Will a Titanium Nitride coating ruin my heat treatment?

N

nelson1tom

Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
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Hey all, first time posting.
I wanted to get a titanium nitride coating on my Spyderco Sage 1 but I'm worried that it could ruin the heat treat on the CPM S30V. The operating temperatures of the TiN coating process seem to be around 900-1000 F, according to some of the various resources for the most common PVD process. Will this temperature ruin the heat treat of the S30V steel, and if so are there any alternatives for a gold metallic (non matte) finish (powdercoat, some sort of metallic cerakote)? Gold electroplating isn't durable enough.
 
"Its CPM-S30V steel blade is a modified-Wharncliffe profile with a finger choil, spine jimping and a tapered swedge. It's a stealthy looking blade with a black titanium carbonitride (TiCN) coating that is durable and non-reflective for tactical applications."

http://www.knifecenter.com/item/SP1...lding-black-s30v-blade-g10-handles-sprint-run

http://www.brycoat.com/coating-services/pvd-coatings/ticn.html

So maybe that doesn't answer your question specifically but it offers an option that Spyderco itself uses on S30V. If Spyderco uses it, I'm sure it doesn't mess with the heat treat too much. I'm sure it probably tempers the knife a bit. If you find out how much it costs to do a single blade, let me know.
 
http://coatingservicesgroup.com/titanium-carbo-nitrideticn

Titanium carbo-nitride is an abrasion resistant ceramic coating formed by adding a small amount of carbon to the TiN coating during the deposition process. The carbon makes the coating harder and gives it a lower friction coefficient. TiCN is used extensively on tools which are used in more abrasive cutting and machining operations. It is also used in a wide variety of other applications. Appearance can be controlled from mauve to gray, depending on carbon content and other factors.

Coating Services Group, LLC. has various versions of this coating to achieve customer requirements for functionality and aesthetics. Available in both single layer and multilayer versions, TiCN is an attractive coating with excellent wear resistance.

parts2Applied by an environmentally friendly PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process, TiCN coatings do not affect substrate surface finish.

Color Range: Mauve base, can be varied from gray to purple

Thickness Range: 1 to 5 microns (~0.00004 to 0.0002”)

Hardness: 2900 to 3100 Hv (Vickers hardness)

Maximum Operating Temperature: 600º C (1100º F)

Lubricity: 0.4 coefficient of friction

Deposition Temperature: 350 to 500º C

Thermal Conductivity: Low

Wear Resistance: Excellent

Biocompatibility: Very good

Structure: Multilayer
 
http://coatingservicesgroup.com/titanium-nitride

CSG Titanium Nitride (TiN) Coatings

gunGeneral Characteristics: Titanium nitride is the most frequently used ceramic coating on machine tools, and has the longest history. Bright gold in color, it is often applied where both wear resistance and appearance are important.

Coating Services Group, LLC. deposits both single and multilayer versions of this coating. CSG also offers unique surface finish and masking capabilities.

Applied by an environmentally friendly PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process, TiN coatings do not affect substrate surface finish.

dimeColor Range: Dark gold, variable to light gold or even silver (SLP)

Thickness Range: 1 to 5 microns (~0.00004 to 0.0002”)

Hardness: 2200 to 2400 Hv (Vickers hardness)

Maximum Operating Temperature: 600º C (1100º F)

Lubricity: 0.5 coefficient of friction

Deposition Temperature: 350 to 500º C

Thermal Conductivity: Low

partsWear Resistance: Excellent

Biocompatibility: Very good

Structure: Single or multilayer
 
Now having said that, I remember reading that the coated Spyderco military knives are about a point lower RC than the uncoated blades. I'm sure the coating process has something to do with it.
 
If only I had some spare s30v to test before hand. I actually have a friend who would probably let me use the rhc tester in their lab, I've used it before.
 
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