DIY Titanium Anodizing | Yeah, i was...

Feb 25, 2019

This is getting so frustrating. I love the deep, textured colors you can get on these bead blasted titanium handles, but it's SO unpredictable from one piece to the next! These two pieces for my Dao were done identically (yes, both had stencils on them to start)

The one on the right was done first. Was meant to have that deep, rich, coppery-bronze like in the left in the scales. The shadowy greyish-purple between the scales came out as intended. Couldn't get the dark bronze to come through, so i left it at the light bronze and resigned myself to making the other one match The one in the left was done at the same voltage for the bronze, but when I removed the mask and dipped for the lower voltage purple it reacted completely unexpectedly. It erased the scales that should have been a higher voltage color and instead made the whole thing this gorgeous mottled solid finish. But....it's a one shot deal on these blasted finishes. If I strip it then it won't react the same when I anodize again. I'd be happy to keep that copper as is and forgo the idea of the scale pattern, but now I can't make the lock side match. So annoyed right now. Going to have to strip them both, re-cut the templates, go through applying all that again, then end up with something that isn't going to match the finish on my Buc as intended @DougFLA123 This is my failed attempt at making up those vinyl template instructions for you lol

Feb 25, 2019

KavikWow, what the? ....frustrating and very interesting!

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Feb 25, 2019

DougFLA123Yeah... There's just something about the blasted finish that doesn't take the anodizing consistently....cool when it works, annoying when it doesn't. Double checked my power supply this morning and it's putting out consistent voltage with no load, +/- 0.1v...just to be sure it wasn't that Oh well 😒 I'll take better pics on the next version, but here's a quick teaser: Because it was meant to be higher voltage scales, and lower voltage outlines, the lower voltage was what needed to be masked off, so this is what the vinyl looked like

Feb 25, 2019

KavikSo if you strip them down identically, you think the same thing will happen...one will take and the other won’t? It’s almost like they’re two different kinds of material. Really puzzling. 🤔

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Feb 25, 2019

DougFLA123No, i assume they'll react the same once stripped (but we'll see!) I'm just bummed they won't have that same texture to match my Buc. Was trying to keep them similarly themed in colors and textures

Feb 26, 2019

DougFLA123As I guessed, they acted normally after etching in Whink. But new issue, my cheap transfer paper is leaving LOTS of sticky residue on the metal (see the mottling inside the scales. I tried to make it work in my favor, but i dunno.... Looks good from a distance, not up close)

That vinyl placement around the pivot and the FF logo though! 😎

(you can really see where the transfer tape residue blocked the bronze in the second pic. And it was a bitch to clean off in the end, even with acetone. Could have been cool though if it was more consistent and lighter)

Feb 26, 2019

KavikIt does look very cool. When you say that the cheap transfer paper is leaving LOTS of sticky residue on the metal, is there a better quality transfer paper that you could use?

Feb 26, 2019

DougFLA123Probably. I have one other kind here on hand that I can try next time. If that doesn't work then I'll have to do some research. I had high hopes for this one. Most transfer paper is translucent, but this one was was perfectly transparent, making accurate placement a breeze.

Feb 26, 2019

KavikI’m sure there’s a bit of a learning curve. There’s a company on BladeForum dot com (Midnight Sun Industries Custom Shop) who posted some really nice work that they’ve done. If I knew more about the process and the right questions to ask, I would contact them. I don’t know that they’ld be willing to help out, but you never know. Here’s a link to some of the work they’ve done. The page is pretty long with a lot of cool pics. There are more pics after the first bunch, and then more pics after that. https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/midnight-sun-industries-custom-shop-titanium-handles-anodizing-engraving-inlays.1379157/

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Feb 26, 2019

DougFLA123Thanks for sharing that 😁 They've got some awesome work there, but they're milling patterns into the handle, way different process than stenciling. If i had a cnc mill to cut layers into the titanium, this would be a breeze lol Then you just anodize the higher voltage color first, sand off the higher surface level, and anodize again at a lower voltage (or leave the top surface bare if you prefer) . Like what they did on the circuit board Dao, for example

Feb 26, 2019

KavikOhhh...I thought they were just incredible 3D stencils! I have the Circuit Board Dao and do like the handles (the flipper tab is a little on the small side).

