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Could always send it out for a polish and new anodizing to make it one of a kind and more to your tastes :)
The Falcon clip (blue to purple fade) was the first item I had done in a good part of last year. And still using batteries. Very old batteries. I just purchased a small tabletop power source last month, which opened many doors to better targeting a desired color.
I had been planning on stripping and re-anodizing the Falcon clip, but there is no time like the present. Now that I'm thinking about it again, I'll run downstairs and strip it now. If it doesn't look horrible, I'll follow up with pics. Wish me luck. 😬😁
But these are all sold colors again. How did you do the gradient before? (if you don't mind me asking) The gradient was what had made me think you were using heat originally
I have done purposeful gradients, like the scales on my Crux. But again I think I was still using batteries at that point. If I were doing it now, I'd start by doing the lower voltage color over the entire part. Then increase power, and only dip the next portion. You'd want to vary the speed you dip and keep moving in the fade area. May want to have more transition voltages for the fade.
It may help to have the Amp's down super low so it takes a longer dwell time at each setting. With this new power supply, I've been setting the amp's around 0.5-1.0. And with that it only takes a second or two. So not a lot of dwell time to add motion for a fade. Maybe a pro could jump in here if I'm way off base. So possibly set the amp's down around 0.1 or less, so it takes a bit longer at each voltage setting.
I'm still getting used to this machine. But also keep changing other things up like the liquid for electrolyte. Also just today I was trying out a new cathode setup. As seen in a tube video, I'm using a stainless bowl as the cathode, with a plastic spaghetti strainer to keep from touching the part.
I'll attach the color chart I've been using to estimate color voltage. It was fairly accurate when using fresh 9 volt batteries. But with this power supply, it seems to be off by as much as 20-25 volts. So at say 70 volts, I will be getting colors of maybe 90 volts on this chart. But at least the progression of color seems to be consistent.
I think I'm gonna make myself a color chart with some titanium wire if I end up doing a lot of this. Too many variables trying to go off a pic with who knows what white balance, exposure, screen settings, etc.
Thanks again for the advise, would give multiple thumbs up if they'd let me
And wear good shoes. :)
If I remember correctly, I reversed the polarity (as I perceived it anyway), from how I now hook it up my machine. Currently I'm using a stainless bowl (with a plastic strainer to keep part from touching) for the cathode, and connecting to Negative. The positive end, I'm clipping to some Titanium wire to hang the part from.
When first learning and gleaning pieces and parts from different websites, I was using the brush method. And clipping the Positive end directly to the part. The Negative clip had the cloth as described above. I would just dip the cloth end in the electrolyte (then, CokaCola), making sure the liquid was absorbed far enough to make contact with metal clip. Then simply rub the brush around on the part. My ZT0450 was the original sacrificial lamb. I think I did pretty well keeping the blue color consistent. I think it's on the third or fourth color change at this time. Next was my ZT0452, and it's been changed at least once also. :D
I'll edit this in a minute to add a pic of my original, very technical setup.
@HeyMatthew @BarryO @Kavik
Here's the wand I made for etching:
The wooden handle was about 5" long, walnut. (unfinished in the pic, but made waterproof eventually) 1/4" threaded steel rod through the handle then threaded into a hunk of brass approximately 1"x1"x.5" Cloth or sponge gets rubber banded over the head. 14ga wire with soldered connectors attach to the back end and covered with shrink tubing
For the critical eye: this burn marks were from letting the brass get to hot while shaping on a belt sander, not electricity burns lol
I mean, I’d rather have huge expectations and then be even more pleased upon Arrival, but that’s even more rare.
I want this knife, but it doesn’t really do Something my Dragonfly 2 doesn’t for me already. Just kind of want one, haha. It’s cool that it comes from a new-ish small operation, and a manufacturer I haven’t tried before! I actually am pleased how people are commenting that the knife is smaller than they expect, my wife keeps me from going on forest/jungle expeditions because she can’t go with me for various reasons. My jungle is the suburb, lol, but I always have a dedicated knife and SAK with me!
Here's a couple pics for size reference. The Gent is thinner and lighter than the Falcon. But almost the same length. In fact the Gent is a hair longer closed. And the Gent has about 1/2" more cutting edge than the Falcon. But the forward choil is not very usable for anything but very tiny Fingers.
Don’t mind me, just going through a little ennui. Just left a retail job (kinda forced to) after almost 5 years (was looking for something else anyway), at about the same time my wife starts a new full-time job in a week or so. I need a job where it doesn’t matter if I’m 1 minute late 3 times a month, and where #1 in results is rewarded. It all balances out I guess, but just feeling a little ”gray” myself. Maybe an attempt at anodizing some Titanium (now that I have time) will add a little “color” back to my mood ;)
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-ferrum-forge-gent-s35vn-pocket-knife/talk/1956627
Started out with a yellowish green that I have used before, right around 50 volts on my machine. Then increased the power a couple times, and dipping up to about 2/3-3/4 of the slabs. With each increase in power , I'd dip less. Keeping the piece in motion with varried stop points. Finishing at about 99 volts with a yield of a darker green.
I've got everything I need to get started at this point... Just need to finish making up my mind on the design I want, then find the time to do it. Did I mention I also have a vinyl cutter? Rolling around a few ideas involving masking, but both the cutter and the power supply are currently at a friend's shop, so need to coordinate the timing too..... But hope to have something to share soon!
I wondered how some of those crazy intricate multi colored designs happened. Even with a mask, some look too well blended to comprehend. Do you think some of the dealer's doing the very complex stuff are using some form of laser to ano?
I did see the Bali, that thing was ridiculous!!
I wouldn't even have a guess on the laser idea. My thought is some of it involves brush work, a little dryer, and going slow to let the colors radiate and blend into eachother, for the splash type patterns. Super fine detailed stuff with crisp edges is probably done with photo resist or toner transfer from printed images
But those are totally just guesses from things I've seen and read. Have a bunch of stuff saved that I'm going to try to figure out in time
I'll try to remember to post a thread over on the forum to put it all in one place (since I'll be doing knives from 3 separate drops) and will link you to it when it's up :)
If you use Instagram at all, check out the work of "bladeswelove". I often browse his pics for inspiration. Sometimes they will get my mind all psych'd for some complex design for one of my knives, only to be overwhelmed and end up with a single color. ;)