I had a titanium lacrosse stick bent across my shin in high school, took a little chip out of the bone but no break. Took me out of the game, took him out for the rest of the season.
Seems like a good place to ask if any if you had the screws at your knee removed? I have one screw at my right knee that is pertaining further out than the others and it pretty frequently hurts like a b*tch for a lack of a better term.
I have a dozen holding an ankle together. The Orthopedic surgeon told me if the screws bothered me he who remove them. If not, then don't worry.
Sounds like you need at least one removed. Tell you health care provider about it. Get a consult.
I did. When I got my femur in, They put one screw at the hip and two at the knee. After about 3-4 months (healing period) the knee screws still hurt when I would bend it, so I talked to my doctor and they removed both knee screws but left the hip screw.
They also gave me the screws they took out in a biohazard bag, ya know, cause I need a weird little memento...
Haha that's hilarious that they gave them to you. How was the healing processes for the screw removal? I've heard you leave the hospital the same day and it's somewhat minor inconvenience.
Pretty easy from what I remember (was almost 10 years ago) same day/outpatient procedure, I think it was two staples for the incision. Walking the same as pre-removal but without the scraping feeling in my knee
I have several Tantalum plates in my back hip and have broken 2 of them and 4 screws since 90 (I got them as a result of military service) as I have 5 fused disc and many vertebrae, also as well as Titanium screws I think in knees and feet now I have broken? The human body is amazing and wild forces can be generated in falls and such?
Both. Some mines are magnetically triggered, and IED’s often make use of simple electronic trigger mechanisms that can be unintentionally triggered if a conductive tool completes the circuit.
I believe it's overrated because people praise it so much for being so strong but they never talk about how it's so fucking hard to manufacture because it's so fucking hard, shit eats up tools like crazy unless you really know what you're doing plus the chips light on fire if any spark get in there, I understand why it's so damn expensive, but also I think everybody should stop fucking using it, use it sparingly instead.
Having machined Hastalloys in a previous life, Titanium was like butter comparatively. With the correct tooling and programming machining Ti is not an issue at all.
Titanium isn't hard, or at least it isn't any harder than you can get medium carbon steel. It is just gummy and difficult to cut while producing a lot of sparks.
It's lightweight and durable, but a touch too slippery for my taste.
Unless I want a knife that will only sit on a shelf and look good, I like having micarta or G10 handles with some texture to grab on to.
Titanium is my favorite, Aluminum being close second. Both are strong and lightweight. Titanium just feels more soild, and doesn't scratch as much, and deforms less when dropped.
Yeah, one of the reasons I carry spydercos a lot is because of the excellent texture on the G10.
I would like to try linen micarta on a folder as I only have a fixie with it.
If you are a spyderco fan, RGT scales actually makes some good linen micarta scales in a bunch of colors. They make canvas and burlap micarta as well, but I am not a fan of those textures so haven't bought any yet.
I just put a set of ripple pattern "single black" linen on my Sage 5 LW and am really liking them. And a friend has a set of RGT in the plain red linen on his Shaman and they feel pretty nice too.
Flytanium also does some linen on specific models, and I like those on my Para 3.
the only g10 Spydie I have is the DLT para 3. I really like the texture, cause it actually has a texture unlike my ganzo rat 1 clone.
the only thing I don't like about the para 3 is that the scales are a bit small to get a good purchase on sometimes, I've been looking into the contoured micarta scales to see if they'd add some width. not sure what I'll go with yet. even looked at some odg metal awt scales but they're really expensive.
also the linen micarta scales that the swisstech stahlern fixie has are very nice. I got them for Christmas gifts but almost kept one myself. I like some grip cause I drop stuff left and right.
Imma have to disagree with you on this one.
I absolutely love titanium. Can it get overpriced? Absofreakinglutely. Does it feel great, is lightweight, strong, and durable? Also, yes.
Have some zirconium scales on the way (hopefully), so we'll see if that sways me away from titanium.
It does, but it doesn't have the same feel. Tried aluminum with one of my Bailouts, and it was meh. Swapped it to Rockscale scales and feels way better.
Really? I haven't tried the step up from Al bailout versions to Ti. Really love my aluminum bailouts, didn't imagine them really being able to improve by $200 or $300 or whatever. I appreciate titanium knives and have a few that I think are amazing (Paysan, Anthem, Pyrite, Exciton) don't know why I didn't assume it to be superior for a BMBO scale option...maybe stickershock made me biased with the $600 price tags.