Feb 26, 2019

DougFLA123Nope. But that thought does give me some interesting ideas! 😁👍 With the Dao and Buc, I mostly just middle finger flick 🖕🤣

Feb 26, 2019

KavikLol ! I didn’t know there was a middle finger emoji! I see I overlooked that one. : ) I really do like knives that I can open up several different ways like the Dao. Middle finger flick, thumb stud or thumb hole flick and flipper tab!

Feb 26, 2019

DougFLA123Same here. I've been flicking anything that I can over flipping lately. Much easier to keep off the lockbar, and leaves your hand closer to its final position as soon as the knife is open

Omniseed

1972

Feb 28, 2019

KavikI like to index finger flick them https://www.instagram.com/p/BuXfuadhyi5/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1rutzwhguu8p4

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Feb 28, 2019

OmniseedI just tried that on what I had in my pocket, the Artisan Archaeo, and all I did was hurt the tip of my index finger and not move the blade lol That method has never felt comfortable for me personally on any knife I've owned so far But pinching the pivot between thumb and index, hooking pinky on the pocket clip, and middle finger in the hole....feels so completely natural for me 😊

Feb 28, 2019

OmniseedThere are some knives that I find easier to flick open with the index finger. It just depends on where the hole or thumb stud is located. The Dao has that long-ish hole that allows for both middle and index finger flicks. Pretty steady camera work! Are you hanging out in dive bars? : )

Feb 28, 2019

DougFLA123& @Omniseed Yeah, I'll have to try again with the Dao and Buc later. They definitely have a larger hole that's farther out on the blade than most..... But they're both a little unflippable at the moment 🤣

Omniseed

1972

Feb 28, 2019

DougFLA123I was allegedly working ;)

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Feb 28, 2019

KavikNice little trays!

Feb 28, 2019

Omniseed👊😎👍

Feb 28, 2019

DougFLA123Yeah, they've been pretty handy for sorting and holding parts. Wish they were about an inch longer though Just drawers pulled from one of these things that i picked up for like $5 bnib at a local GoodWill a while back

Feb 28, 2019

KavikOh yeah, those trays are actually pretty big for that type of cabinet. I have something similar that’s only good for washers and screws. Is that a granite workbench?😳 Well, la-di-da! 😁

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Omniseed

1972

Feb 28, 2019

KavikIs that green weenie a Steel Will Roamer?

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Feb 28, 2019

DougFLA123Lol no. A neighbor was throwing out a couple tables they had from a diner. Just some marble pattern plastic laminate haha

Feb 28, 2019

OmniseedThe green fixed blade in the annoyingly unmatching green sheath? That's the Kizer Salient that dropped her a month or so ago

Feb 28, 2019

KavikIf your Kizer Salient bothers you, then as far as the Tops Camp Creek fixed blade goes, you will not be impressed by the mismatch in browns between the tan kydex sheath and the red/brown leather belt loop! But it does come with a whistle! : )

Feb 28, 2019

DougFLA123Lol the Camp Creek arrived, but I haven't had time to mess with it. But I did give it a quick look and actually it doesn't bother me as much because they're so much more different, and different materials The Kizer bothers me because they COULD have made them match, or gone with black on the sheath, and instead they left it as something similar, but different, something that clashes

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Mar 5, 2019

KavikHi Kavik, Nice setup! I used that near exact setup myself for a while until I upgraded to bigger tubs for more surface area contact of the anode (big 12x12 sheet of titanium). A couple of things that should hopefully help with your anodizing journey; clean and clean again. Early on, I noticed that I ran into a lot of the same issues you are dealing with here. I tried a lot of different things to try to remedy this until I started cleaning the parts extremely well. Firstly, I use nitrile gloves to prevent finger oils and other contaminates. Then I wash them twice after either acid etch or stonewashing - once with a rough scotchbrite type dish sponge and then again with a toothbrush. After cleaning, these parts go directly into a clean water tub to transport from sink to ano station, trying to minimize any oxidation that may occur between cleaning and anodizing. If you want to take it another level of professionalism, an ultrasonic cleaner does wonders.

