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Fit & Finish Fit and Finish = the difference in "good art" and "fine art." Join in, as we discuss the fine art of finish and embellishment.

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  #1  
Old 08-24-2017, 03:59 AM
epicfail48 epicfail48 is offline
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Blade Coating Recommendations

Would anybody care to recommend a good coating for knife blades and other parts? Im looking for something a little more durable than spray paint, im leaning towards something like Cerakote, but the startup cost is a little intimidating. Ive got no issues paying for a good product but if theres a cheaper and easier to apply product that preforms just as well...

Intended use would be coating knife blades in both carbon and stainless steel, as well as aluminium for handle scales and the like. Whatever it is would probably see more aluminium than anything else, i use aluminium for the handles of the butterfly knives i make. I have tried anodizing for those, but that particular process is a bit of a nightmare. Im thinking some form of spray-in coating is much better for my needs there
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  #2  
Old 08-24-2017, 04:53 AM
pcpc201 pcpc201 is offline
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I have used gun-cote, it's a spray on and then bake. The baking temp isn't high enough to affect the knife's heat treatment. I have had some really good results with it.
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  #3  
Old 08-24-2017, 04:58 AM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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I have used cerakote and dura kote....pretty similar yes they are more durable than spray paint. but if these knives are knives that will get used it will deffinitly scratch up and wear....handle might be ok but the blade gets all junked up fairly easily. IF its a show knife and not being used go for it....I had the idea of coating blades a few years back and found not worth the effort once it scratches up it looks horible
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  #4  
Old 08-24-2017, 02:45 PM
epicfail48 epicfail48 is offline
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I looked into gunkote, seems like it requires a few extra steps for almost every material. Aluminium was recommended to be anodized and alloy steels are supposed to be sandblasted and phosphate treated. Seems a little too involved of a process for my tastes.

I'm fully expecting whatever coating to get scratched up with use, its just grades of how long. Personally I like the look of bare metal anyway, but some people like coated blades or handles and I like those people buying from me.
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Old 08-25-2017, 04:23 AM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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Hey man yeh I get the whole reason I looked into it a couple years ago was because of other people asking about it....but as you seem to be finding out now I realized it was just not worth the effort
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  #6  
Old 08-25-2017, 06:21 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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I personally like Gun-Kote 2400. I've been using it for several years, particularly on "user" Damascus blades. There are certainly "tricks" that you have to learn in order to be successful with it on blades, but once you understand how to apply it, it works very well.

I generally use the satin clear variety for coating damascus blades. The "trick" with it is to CLEAN the blade thoroughly after etching, and then apply it via an airbrush. The key being to apply it LIGHTLY.... just 1-2 passes down each side of the blade with a very fine mist. If it gives a "wet" appearance, then you've applied too much, and the end product will look "plastic coated". Acetone it off and try again.

I did a lot of testing prior to offering it on any blades sold..... I made myself a damascus hunter, and after taking it through a Montana hunting season (it went through a total of 6 animals), the finish was as good as it was the day I applied it.

The only issue I can ever remember having was when a client decided to "clean" his damascus hunter with steel wool.... it fills the coating with fine scratches, making the whole thing look hazy, and basically it's unrepairable without tearing the entire knife apart, regrinding, and rebuilding. I've since added to my care instructions NOT to use steel wool or other abrasives to clean any coated blade, and make it a point to say that my warranty will not cover it if a person does.

For the most part the clear Gun-Kote has solved more issues then it's created.


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  #7  
Old 08-26-2017, 02:01 AM
epicfail48 epicfail48 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Caffrey View Post
I personally like Gun-Kote 2400. I've been using it for several years, particularly on "user" Damascus blades. There are certainly "tricks" that you have to learn in order to be successful with it on blades, but once you understand how to apply it, it works very well.

I generally use the satin clear variety for coating damascus blades. The "trick" with it is to CLEAN the blade thoroughly after etching, and then apply it via an airbrush. The key being to apply it LIGHTLY.... just 1-2 passes down each side of the blade with a very fine mist. If it gives a "wet" appearance, then you've applied too much, and the end product will look "plastic coated". Acetone it off and try again.

I did a lot of testing prior to offering it on any blades sold..... I made myself a damascus hunter, and after taking it through a Montana hunting season (it went through a total of 6 animals), the finish was as good as it was the day I applied it.

The only issue I can ever remember having was when a client decided to "clean" his damascus hunter with steel wool.... it fills the coating with fine scratches, making the whole thing look hazy, and basically it's unrepairable without tearing the entire knife apart, regrinding, and rebuilding. I've since added to my care instructions NOT to use steel wool or other abrasives to clean any coated blade, and make it a point to say that my warranty will not cover it if a person does.

For the most part the clear Gun-Kote has solved more issues then it's created.
That's interesting, I've never heard of anybody applying a clear coat over a blade like that. On your test blade, did you actually take any rust prevention steps beyond rinsing the crud off or just let the coating do its thing? I'd almost be afraid to do that for fear that the finish would end up trapping moisture. Probably unfounded, but fear nevertheless.

Also curious, have you ever tried Cerakote, or just Gunkote? Only reason I ask is it seems like gunkote recommends sandblasting and phospating for best results, or anodizing for aluminium, whereas cerakote just needs sandblasting. Keeping the process down to as few steps as possible is my overall goal, but that still comes behind quality of the finish
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  #8  
Old 08-26-2017, 04:35 AM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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Clear is a different story....I haven't used gun kote but I have used clear cera kote with some success. I originally tried it on top of timascus as after heat coloring the shine comes off fairly quickly and even the color will wear off eventually...but I have never used it on any Damascus but worked good on the timascus but like Ed said very light passes.....if the clear gets a scratch or 2 you wont see it as much I was thinking we were talking about colored coatings
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  #9  
Old 08-26-2017, 08:06 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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Quote:
Also curious, have you ever tried Cerakote, or just Gunkote? Only reason I ask is it seems like gunkote recommends sandblasting and phospating for best results, or anodizing for aluminium, whereas cerakote just needs sandblasting. Keeping the process down to as few steps as possible is my overall goal, but that still comes behind quality of the finish
I've tried most of the coatings at one time or another. I don't sandblast or phospate.... with damascus pretty much the same thing is accomplished via the etching process. After etching I thoroughly neutralize the etchant with windex, give it a LIGHT scrubbing with a windex soaked paper towel, then ensure the blade is 100% dry (blow it off well with compressed air), and then VERY LIGHTLY coat it with Gun-Kote.

Sometime to make things work, you have to find other ways of doing things (outside of the recommendations for sandblasting, etc) It generally takes some experimenting, but you can usually find a way to make it work.


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  #10  
Old 12-16-2017, 11:05 PM
Bob Hatfield Bob Hatfield is offline
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I have used Gun-Kote on about 10 blades of O-1 steel. Polished to 220 grit, cleaned with acetone and got very good adhesion without sandblasting. Used one large tactical blade to chop up a pine 1X12" board into kindling and the coating held up very well. It is more abrasion resistance then Cerakote . Use very light coats or it will run very easily, bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes and you have a very tough coating that will protect carbon steel from rusting.


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anodizing, apply, blade, blades, butterfly, carbon, gun, handle, handle scales, handles, heat, heat treatment, knife, knives, make, man, material, metal, paint, recommendations, scales, spray, stainless, stainless steel, steel


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