Coated blade vs. uncoated
It seems many of us are liking uncoated blade. Exception to non-stainless steel, I too prefer uncoated. Which do you guys like better??
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For a knife I use regularly, I prefer uncoated. Aesthetically, it depends on the knife. I like both. 0 -
I'm right there with ya on that. The coating wears off to easily during use. But some of the safe queens look good with a coated blade. 0 -
As users I prefer uncoated. I like M2 & M4 and BMK doesn't do uncoated, except for a few Gold Class and the 171 chopper, for these 2 so my user M2 & M4 blades definitely look used. I actually have a M2 blade that I finished taking the coating off of and it kinda looks cool with its patina. It's not been a problem with rust either. 0 -
I am in the uncoated camp for everything (stainless or carbon steel). Although everything that I carry in the field these days is stainless and that is where I worry about rust.
What really settled it for me is my bedlam, which is coated because the uncoated wasn't in stock when I purchased it. I almost never use it. It was used last year to field dress four small animals and two large. It was not used on any of the heavy bone splitting work. Yet the coating shows marks. I should have gotten the uncoated. But for the coating it performed admirably.
Live and learn.0 -
My preference pretty much follows along Benchmade's policy. I prefer uncoated on stainless, and coated on tool steel. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Corey:
But some of the safe queens look good with a coated blade.
Yeah, I definitely prefer the look of the 51BK over the uncoated, but that's only as long as it's new and unscuffed!0 -
I prefer uncoated for users, for the same reason I prefer G10 to aluminum. I don't mind tools looking well used, but I don't like them to look abused, and I've seen some coated blades and aluminum scales that look like they got dragged through gravel. 0 -
I like stonewashed with thin DLC on a polished blade.
That's about it. Only one from BM I can think of was the M4 Ritter. And its stonewash was really light. Bigger the Better SW on black DLC IMO. Microtech put out a few great ones in black SW 15+ yrs ago. It wore like iron. No signs of wear after years or use. Everything else seems to just wear away....... I think BM called it (DLC) Tumbled Finish. No interest I chalky black coatings.
Only pic on hand is this blade swap.
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I prefer a variety of uncoated surfaces (polish, stonewash, black wash) but love DLC for its looks and pretty awesome wear resistance for being a coating.
^Same as above, best blade I've ever had was the M4 Ritter!0 -
If Cerakote or proprietary BK is the only option, I prefer uncoated.
Here's my top favorite coatings in descending order:
1) Acid-Stonewash
2) DLC
And the knife that started the fever.. lol
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quote:Originally posted by MCM:
I like stonewashed with thin DLC on a polished blade.
That's about it. Only one from BM I can think of was the M4 Ritter. And its stonewash was really light.quote:Originally posted by Jobberwocky:
Same as above, best blade I've ever had was the M4 Ritter!
Love the Ritter stonewashed DLC!!0 -
My preferences are no coating for stainless and coating for carbon steel. 0 -
I guess I'm the only one that likes coatings. I prefer the coated blade because it is less likely to attract attention. People usually only comment when I carry an uncoated blade, seem to fly under the radar more with coatings. 0 -
Love the look of that acid stonewashed coated blade.
What other benchmades have that finish?0 -
I like them both, but there are differences in certain manufactures coatings. Some better than others. Hate to say it, but the BK1 coating, like others is inferior to Cerakote. That's why I blasted this one & coated it myself. 0 -
I don't know BC-1 looks pretty darn good for a coating... 
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My favorite is a heavy stonewashed finish like my Ritter Grip, Southern Grind Spider Monkey, or Wilson Combat Eagle. I hate blades looking real scratched up except for beaters and hard use work knives. Stonewashed hides scratches really well.