Mar 5, 2019

mike.jGreat information!

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Mar 6, 2019

mike.jInteresting, thanks for the tips! I do all this right at the kitchen counter, so I'm near the sink in case of any spills with the etchant or anything like that, do use nitrile gloves at all times (and high voltage resistant gloves when needed), and stuff does go in clean water to store between steps. I never thought it needed more then a water rinse after etching though. I'll give that a try 👍 What do you clean with? I've used acetone, denatured alcohol, and glass cleaner Jealous of the idea of a 12x12 sheet titanium setup, bet that's nice 😁 I actually almost bought an ultrasonic cleaner recently for other stuff, but they were sold out and I haven't gone looking again. I think either a sand/bead blaster or a tumbler are higher up on the list anyway, for now

Mar 7, 2019

KavikI just use whatever dish soap we have at the kitchen sink. Right now its Mrs Meyer's. You can pickup a titanium sheet cut in various sizes and titanium wire in nearly every gauge for not much money on ebay. Another thing I forgot to mention in regards to the spotting and non-uniformity, I find that longer baths in the Whink help but its a delicate balance of trial and error. This variation happens differently for each grade of titanium and how clean each piece is. Another thing I noticed that can happen is that if you bathe a piece too long, you can see what looks like the crystalline structure of the titanium. I don't have an example to post at the moment but the next time I get the issue, I'll try to remember to post here. With that said, I just stonewash most of my titanium since its challenging to get a uniform finish straight from a bath in the Whink. A good stonewashing machine for small projects is the Harbor Freight Dual Drum Rotary Rock Tumbler. It's small and fairly quiet for the operation it's doing. My only problem with it is that I cannot tumble frames larger than 5 inches. I'll need to make a longer drum. This only applies to 3 of my many, many knives. CKF Muscle X2 and CKF Satori. Everything else I've been able to tumble.

Mar 7, 2019

mike.jYeah, it's not so much a concern about the cost of the titanium sheet as trying to figure out exactly how I want to set everything up for good before changing things up again. I think, ideally, i want to switch to a tall cylindrical container. This bowl layout doesn't work well for doing fades as i can't stand it up vertically. But at the same time, i don't want to have a huge container that can hold scales both vertically and horizontally, because I believe having less water is better, and keeping the piece as close as possible to the anode is ideal. My thought at the moment is using a tall glass vase that I have here. Straight sides, about 4" diameter and about 7" deep. Thinking about getting a sheet of titanium that will wrap about 3/4 the way around the circumference, leaving an opening so I can see into the water on one side. Then inserting... Something, not sure what yet, to act as a barrier like the colander does in my current setup Regarding the uneven spotting; in this case it was totally related to the residue from the transfer paper, not uneven etching. Hard to really scrub or use chemicals to remove tacky residue without damaging a delicate vinyl that needs to stay in place. I think next time around I'm going to try it without any transfer paper at all. I think if i cut the vinyl a little long, i can tape the overhang to a piece of clear plastic and apply with that. Nothing sticky to worry about except the vinyl that needs to get stuck As for the tumbler, I was looking at harbor freight, but I was eyeing the vibratory one, rather than the rotary one. I've heard better things about vibratory tumbling. But, living in an apartment building, i do need to find out just how loud they really are first

Mar 7, 2019

KavikGood idea on the taller ano bath. I bet you could craft something out of PVC pipping to insert between the anode and the working piece. That should likely work well. I know that in your instance, the transfer paper left the residue. I just wanted to share my experience with this issue on pieces that have the same issue. The vibratory bowls are great but they are far, far louder than the tumbler. I, too, live in an apartment complex and I think I'd get into some trouble with a vibratory bowl due to noise complaints. I bet you can find something on youtube to show the difference. I can easily talk over the dual drum tumbler I have but I have to shout over vibratory bowls. The vibratory bowls do a better job, however. I will upgrade to one of those when I move into my own house.