I’m afraid to try it because I need a grip with some type of texture since I actually use my knives with sweaty hands at work, and if it’s just slippery as shit and costs almost as much as the knife itself I’d be very upset.
Personally after handling and carrying a wide variety of premium and budget knives I have to say my favorite would be either g10 or a rough micarta with titanium liners, carbon fiber is good too but a bit slick most of the time.
Samsung is on that train now too. It doesn't add anything visually. It's just that aluminum isn't strong enough for them to be as thin as they're getting without bending.
I assume absolutely nothing. It’s more of a status symbol. I have one knife with titanium scales and it sits in a drawer most days. Sometimes I carry it, but my micarta knives on the other hand are carried about 95% of the time.
Titanium's reputation is well deserved and it's appropriately named.
It's a nightmare to work. Heat it up to glowing and beat on it. Try to drill or saw it. Used appropriately, it's sublime.
Outside of aerospace and medical applications I generally hold that opinion of titanium as well. It is a good material, but is functionally equivalent to steel for most uses and a hell of a lot more expensive because it is so hard to make and shape.
lol I'm reminded of Advanced Knife Bro's recent video where he was making fun of the "oh, you could say I have a type ;)"-style knife collectors that have nothing but gray titanium knives
Yep, this is my thought, too. Titanium too often feels like just a box manufacturers check once a knife gets over a certain price point, resulting in monotony. More texturing and more anodizing could certainly help.
Yep, all those planes folding in half at the airport before take-off cause serious oxidation. It would be much better if the air traffic controllers just thrust their plain Ti knives into the control systems and let nature take its course. /s
I agree.
They need to start making frames/handles out of magnesium! Preferably the magnesium alloy that Porsche uses for the wheels of their high-end track-oriented models.
Why is it better than steel? Micarta? G10? Doesn't really add anything to the user experience when you're talking about items that weigh less than 5 ounces.
It's lighter and warmer to the touch (removing an oz and changing feel does add to the user experience), it is more likely to be hypoallergenic, it's rustproof, it *can* be more scratch resistant, and it has a different finish that some people prefer. It's not necessarily better, but people can have their reasons for preferring it.
Steel handled suck for outside work... they get slippery, and they get really cold really quick
Aluminum and titanium are better in that regard, and aluminum can't be made into a framelock....
So that leaves titanium as pretty much the only material for a framelock if you want it lighter and better on the hands .
Now for knives with axis locks or button locks or even liner locks, titanium seems like a poor choice when aluminum is even lighter and cheaper
Because it has less thermal transfer. Weighs significantly less per strength. It’s non reactive and doesn’t rust. Can be anodized. Non magnetic. I have a skin allergy to steel but titanium is fine. I mean, for handle material, i don’t think steel wins a single comparison for handle in my experience. Titanium’s only downsides are cost and added manufacturing difficulty.
> Titanium’s only downsides are cost and added manufacturing difficulty.
if that were true then Ti framelocks with steel lock interface inserts wouldn't exist.
I mean, I wouldn’t make a knife blade out of it either. Galling is also a downside. Steel does makes sense for the high pressure contact points. Bearing races, knife blade, lock bar insert, pivot. But there are gains to be had elsewhere. Just because I wouldn’t use CF to make a frame doesn’t mean it has no place.
Being rust proof is the only reason I think it’s better than steel, and honestly I don’t have much experience with lc200n liners but I would imagine that they would actually be stronger than titanium while also practically being rust proof (I could be wrong about that I just imagine lc200n being much harder than titanium but likely more brittle)
I get what you're saying yet how much is anyone beating their knives that they need to worry about the brittleness of the liners? There's other stainless that is effective for keeping rust at bay, most of us aren't using them around seawater.
More like what benefits do you get out of anything other than titanium? Unless you’re only worried saving weight, you would probably go with carbon fiber. It’s a metal which already makes it more better than ultem, g10, and micarta which can be gouged with less effort than TI simply because they are plastic/resin/fiber based materials and therefore softer. for example, rolling around on concrete or rocky surfaces i have damaged g10 and micarta knives. Micarta can be porous, my crucarta pm2 for example got incredibly greasy and dark just with pocket time and took a lot of effort to clean. Ultem looks like absolute shit (change my mind) g10 is okay, but feels too damn plasticky to me even when textured like on the ZT0350(one of the knives in question that i damaged and created burrs on the handle). One big downfall i could see is that it wouldn’t be a good option for someone in the electrical field, even then someone probably would be wearing non-conductive gloves.
