Why Strip Blade Finish Off?

SwissHeritageCo said:
Unrelated but related, I have some screws I'd like to strip the black coating off.

Can anyone tell me if acetone will work? I think I might also have some mineral spirits.
Click to expand...
If they are resistant to stripping chuck them up in a drill press of regular drill and with a medium or fine scotchbrite pad give them a polish.
A light lubricant like WD-40 or if you want more food safe vegetable oil helps.
 
Monofletch said:
The coating covers up the mistakes and machine marks.
Click to expand...

Yup. Machine marks suck ! :) (J/K ... of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! )

Today's carry 🥰:

i-5RgJttP-X2.jpg


i-8mFxcxq-X2.jpg


(the above "Axe Hammer" only came coated, AFAIK, looked like this before the strip:

_DSC9497tn-XL.jpg


)
 
Last edited:
I try to stay away from coated blades, but if I find a gem of a knife and the only flaw (in my view) is the coating, I'll buy and strip. Especially if it is a rough coating (ex. Becker/Esee). Like to eliminate the friction it causes.
 
After trying acetone, which didn't work at all, I stripped the epoxy coating off my Kabar Mark1 deck knife using methyl chloride paint remover. (Note of caution: this is nasty stuff – only use in an open well-ventilated space and wear rubber gloves.) I wrapped the blade in a scrap of old towel soaked with the remover, stuck it in a plastic bag and let it sit a half an hour. Voila! That softened the paint sufficiently so I could scrape it off, although it took a bit of work.
 
Black blades are cool, but I don't like the rough epoxy or baked finishes - reasons already listed - more friction and not food safe. Sometimes the only option is coated and I really like this knife!

Before


Sandblasted surface after coating was stripped with acetone.


After sanding the blade smooth


Vinegar patina - helps with rust and I love patina
 
Alberta Ed said:
After trying acetone, which didn't work at all, I stripped the epoxy coating off my Kabar Mark1 deck knife using methyl chloride paint remover. (Note of caution: this is nasty stuff – only use in an open well-ventilated space and wear rubber gloves.) I wrapped the blade in a scrap of old towel soaked with the remover, stuck it in a plastic bag and let it sit a half an hour. Voila! That softened the paint sufficiently so I could scrape it off, although it took a bit of work.
Click to expand...
This is what I did with my Carbon V Recon Scout, around the turn of the century.
After the epoxy coating was gone, I learned to hand sand & got a lot of practice!
In the end it came out great.
 
eveled said:
I tend to thin and refine my blades, so the coating would have to be removed first. Plus most coatings chip off. It’s not hard to keep a blade from rusting. The edge isn’t coated so you have to keep it from rusting anyway.

Usually I find coatings hide poorly finished blades. Manufacturers know they can skip surface finishing. I try to avoid coated blades.
Click to expand...
I have a spyderco lil native in 20cv that I used exclusively at work for quite a while and it’s gotten pretty thick behind the edge. Got any tips for how I should thin it? Or just go for it and try to keep it even on both sides and worry about the surface finish at the end? Thanks in advance
 
Monofletch said:
This will save you some time. I have used it on Busse coatings. It came off really easy.

View attachment 3075579
Click to expand...
I use this a lot for refinishing wood, so I tried it on my Ka-Bar Navy Mk 1. It didn't do anything. Nothing. So, I had to resort to a much stronger stripper. And even then, it took quite a bit of scraping to get the coating off. I don't know what type of coating Ka-Bar uses, but it's tough.
 
If I weren't a lazy sod, I'd strip the coatings off of all my knives. I like bare metal a lot more than any other finish, I don't mind carbon steel getting some stains (I love a good patina). I'm from a very humid part of South America, the most used cutting tools in our jungles (machetes) are usually uncoated carbon steel, and they survive just fine.

Here are two beaters I've taken on many trips. BK-11 with the ugliest handle wrap you'll ever see (it's comfortable and I've got crates full of those elastic bandages!) and an old CS American Lawman.

tw36Bol.jpeg
 
Triple_D said:
I use this a lot for refinishing wood, so I tried it on my Ka-Bar Navy Mk 1. It didn't do anything. Nothing. So, I had to resort to a much stronger stripper. And even then, it took quite a bit of scraping to get the coating off. I don't know what type of coating Ka-Bar uses, but it's tough.
Click to expand...
I have stripped a few Busses and some BK2s. with this. You have to goop it on the powder coat and let it sit. It will come off easily and usually in one piece.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top