Mirror Finish vs DLC Coating

JerryIsAlive

JerryIsAlive

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Jun 13, 2012
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Deciding on a knife. The knife in question is piranha pocket in either mirror or dlc. I have heard that a mirror finish on a blade can add to the cutting ability. I also like the look of the mirror finish, but I hear it is a pain to maintain and it is a scratch magnet. Does anybody actually prefer mirror finish over DLC? Is the cutting improvement with a mirror finish noticeable?

I like the look of both, just feel 3 years from now, the dlc blade may be looking better. Also, I fear I would be hesitant to use the mirror blade. Any thoughts?
 
Finding true DLC on knives is rarer than you think. Most are PVD coated and listed as DLC coated. DLC coating costs much more and is much much better than PVD. That being said, im going to assume that the knife you are looking at is PVD coated. PVD coated knives will scratch and wear fairly easily, and once this happens, there really isn't a way (besides aftermarket) of refinishing the blade that is PVD coated.

Mirror finish on the other hand, will also scratch and wear easily, but its much more plausible to refinish a mirror polish than it is a PVD coating.

EDIT* I just looked at the knife your talking about. Honestly, I wouldnt worry about the finish of the blade after years of using it. Its a fairly affordable knife and stressing over the blade finish isn't going ot help you any. Get whichever you prefer at the time and enjoy it. Even better, buy 2 and keep one pristine.
 
Thanks for the input. Piranha does say the coating is DLC and the DLC knives are $15-20 more expensive.

Good advice though. And just if anyone wanted to see the specific choices, they are below. I am curious for people's takes on the finishes though, not necessarily on this specific knife.

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I guess my main concern is the mirror finish. I've never had one. Only dealt with beadblast, stone wash or black coated. I guess it's just a preference of whether I like the look of faded black coating or a not so shiny mirror finish lol
 
Just for my pedantry: PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) is a process for applying coatings. DLC (Diamond-like Carbon) is one of many coatings that can be applied via PVD.

DLC is also pretty much the best coating, so if someone advertises the method (PVD) instead of the coating (DLC), it's likely that they used a cheaper coating.
 
I like both high polish and hand rubbed appearance, they are beautiful in their own way. I slightly prefer high polish (mirror). It shows more scratches and fingerprints, neither of which bother me. If you want a pristine look opt for a polish which has been stonewashed, not my favorite personally. If you want a dark look a well executed coating will harden the surface so it scratches somewhat less, but it will still scratch readily and the scratches will have high contrast. Rockstead has exemplary polish and coatings, but their prices justify it. I'm not into coatings, I love the "white" look of a hand rub or the jewel-like brilliance of a high polish. I don't mind when they show wear or age. You won't notice any cutting difference whatsoever, that's in the blade thickness more than the finish.
 
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If it's about aesthetics, it really comes down to each individual knife, and then personal taste.

I always prefer DLC, or some type of dark coating on my blades (I don't really have a great explanation as to why!)

If there is a choice, as with this blade, personally I would go with the DLC...

As for cutting performance, I have never noticed a difference.
 
Both finishes will show wear and scratches over time. The term "DLC" can be used loosely, as others have said, so be careful what you expect. Real, good DLC is pretty damn tough.

It's pretty much personal preference. Personally I prefer bare steel to a coating.

If you tend to be OCD about scratches on steel, DLC may be the way to go if you don't mind a painted blade. It too, though, will eventually mark...may take a bit longer.
 
I steer clear of "mirror" finishes because I'm a little OCD about scratches. Same goes for black coatings. I prefer the way a stonewashed finish hides minor blemishes.
 
Thanks for all of the opinions so far, keep them coming. To be honest, I was first attracted to the mirror blade as it is something different to what I have now. That being said, the more I look at the knives side by side, the sexier the black looks. The black hardware is nice too! Ugh decisions
 
I would like to chime in that light scratches on mirror polished blades can be buffed off easily, thus making them like new. With DLC coated blades, you dont have that option. Once they are scratched, you cannot do much. On the other hand, polished blades show dirt, finger prints all the time.
 
I'm not a huge fan of either, as I prefer a nice satin or stonewash. Given that, I would buy the one that's cheaper. ;)
 
You can't beat pure DLC. It is hard as a natural diamond. Where as electroplating would have a service life of a week under abrasive conditions, DLCC would last 80+ years under the same conditions. Unfortunately, most manufacturers use filler metals that create an impure DLC coating, which can reduce its hardness considerably. Even in those cases, its still the toughest coating out there.
 
I have been in and out of the knife game for the past 3-4 years, and this is the first modern folder I've even seen with mirror polished blade. How come it is not more common? Beadblast/stonewash can help with wear, but mirror still best for rust
 
JerryIsAlive said:
I have been in and out of the knife game for the past 3-4 years, and this is the first modern folder I've even seen with mirror polished blade. How come it is not more common? Beadblast/stonewash can help with wear, but mirror still best for rust
Click to expand...

Mirror polishing blades takes a lot more time and effort.
 
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