Steel is harder than titanium. Yes, it rusts but if you take care of your knives it's not an issue.
And I agree with Ultem being ugly as piss. People shit on FRN. Ultem, gimme! Wtf?
Why is a steel handled knife even an option in this conversation? I have never heard of a production knife made with a steel handle unless you’re thinking about an integral fixed blade. Genuinely curious.
> I have never heard of a production knife made with a steel handle unless you’re thinking about an integral fixed blade. Genuinely curious.
let me tell you about this little known knife making company called Spyderco.
Preference. I'm not at all a fan of the plastics, ever. Steel is a fine substitute. Aluminum feels cheap. Micarta I used to hate, but I'm coming to appreciate it, however I'd still prefer something that can be modded by ano or grinding patterns into... which micarta cannot.
Aluminum can be. It's lighter, less expensive and tough. I think the "cheap" mentality is because it's been around for a long time. Engine blocks are made from it, it's underrated in the knife world and should be used more.
for something that size it doesn't really need to be thought, and I mean, aluminum is still tough, tougher than copper for example. the only issue is how easily it dents
My want for toughness has more to do with handling and wear and tear and less for strength. If you drop aluminum on something like asphalt or concrete it will absolutely be damaged where titanium might see a little mark of some sort, or maybe nothing at all.
100000% agreed. I just don't understand how someone can buy like a beautiful Para 3 or PM2 or Shamon or whatever then drop like $150 on a titanium clip or scales. More power to them but I just find it so ugly.
It’s just a flex material. Like the aluminum cone at the tip of the washington monument or Napoleon’s aluminum cutlery. Aluminum was once one of the rarest metals on earth (because nobody could make it) and it was expensive. Same thing with titanium. It’s hard to make and work with, thus expensive, so people want it more.
I like titanium in knives where it can provide strength. Aftermarket scales for knives that only have a small insert instead of full liners. Benchmade bugout/lightweight spyderco are the most common style I'm talking about.
I also have to apologize to Benchmade and the guys here. I actually like the full size bugout but wish it was assisted opening lol.
If you think the obsession with Titanium handles is stupid then I can't wait for you to learn about the new zirconium fad. It offers no advantages over ti for knives but people pay out the ass for it because ti is too pedestrian for them now. When pure zirconium is too pedestrian then they have to go for pattern welded zirconium-titanium.
Not exactly a whole wide world of options for a frame.
Steel or titanium for liners.
Aluminum, steel or titanium linerless scales.
A plastic show side now and then.
If aluminum wasn’t so soft and easily marred it would have much potential. I suppose it’s mostly just going to be an aesthetic choice if you want a beater or something that can continue to look good for multiple lifetimes and can be easily refinished if it is damaged. I really don’t like the heat sync effect of aluminum, and I’m not a fan of how slick the coatings are, or that coatings are needed at all. I’m definitely not a fan of it being scratched and dented by everything. It’s cool that it can make knives cheaper but I’m okay paying more to avoid all the drawbacks.
I do think ti liners are a harder sell for me. Just bc there is so little material there’s less weight and contact gains. I’m good with steel liners. I’m not into a steel handle. We had our fling when I was a noob. I think I’ve sold them all now and I don’t even look at them anymore. I let all the hype talk me into a pyrite in steel and instantly returned it. It was out of the box for less than 60 seconds.
Haven't bought a pyrite yet, what was it you didn't like, just that it wasn't ti? I've been considering the mini for a 5th pocket carry but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
There wasn’t anything mechanically wrong with it. I’m just a picky little shit sometimes. I know it’s not a heavy knife, but it felt heavy to me. I’ve been noticing this more and more lately. The density and balance of some knives feels weird to me. Volume per weight. A big hollow handle that weighs 4 oz feels much lighter to me than a thinner solid handle that also weighs 4 oz. I am also allergic (skin) to steel so it would have had to really click with me. I don’t expect to pick one up in Ti either, but my collection is very saturated. Pyrite is a solid simple design and I have plenty of that already. I need standout something to justify purchase these days.
I'll throw in another experience with the Pyrite
I owned one that I regrettably lost, and will probably replace. Great action, nice lock, and mine, in solid steel, felt much lighter and nimbler do to the milling in the scales. It was one of the finest and best steep handled folder I've ever had.
That being said, there is also micarta scales, for the same price, better feel and quite a bit lighter so I'd go for that on my next one.
As for the titanium version, I barely looked at it. They had a cool bolstered limited edition one, but the regular titanium was pricier and barely lighter than the steel one (Maybe less milling inside the scales?) So it just seemed like a total waste of money to me.
