forest, and there is no Woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?
 
Chiro,

they heat coloring is very thin and for pins it would be impossible because the color is super thin and in finishing the pin after putting it in a knife the color would be gone.

all steels can be heat colored i believe but some colors go past the tempering tempatures for some of them. such as 440c if taken to blue will be spring tempered and alot softer than blade hardness. so you wouldnt want the use 440c for blue in blades. the main problem with heat voloring is the piece should be totally finished then heat colored.

hope this helps.
 
Okay, so it's fine to useon liners, clips, etc. Cool. I wouldn't color a blade. The funny thing is that my background is in bicycles. In the early '90's we had a huge movement to anodize every single little part some obnoxious color. Purple seemed to be the favored color of the time, then blue, then red/green/gold rasta schemes, etc. I see this same movement right now in knives, with some of the same wild, obnoxious coloring on titanium pieces. If this industry is anything like the bike industry, we'll be back to plain-jane (read: tactical) in no time at all. I think I may try the heat coloring on the stainless scales on that friction folder. I will also filework them, to this project is getting to be pretty fancy!

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My Knife & Sheath Pages:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/frames.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
Sheath Makers Referral Directory
agocs_s@dd.palmer.edu
Madpoet (Mel Sorg, Jr.) Tribute page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/madpoet/main.html
 
Hey guys, thanks for all the great info.

I am going to have to do a little experimenting for the Blade Show. I will post results if they are positive.

Meanwhile if anyone does come up with some creative ideas let me know.

Thanks,

Ric
 
mciampag, Alan summed it up rather well. I mean, there is a bit more to it than that, but for basic experimentation in color-shifting titanium, that's all there is.

For more info, a good site for ti anodizing info and equipment is Reactive Metals.

I made my own system using a variable voltage transformet and a hommemade DC converter, and I've been using a 20 qt stainless stock pot for a cathode bath instead of a separate cathode plate. Sounds weird, but I've had alot of fun with it so far.

My friends who are into high end mountain bike and road bike equipment keep bringing over bits and pieces for me to do, it's hilarious.
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Don LeHue

Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings...they did it by killing all those who opposed them.
 
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