Using heat to anodize?

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Waiter4u

Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
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I read that you can use heat to anodize titanium, Is there any truth to this and how do you do so? what colors can be achieved and what temp to use to get them would be very helpful. Google didn't turn up much other than services that will do it for you and I'm very interested in learning.
 
Yes you can do this. Ask this on the shop forum, and you'll have better luck.
 
Heat coloring can be done with a torch or kiln or anything else that can get the titanium hot enough. At about 640 degrees F titanium will turn to a golden color. As you apply more heat it will go through a wide range of color changes. Once you reach the color you want you will have to stop the heating process, because if you continue on to the next color you can not go back.

If you go to Google and type in heat coloring titanium, you will get quite a bit of info on this process. You will also be given places that you can order books and videos that teach how to do this process.

Anodizing (electrolytic bath) is a more reliable way to color titanium, but using heat will allow you to be more artistic, because you can apply different amounts of heat to varying areas of the piece of titanium that you want to color.

It takes real talent to do this artistically. You will likely have to pratice quite a bit before you will be able to get the results you want.

By the way, welcome to BladeForums.
 
Update:

Got bored and have a gas stove so using tongs I held one o the liners on my 2002 commander over the stovetop burner and made real pretty rainbow effects on both liners. It came out great! It started gold and then turned to blues,purple, a bright greenish color and so on. I kept turning the liners on a few different axis and got an awsome pattern. put it all back together after a polish and it looks sweet.
 
I did the same thing, mostly, with a Ti bladed knife I got on Ebay from River Rat Knives, aka Larry Ramey Knives. Took it to a Bunsen burner here at work. Got a nice blue-purple color along the spine. Not sure if there is a problem with heat treatment on 6Al4V Titanium, but didn't want to risk the hardness that there was, although it wasn't too high to begin with. I've also done the same thing to a Kershaw Talon's handle slabs. Don't go too hot, because once you get the greenish tint, you've gone too far, if you're looking for the blue/purple.

I've also heard that the Flame anodizing is tougher than the electronic anodizing. Main reason I tried the Flame.

DD

I'll eventually scan the thing, and post a pic.
 
Is it possible to apply a thin layer of *something* onto the titanium, and then do the flame anodize? That would let you put a specific pattern into the material. You could even apply the material using a stencil.

It should probably be something that has high heat resistance and is minimally toxic, and is also easy to remove after the firing.

The Ti liners of Strider folders have been heat-treated. From the pictures I've seen, they also have a rainbow-like colour.
 
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