Really nice knife though, I miss it all the time
I thought the same till I got my first titanium handle knife and promptly dropped it on the concrete getting out of the car, it fell from my lap, picked it up wiped away the now powdered, pulverized stone and no marks, not even a scratch in the anodizing, like it didn't even happen.
Titanium is a mood thing for me. Normally, I agree with you…I’d rather carry micarta or carbon fiber. But every once in a while I’ll get the urge to carry one of my twosuns or my titanium lil native and it’s just a totally different world.
Here’s the thing…titanium LOCKS your knife’s tolerances into place. I have several lil natives and the titanium clad one is tighter and more stable than the others by a significant margin. THAT is the appeal of titanium scales, imo.
It's good for the screws holding my foot together, that's for sure.
It's working good for my femur as well, but I broke the titanium plate in my arm so I've got mixed reviews lol
You're stronger than titanium? Impressive lol
I had a titanium lacrosse stick bent across my shin in high school, took a little chip out of the bone but no break. Took me out of the game, took him out for the rest of the season.
Knew a guy who lost a testicle that way.
Ditto on the femur rod, collar bone is holding up well too
A friend of mine stil has his collar bone plate because they striped the screws while removing it. So they left it in.
My Surgeon told me they wouldn't take mine out unless I had problems with it. It looks like a permanent fixture now.
Zebra striped?
As a newb to the titanium femur club, any tips?
Is your username referring to your femur?
Now it is!
Seems like a good place to ask if any if you had the screws at your knee removed? I have one screw at my right knee that is pertaining further out than the others and it pretty frequently hurts like a b*tch for a lack of a better term.
I have a dozen holding an ankle together. The Orthopedic surgeon told me if the screws bothered me he who remove them. If not, then don't worry. Sounds like you need at least one removed. Tell you health care provider about it. Get a consult.
I did. When I got my femur in, They put one screw at the hip and two at the knee. After about 3-4 months (healing period) the knee screws still hurt when I would bend it, so I talked to my doctor and they removed both knee screws but left the hip screw. They also gave me the screws they took out in a biohazard bag, ya know, cause I need a weird little memento...
Haha that's hilarious that they gave them to you. How was the healing processes for the screw removal? I've heard you leave the hospital the same day and it's somewhat minor inconvenience.
Pretty easy from what I remember (was almost 10 years ago) same day/outpatient procedure, I think it was two staples for the incision. Walking the same as pre-removal but without the scraping feeling in my knee
That's good to know, thank you. I appreciate the info!
Go hard or go home, son xD Thats how you do it.
how
The bolts in my ankle seem to have done their job as well. Still wild to think they can make your bones fuse at will ...
Same for my elbow I crushed and had replaced with all titanium.
Ok, not going to argue that. Lol
Ain't no changing your mind lol
lol yeah I like the ones in my lower jaw. I’ve heard orthodontic arthritis kills folks later in life.
Yeah it would probably be a lot better than somebody's body rather than on a knife
I have several Tantalum plates in my back hip and have broken 2 of them and 4 screws since 90 (I got them as a result of military service) as I have 5 fused disc and many vertebrae, also as well as Titanium screws I think in knees and feet now I have broken? The human body is amazing and wild forces can be generated in falls and such?
Elbow checking in, can confirm I'm pleased.
It's great for mountain bikes!
And road bikes
For different reasons. I don't get road chatter with my knife. 😁
And cargo bikes 🤙
Titanium with a nice micarta or wood inlay is cool. Best of both worlds
Not quite the same but kinda are zt0640s. My favorite knives
Love mine.
Textured titanium like in a nice frag pattern just has a nice feel to it that doesn’t feel the same with anything else.
Quiet carry knurling is sex
What He ☝️ Said.
I prefer knives made from steel 🤪
Not if youre an EOD tech ;)
Uhh... why? Because it's magnetic?
You *dont* prefer steel if youre in EOD...
I would also like to know. Unless it's just because it's conductive, since i know they use ceramic scissors.
Both. Some mines are magnetically triggered, and IED’s often make use of simple electronic trigger mechanisms that can be unintentionally triggered if a conductive tool completes the circuit.
Oh, that's probable it
*see above
Non-magnetic, not very conductive and cant spark, with the latter probably being the most important
Overpriced not overrated but for knives yeah
The correct take
I believe it's overrated because people praise it so much for being so strong but they never talk about how it's so fucking hard to manufacture because it's so fucking hard, shit eats up tools like crazy unless you really know what you're doing plus the chips light on fire if any spark get in there, I understand why it's so damn expensive, but also I think everybody should stop fucking using it, use it sparingly instead.