Mar 7, 2019

mike.jYeah, i was thinking pvc with a shit ton of holes drilled in it...or just get lazy and use a thick plastic mesh fish tank filter material lol You got me thinking though, and that's always a good thing 😁👍 I get lazy on these projects sometimes. Turns out the vase i have is a 5" diameter, not 4. So i could slide in a 12" wide sheet and have about a 3.5 inch "window" to see into. That should be perfect. And better conductivity than the current stainless steel bowl, plus more even coverage around the piece should make for faster anodizing, better for smooth fades. (short of rigging up an electronic controller to pull the piece from the bath while also increasing voltage at the same time....eh, no, too far outside of my wheelhouse lol) Hmmmm damn. Good to know, but not the answer i was hoping for on the tumblers lol

Mar 7, 2019

KavikI, too, get lazy with my home projects. I am stoked and excited to get everything together and then once I go to assemble it, I get distracted and focus on other things. So I feel that pain, lol. I've never been a big fan of the faded finish with titanium anodizing but I think you might be able to get away with something easier for fades, as I don't think (don't know for sure, either) you'll need to adjust the voltage as its being pulled out of the bath. Reason being is that the less surface area making the connection, the faster the anodization is applied. Again, I've never been a big fan of this finish so I've never purposely done it but I've noticed the effect when trying to minimize the cloudy finish that can build up from leaving a piece in the ano tank for too long. I typically will pull my piece out of the bath at around .150 amps. I've tried keeping the voltage up super high like 90V and then just pulling the piece out at the color I want but I ran into an issue with the last bit of titanium completing the circuit. That last little bit would be a slightly different color and since I tend to be a perfectionist with this type of stuff, it would fail my own QC, so to speak. A simple mechanism to pull the piece up out of the bath at a controlled rate would be all you 'need' but even then a steady hand and counting in your head, plus trial and error a few times, would likely work fine. And yeah, I know what you mean on the tumbler. It's a bummer that the vibratory bowls are so loud. But I'm 95% satisfied with the Harbor Freight drum tumbler until I have my own land.

Mar 7, 2019

mike.jNot a huge fan of the fade myself either, but just want to know I can do it well if a friend asks for it or something. Heck, the simplest solution might be replacing the dial on the power supply with something with different size pulleys on it, run a string up over a bar, and the string winds around the pulley as you turn up the voltage. Can't get much simpler than that lol

Mar 7, 2019

KavikOh yeah, thats a fantastic idea!

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Mar 7, 2019

mike.jK. I. S. S. 😁👍

Mar 12, 2019

mike.jWell, i went shopping, thanks to an alert for an in-app eBay coupon today lol For less than $42 i picked up a 12"x9" sheet of 1/16" Ti (would have liked thicker, for more mass, but this will be good surface area that I can still shape to fit in a cylinder) Another 25' spool of wire for suspending parts (bumped this up from 18ga to 16ga because, well, why not) And a 100' spool of 28ga Ti wire for another project I have in mind All in all, not a bad price I think. If the project with the 28ga works out as planned it will be for a gift, that will save me at least as much as what I've spent here today A while back I made one of those twisted copper wire bonsai trees. Had a lot of fun doing it, but my very first thought when it was done was "this should be done in Ti wire, so that it can be brush anodised" So, fingers crossed that it turns out as well as it looks in my head lol

Mar 12, 2019

KavikWorth it at twice the price!

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Mar 12, 2019

DougFLA123Well, that might be pushing it a little lol I'm just hoping it makes a noticeable difference in the speed and quality of the work 😁