How to blacken 440 stainless??

H

Houlahound

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Aug 2, 2017
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Ordered a knife but could only get a shiny stainless blade. It is a large fixed blade. I want to make the blade black.

How do I do this without changing the properties of the steel or edge?
 
Any reason why you want it blackened? The reason I ask is that I have never seen any blackening process for stainless steel that would hold up to much use. Black chrome was a popular gun finish for a few years but has fallen out of favor because it is not at all like hard industrial chrome (at Rockwell 72C) and many customers assumed it was then found out differently. It looked gorgeous on a new gun but didn't look that way very long. Most of the big plating outfits refuse to even do it any more.
 
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The only thing that will hold up is nitride coating, and even it doesn't hold up well under use.
 
That product linked cost more than the knife. When I was a kid at school nearly 40 years ago in metal shop we did some blackening process that took a few lessons but was easy. I cant remember what we used.

Only reason I want to do it because aesthetically I can't stand big ass shiny knives and this is a very long blade.
 
What you did in metal shop was blacken carbon steel.
The only way to blacken stainless is with a coating, and they wear off.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
What you did in metal shop was blacken carbon steel.
The only way to blacken stainless is with a coating, and they wear off.
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Got it, thanks.

Personally if I had a choice I would never buy a stainless knife other than for salt water fishing/diving which i d9nt do.

Knife I ordered is considered lower quality but they have a cult following in my area amongst the hunting crew.

Knife is the Muela scorpion.
 
Houlahound said:
That product linked cost more than the knife. When I was a kid at school nearly 40 years ago in metal shop we did some blackening process that took a few lessons but was easy. I cant remember what we used.

Only reason I want to do it because aesthetically I can't stand big ass shiny knives and this is a very long blade.
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Look for sandblasted stainless steel knife maybe you will like it :)
 
Natlek said:
Look for sandblasted stainless steel knife maybe you will like it :)
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Searched it up, that's the look I like.

Local industrial sandblaster here, will ask him about it. I doubt he has ever been requested to sandblast a brand new knife before.
 
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