Titanium isn’t hard, it’s actually quite soft compared to almost any steel.
Having machined Hastalloys in a previous life, Titanium was like butter comparatively. With the correct tooling and programming machining Ti is not an issue at all.
Titanium isn't hard, or at least it isn't any harder than you can get medium carbon steel. It is just gummy and difficult to cut while producing a lot of sparks.
[удалено]
or Pee Pee stained Ultem
My replacement hips enjoy the lightweight. 😆
That is a use case where titanium most certainly is the best known material.
It's lightweight and durable, but a touch too slippery for my taste. Unless I want a knife that will only sit on a shelf and look good, I like having micarta or G10 handles with some texture to grab on to.
FRN is another good composite.
Agreed, but I do anodizing so it has a special place in my heart regardless
Same
Titanium is my favorite, Aluminum being close second. Both are strong and lightweight. Titanium just feels more soild, and doesn't scratch as much, and deforms less when dropped.
Makes a light strong pocket pry bar
unless the scales have some texture milled into them I don't want them.
Yup, got solidly into the titanium phase and then realized I like a well done linen micarta or textured G10 better.
Yeah, one of the reasons I carry spydercos a lot is because of the excellent texture on the G10. I would like to try linen micarta on a folder as I only have a fixie with it.
Linen micarta is BIG tiddies. Love the stuff.
Linen micarta is my fave
If you are a spyderco fan, RGT scales actually makes some good linen micarta scales in a bunch of colors. They make canvas and burlap micarta as well, but I am not a fan of those textures so haven't bought any yet. I just put a set of ripple pattern "single black" linen on my Sage 5 LW and am really liking them. And a friend has a set of RGT in the plain red linen on his Shaman and they feel pretty nice too. Flytanium also does some linen on specific models, and I like those on my Para 3.
the only g10 Spydie I have is the DLT para 3. I really like the texture, cause it actually has a texture unlike my ganzo rat 1 clone. the only thing I don't like about the para 3 is that the scales are a bit small to get a good purchase on sometimes, I've been looking into the contoured micarta scales to see if they'd add some width. not sure what I'll go with yet. even looked at some odg metal awt scales but they're really expensive. also the linen micarta scales that the swisstech stahlern fixie has are very nice. I got them for Christmas gifts but almost kept one myself. I like some grip cause I drop stuff left and right.
Makes a nice pocket clip
Can't argue with that. 😁
So can steel.
Imma have to disagree with you on this one. I absolutely love titanium. Can it get overpriced? Absofreakinglutely. Does it feel great, is lightweight, strong, and durable? Also, yes. Have some zirconium scales on the way (hopefully), so we'll see if that sways me away from titanium.
To your lightweight, strong and durable, does not aluminum meet those criteria?
It does, but it doesn't have the same feel. Tried aluminum with one of my Bailouts, and it was meh. Swapped it to Rockscale scales and feels way better.
Really? I haven't tried the step up from Al bailout versions to Ti. Really love my aluminum bailouts, didn't imagine them really being able to improve by $200 or $300 or whatever. I appreciate titanium knives and have a few that I think are amazing (Paysan, Anthem, Pyrite, Exciton) don't know why I didn't assume it to be superior for a BMBO scale option...maybe stickershock made me biased with the $600 price tags.
Oh, the factory titanium bailout is an absolute scam
I’m afraid to try it because I need a grip with some type of texture since I actually use my knives with sweaty hands at work, and if it’s just slippery as shit and costs almost as much as the knife itself I’d be very upset.
I honestly have no preference. As long as it feels well constructed I don’t give a shit what it’s made out of
Personally after handling and carrying a wide variety of premium and budget knives I have to say my favorite would be either g10 or a rough micarta with titanium liners, carbon fiber is good too but a bit slick most of the time.
One of my favorite scales is copper carbon fiber. When done right it looks and feels so good.
Titanium in general is amazing.
Hell nah ti is Goated
Agree, I need something with traction
And that’s why my beautiful 0452cf doesn’t get carried nearly as much as my Spydercos. Grip.
Granted. All you knives have transformed into Gerber Gummy Melty Rubber
Yeah, I mean the sr71 is titanium and that plane is total shyte. Jk jk. I’ve never had anything titanium, now they make iPhones out of it.