I do like the looks of black blades, especially Cerakote and DLC, and find myself buying them as well. Hating scratches makes it difficult to put my coated blades to much hard use. I love my 908-1501 and carry it, but cut only gently with it. Very often I'll go with a second carry if I have a knife I don't want to get beat-up looking.0 -
I prefer satin uncoated finishes. I do not like coated, blackened, or stone washed blades. 0 -
Awesome pictures as usual PM
DLC has changed my thoughts on coatings. I will have to wait a bit to use my Forum 810 to see how it holds up. No safe queen here, it will be used.
The black coatings do look nice and especially on some blades more than others.
The 950-1401BK is such a knife. The scales almost demand a black blade.
Hopefully DLC is the wave of the future0 -
quote:Originally posted by BM-Butterfly:
Awesome pictures as usual PM
DLC has changed my thoughts on coatings. I will have to wait a bit to use my Forum 810 to see how it holds up. No safe queen here, it will be used....
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.. If anything, DLC starts to fade.. But even that takes a while. Take my 531-131 for example. The DLC scales have been rubbing on different pant materials for four months now and the DLC is still dark and looks good.. Very minimal fading in some hot spots.
The blade still looks good too..
quote:Originally posted by BM-Butterfly:
Hopefully DLC is the wave of the future
The funny thing is, a ton of other production knife companies have already been using it on regular production models for years.. It's nothing new.0 -
I can't really see the utility in coated blades unless it's for serious tactical use, where the reflection from a satin blade could be a problem. I mean I guess it could serve to protect the steel a bit, but modern day stainless is so corrosion resistant that it's unnecessary IMO. 0 -
+1 0 -
Some of it is corrosion protection... but some of it is also just personal preference!
And yes, there are cases where the reflectivity (or lack thereof) comes into play.0 -
quote:Originally posted by MCM:
I like stonewashed with thin DLC on a polished blade.
That's about it. Only one from BM I can think of was the M4 Ritter. And its stonewash was really light. Bigger the Better SW on black DLC IMO. Microtech put out a few great ones in black SW 15+ yrs ago. It wore like iron. No signs of wear after years or use. Everything else seems to just wear away....... I think BM called it (DLC) Tumbled Finish. No interest I chalky black coatings.
Only pic on hand is this blade swap.
I'm with you on the coated blade. DLC or nothing.0 -
quote:Originally posted by loonybin:quote:Originally posted by MCM:
I like stonewashed with thin DLC on a polished blade.
That's about it. Only one from BM I can think of was the M4 Ritter. And its stonewash was really light. Bigger the Better SW on black DLC IMO. Microtech put out a few great ones in black SW 15+ yrs ago. It wore like iron. No signs of wear after years or use. Everything else seems to just wear away....... I think BM called it (DLC) Tumbled Finish. No interest I chalky black coatings.
Only pic on hand is this blade swap.
I'm with you on the coated blade. DLC or nothing.
TiAlN?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...um_aluminium_nitride0 -
quote:Originally posted by dogdrawz:
I like them both, but there are differences in certain manufactures coatings. Some better than others. Hate to say it, but the BK1 coating, like others is inferior to Cerakote. That's why I blasted this one & coated it myself.
[IMG]http://i332.photobucket.com/albums
/m342/dogdrawz/Benchmade%20Contego/IMG_1346.jpg[/IMG]
Ummm... Benchmade puts Cerakote on the Contego. You blasted off the Cerakote to put your own Cerakote on it?0 -
BTW, would Parkerizing make sense to D2 or M4? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Mobile Firelord:
BTW, would Parkerizing make sense to D2 or M4?
In what type of terms?0 -
quote:Originally posted by BMK Jason:quote:Originally posted by Mobile Firelord:
BTW, would Parkerizing make sense to D2 or M4?
In what type of terms?
I was thinking of M4/D2 steel for added corrosion resistance.
Would it be more durable than Cerakote? Noticed that Parkerizing doesn't work well with steel with high nickel or stainless.
Parkerizing makes the blade into gunmetal gray, and at least looks nice to me.0
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