General Information
- Knife Buyer's Guide
- Blade Steel Types
- Steel Type Properties
- Handle Materials
- Blade shape
- Edge types
- Finish and coating
- Blade size considerations
- Technologies
Fixed & Folding Knives
- Opening Mechanisms
- Locking Mechanisms
- Blade Opening Features
- Fixed Blade Features
- Fixed Blade Sheath Types
- Heat Treatment
Multi-tools
- General Information
- Replacing components
- Compound Leverage
- Pouches
- Finishes
- Opening Mechanisms
- Weight
- Multi-Tool Components Chart
Sheath information
Finish and Coating
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TiNi is short for Titanium Nitride. By far the best coating that can be applied to steel, it is commonly used for black finishes and to increase durability. The TiNi finish is known to be both extremely scratch and peel resistant, and is applied to steel through a unique process of plasma deposition performed in a complete air-sealed vacuum.
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Satin Finish is a semi-shiny finish with a luster falling between bead blasted (matte) and mirror polish (high gloss). The most popular finish on production knife blades, it shows fine buffing lines with two directional finishes that better display the bevels of a blade. This requires great hand skill to accomplish.
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Mirror Polish is a highly reflective finish typically seen only on high-end, custom, and handmade knives. Besides being incredibly striking visually, mirror polished finishes also aid in corrosion resistance due to their smooth surface. Some lower end knives use a tumbled finish to approximate a high-end mirror polish.
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Bead Blasting is a non-reflective finish created by blasting the surface of a blade with various media - usually beads or sand - producing a rougher surface more prone to surface corrosion.
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Black Oxide, or blackening, is a conversion coating for ferrous materials that is used to add mild corrosion resistance and for an appealing black appearance.
Black Paint, or powder coating, is the lowest quality blade coating. The paint gives the blade low reflectivity but has a high probability of chipping and scratching.