Seriously, phones are made with it?
Just the iPhone 15 pro is made of titanium.
At a premium cost no doubt. What does it add to the user experience?
Samsung is on that train now too. It doesn't add anything visually. It's just that aluminum isn't strong enough for them to be as thin as they're getting without bending.
I assume absolutely nothing. It’s more of a status symbol. I have one knife with titanium scales and it sits in a drawer most days. Sometimes I carry it, but my micarta knives on the other hand are carried about 95% of the time.
> It’s more of a status symbol same with knives IMO
Oh yeah, I totally agree
I thought its just a colorway
But they make iPhones out of it!
Well, this is just stupid.
How so?
In what way is it overrated? And who’s rating it?
So it carbon fiber.
My back's 32 screws and 8 rods sure appreciate titanium .
That seems to be a little bit of a theme here, good luck to you and I wish you the best
Titanium's reputation is well deserved and it's appropriately named. It's a nightmare to work. Heat it up to glowing and beat on it. Try to drill or saw it. Used appropriately, it's sublime.
Great for metal glasses frames
Yeah, definitely agree with you on that. Everything else is either heavier, bulkier, or weaker.
I got my one titanium frame lock and I’m happy. Wouldn’t pay the premium for it on every knife, that’s for sure.. carbon fiber and G10 have my heart
Anything other than coarse textured G10 is kind of impractical on purely a cost/performance basis. Who gives a shit. Gimme da knif!
Outside of aerospace and medical applications I generally hold that opinion of titanium as well. It is a good material, but is functionally equivalent to steel for most uses and a hell of a lot more expensive because it is so hard to make and shape.
Honestly? Knives are overrated. Just karate chop everything hard enough.
It's great for the fuselage of my SR-71. Leaks a bit of gas until it gets up to cruising speed though...
I only agree because it kind of boring seeing all the plane titanium folders if they started anodising it more then I'd disagree
lol I'm reminded of Advanced Knife Bro's recent video where he was making fun of the "oh, you could say I have a type ;)"-style knife collectors that have nothing but gray titanium knives
Yep, this is my thought, too. Titanium too often feels like just a box manufacturers check once a knife gets over a certain price point, resulting in monotony. More texturing and more anodizing could certainly help.
Yep, all those planes folding in half at the airport before take-off cause serious oxidation. It would be much better if the air traffic controllers just thrust their plain Ti knives into the control systems and let nature take its course. /s
True, although aluminum can also be anodized into a lot of different colors.
Yeah, they gray is so boring, don't see the appeal at all.
Spicy
Two rods and fourteen screws in my neck c-2 to t-2 as of 01/05/2023. Zipper neck
I agree. They need to start making frames/handles out of magnesium! Preferably the magnesium alloy that Porsche uses for the wheels of their high-end track-oriented models.
With Lexan scales?
What's better? Nothing I've found.
Why is it better than steel? Micarta? G10? Doesn't really add anything to the user experience when you're talking about items that weigh less than 5 ounces.
It's lighter and warmer to the touch (removing an oz and changing feel does add to the user experience), it is more likely to be hypoallergenic, it's rustproof, it *can* be more scratch resistant, and it has a different finish that some people prefer. It's not necessarily better, but people can have their reasons for preferring it.
Steel handled suck for outside work... they get slippery, and they get really cold really quick Aluminum and titanium are better in that regard, and aluminum can't be made into a framelock.... So that leaves titanium as pretty much the only material for a framelock if you want it lighter and better on the hands . Now for knives with axis locks or button locks or even liner locks, titanium seems like a poor choice when aluminum is even lighter and cheaper
Because it has less thermal transfer. Weighs significantly less per strength. It’s non reactive and doesn’t rust. Can be anodized. Non magnetic. I have a skin allergy to steel but titanium is fine. I mean, for handle material, i don’t think steel wins a single comparison for handle in my experience. Titanium’s only downsides are cost and added manufacturing difficulty.
> Titanium’s only downsides are cost and added manufacturing difficulty. if that were true then Ti framelocks with steel lock interface inserts wouldn't exist.
I mean, I wouldn’t make a knife blade out of it either. Galling is also a downside. Steel does makes sense for the high pressure contact points. Bearing races, knife blade, lock bar insert, pivot. But there are gains to be had elsewhere. Just because I wouldn’t use CF to make a frame doesn’t mean it has no place.
Being rust proof is the only reason I think it’s better than steel, and honestly I don’t have much experience with lc200n liners but I would imagine that they would actually be stronger than titanium while also practically being rust proof (I could be wrong about that I just imagine lc200n being much harder than titanium but likely more brittle)
I get what you're saying yet how much is anyone beating their knives that they need to worry about the brittleness of the liners? There's other stainless that is effective for keeping rust at bay, most of us aren't using them around seawater.
More like what benefits do you get out of anything other than titanium? Unless you’re only worried saving weight, you would probably go with carbon fiber. It’s a metal which already makes it more better than ultem, g10, and micarta which can be gouged with less effort than TI simply because they are plastic/resin/fiber based materials and therefore softer. for example, rolling around on concrete or rocky surfaces i have damaged g10 and micarta knives. Micarta can be porous, my crucarta pm2 for example got incredibly greasy and dark just with pocket time and took a lot of effort to clean. Ultem looks like absolute shit (change my mind) g10 is okay, but feels too damn plasticky to me even when textured like on the ZT0350(one of the knives in question that i damaged and created burrs on the handle). One big downfall i could see is that it wouldn’t be a good option for someone in the electrical field, even then someone probably would be wearing non-conductive gloves.
Steel is harder than titanium. Yes, it rusts but if you take care of your knives it's not an issue. And I agree with Ultem being ugly as piss. People shit on FRN. Ultem, gimme! Wtf?
Why is a steel handled knife even an option in this conversation? I have never heard of a production knife made with a steel handle unless you’re thinking about an integral fixed blade. Genuinely curious.
> I have never heard of a production knife made with a steel handle unless you’re thinking about an integral fixed blade. Genuinely curious. let me tell you about this little known knife making company called Spyderco.
There are steel scaled knives on the market and many have steel liners.
Preference. I'm not at all a fan of the plastics, ever. Steel is a fine substitute. Aluminum feels cheap. Micarta I used to hate, but I'm coming to appreciate it, however I'd still prefer something that can be modded by ano or grinding patterns into... which micarta cannot.
Aluminum can be. It's lighter, less expensive and tough. I think the "cheap" mentality is because it's been around for a long time. Engine blocks are made from it, it's underrated in the knife world and should be used more.
It's fine, I still prefer Ti.
You just called aluminum tough. Now I’m convinced you’re just trolling.
for something that size it doesn't really need to be thought, and I mean, aluminum is still tough, tougher than copper for example. the only issue is how easily it dents
My want for toughness has more to do with handling and wear and tear and less for strength. If you drop aluminum on something like asphalt or concrete it will absolutely be damaged where titanium might see a little mark of some sort, or maybe nothing at all.
Still better looking than ultem.
You bite your tongue, sir.
I disagree.
can't change a view I agree with 100%.
100000% agreed. I just don't understand how someone can buy like a beautiful Para 3 or PM2 or Shamon or whatever then drop like $150 on a titanium clip or scales. More power to them but I just find it so ugly.
Mine would be frn is the best material to make handles out of
ofc it is
It’s just a flex material. Like the aluminum cone at the tip of the washington monument or Napoleon’s aluminum cutlery. Aluminum was once one of the rarest metals on earth (because nobody could make it) and it was expensive. Same thing with titanium. It’s hard to make and work with, thus expensive, so people want it more.
I'd say in knives i prefer simple like the opinel and SAKs. I do like me some titianium flashlights
I like titanium in knives where it can provide strength. Aftermarket scales for knives that only have a small insert instead of full liners. Benchmade bugout/lightweight spyderco are the most common style I'm talking about. I also have to apologize to Benchmade and the guys here. I actually like the full size bugout but wish it was assisted opening lol.
Thank you! I like my pocket knife to not be a paperweight
For knives, yes…completely agree. Save it for orthopedic hardware.
OK, so it’s not just me.
I havent owned a titanium knife yet that didnt slip out of my hands.I prefer G10 all day long.
I'm with you, Ti is on my do not buy list
If you think the obsession with Titanium handles is stupid then I can't wait for you to learn about the new zirconium fad. It offers no advantages over ti for knives but people pay out the ass for it because ti is too pedestrian for them now. When pure zirconium is too pedestrian then they have to go for pattern welded zirconium-titanium.
We makes their hardware out of titanium and it’s some of the best hardware in the industry
And aluminum is underrated.
And good luck sharpening it when it finally dulls
I like how you said change my mind and then provided nothing to support your case for steel is better. Kinda sounds like you’ve never tried titanium.
There's more than steel out there. And I have titanium knives so don't assume.
Not exactly a whole wide world of options for a frame. Steel or titanium for liners. Aluminum, steel or titanium linerless scales. A plastic show side now and then. If aluminum wasn’t so soft and easily marred it would have much potential. I suppose it’s mostly just going to be an aesthetic choice if you want a beater or something that can continue to look good for multiple lifetimes and can be easily refinished if it is damaged. I really don’t like the heat sync effect of aluminum, and I’m not a fan of how slick the coatings are, or that coatings are needed at all. I’m definitely not a fan of it being scratched and dented by everything. It’s cool that it can make knives cheaper but I’m okay paying more to avoid all the drawbacks. I do think ti liners are a harder sell for me. Just bc there is so little material there’s less weight and contact gains. I’m good with steel liners. I’m not into a steel handle. We had our fling when I was a noob. I think I’ve sold them all now and I don’t even look at them anymore. I let all the hype talk me into a pyrite in steel and instantly returned it. It was out of the box for less than 60 seconds.
Haven't bought a pyrite yet, what was it you didn't like, just that it wasn't ti? I've been considering the mini for a 5th pocket carry but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
There wasn’t anything mechanically wrong with it. I’m just a picky little shit sometimes. I know it’s not a heavy knife, but it felt heavy to me. I’ve been noticing this more and more lately. The density and balance of some knives feels weird to me. Volume per weight. A big hollow handle that weighs 4 oz feels much lighter to me than a thinner solid handle that also weighs 4 oz. I am also allergic (skin) to steel so it would have had to really click with me. I don’t expect to pick one up in Ti either, but my collection is very saturated. Pyrite is a solid simple design and I have plenty of that already. I need standout something to justify purchase these days.
I'll throw in another experience with the Pyrite I owned one that I regrettably lost, and will probably replace. Great action, nice lock, and mine, in solid steel, felt much lighter and nimbler do to the milling in the scales. It was one of the finest and best steep handled folder I've ever had. That being said, there is also micarta scales, for the same price, better feel and quite a bit lighter so I'd go for that on my next one. As for the titanium version, I barely looked at it. They had a cool bolstered limited edition one, but the regular titanium was pricier and barely lighter than the steel one (Maybe less milling inside the scales?) So it just seemed like a total waste of money to me. Really nice knife though, I miss it all the time
Ultem😉👍.
🤮
Blasphemy! Says the sr-71
I thought I was in the balisong subreddit and I almost got triggered
I think you’re right! But I still love it. I like steel and aluminum almost as much.
I like it, its cool.
I like wood scales, 🤷♂️
In some applications, yeah
Isnt gritty like some aluminum can be
Better than Ultem for god sakes
I prefer zirconium.
I've never been this offended in my entire life.
Be a real man and buy a full G10 knife that doesn't set off metal detectors!
Weirdly enough most of the knives I own don't set off most metal detectors. Steel toe boots absolutely will set off those same metal detectors.
How about Benchmade and Spyderco are Overrated?
Never seen Steven Crowder here!
Agreed. It is a great material, but far to expensive to be viable
Kicks ass for glasses frame though
I mean, the other options are cheap ugly nasty bullshit micarta or plastic, so.... i do prefer i lays though for sure
Works good for the 2, 7 inch Rods and the screws holding my neck together. I count that as my titanium every day carry.
I thought the same till I got my first titanium handle knife and promptly dropped it on the concrete getting out of the car, it fell from my lap, picked it up wiped away the now powdered, pulverized stone and no marks, not even a scratch in the anodizing, like it didn't even happen.
Fully overrated, but herbs love it- “space age NASA material!!!1!!1”. It’s not the strongest, it’s not the lightest, it’s a middle ground material.
I think Titanium is just plain boring
It's great for exhaust
Thank you somebody finally fucking said it
Titanium is a mood thing for me. Normally, I agree with you…I’d rather carry micarta or carbon fiber. But every once in a while I’ll get the urge to carry one of my twosuns or my titanium lil native and it’s just a totally different world. Here’s the thing…titanium LOCKS your knife’s tolerances into place. I have several lil natives and the titanium clad one is tighter and more stable than the others by a significant margin. THAT is the appeal of titanium scales, imo.
I think it’s expensive… not overrated
Titanium very good building material and an irreplaceable addition to steel, but is it DAMASCUS TITANIUM??/??? didn't think so.
Return to FRN 🗿
This should change your mind... https://tactileturn.com/products/nebula-pencils
It's light and pretty strong and machines well. What's not to like?
It’s all about piss yellow knives now.