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Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!

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00 Offline papercut

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Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
on: September 03, 2013, 10:48:43 AM
Pics to come, but after trying various materials I have found that nail polish is the best answer to blase silver alox when on a budget.  Can't afford the latest limited edition color alox models?  Nail polish!  Can't spring for the coolest HAIII mods? Nail polish!  Feeling blue rather than green today?  Nail polish!  Multicolor alox?  Nail polish!

It dries fast and hard and wears to a nice blue jeans type finish - pretty much like retail alox; and it don't cost nothin.  It even comes with its own brush!

Pictures to come.  (Proud owner of a limited of 1 edition red shield black alox 2012 SI)

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us Offline ICanFixThat

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #1 on: September 03, 2013, 12:13:53 PM
Now that's teezing. 

Pics pics pics....


de Offline Turnstone

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #2 on: September 03, 2013, 01:39:24 PM
 :worthless:


Offline NG VI

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #3 on: September 03, 2013, 04:19:28 PM
This is the most fun thing I've heard of!

Both of my Soldiers aren't showpieces now that you mention it...


fi Offline AlephZero

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #4 on: September 03, 2013, 11:24:55 PM
well, that would save my wallet  :D
"Hoarder of weirdness,
Always posting random things,
I'm AlephZero" :ninja:


us Offline Joe58

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #5 on: September 03, 2013, 11:55:33 PM
 Not to be a complete "tool", but playing devils advocate -

Nail polish on Alox???!!!!

Blasphemy!!

Shunned and required to wear the red A on your outer clothing.

Kidding - if it works for you, mo' power to you brother!

Joe
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scotland Offline Gareth

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #6 on: September 04, 2013, 01:30:39 AM
Be excellent to each other and always know where your towel is.


00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #7 on: September 04, 2013, 04:04:43 AM
I want to first state that this is still a rough proof of concept.  The initial surfaces I painted were the checkered areas and after a week of carry and scuffing I got the blue jeans look.  The I roughly painted the sides and still not sure how it will work out, but seems ok.  It might be that the blue jeans looks is the optimal final result.  Multiple layers might also be worth exploring.







A few places were touched up, but i expect the wear to normalize.



« Last Edit: September 04, 2013, 04:06:42 AM by papercut »
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00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #8 on: September 04, 2013, 04:05:50 AM
Either way, I get to enjoy carrying a simulacrum of the most drool worthy alox there is!
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00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #9 on: September 04, 2013, 04:09:26 AM
The genesis of the idea can be followed in this thread:

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,45209.new.html#new
« Last Edit: September 04, 2013, 04:14:23 AM by papercut »
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ca Offline derekmac

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #10 on: September 04, 2013, 12:47:14 PM
Hmmm, you've given me some ideas.  Now to try and go through my wifes nail polish without her finding out.  I also have a gallon of clear primer/sealer that's used on aircraft parts and the stuff is hard as nails once dry.  I imagine that would seal the color in nicely, as long as it doesn't react with the nail polish.


us Offline sawman

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #11 on: September 04, 2013, 02:53:40 PM
That looks absolutely hideous  :twak: Shame on you for suggesting ruining such an expensive knife with nail polish  :twak: :twak: :twak:
SAW


gb Offline nsa-x-file

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #12 on: September 04, 2013, 03:05:44 PM
Either way, I get to enjoy carrying a simulacrum of the most drool worthy alox there is!

Interesting idea.
Here are the two originals in my collection for comparison.  :D





00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #13 on: September 04, 2013, 04:43:50 PM
Remember to keep it thin. if you fill in the space. it no longer has the nice alox texture.
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00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #14 on: September 04, 2013, 04:47:14 PM
Actually it looks better than it photos. stark black and shiny metal directly under flourescnt bulbs do not good photos make.  plus one can strip the color very easily. before I painted the sides they looked fab (second rate paint job at that).

still a work in progress.
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00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #15 on: September 04, 2013, 04:49:06 PM
also to be clear. the subject is a silver 2012 SI with bail removed. nothing fancy was harmed. :p
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ca Offline derekmac

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #16 on: September 04, 2013, 05:02:32 PM
I think it's a cool idea, and if you don't like it, a little nail polish remover will take it right back off!  I'm going to try it on my beater alox before I try it on my Soldier though.


00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #17 on: September 04, 2013, 05:06:27 PM
A few more pics with its retail black big brother:







If you look closely you can see some red peeking thru, the red was from an earlier linseed oil experiment.
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us Offline frugalscotty

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #18 on: September 04, 2013, 07:47:43 PM
an interesting idea, although i suspect you will end up with a pocketful of tiny nail polish specks as it slowly flakes away. particularly if there is anything else along side in your pocket.


br Offline edursr

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #19 on: September 04, 2013, 08:37:01 PM
Either way, I get to enjoy carrying a simulacrum of the most drool worthy alox there is!

Interesting idea.
Here are the two originals in my collection for comparison.  :D

(Image removed from quote.)
envy...  :facepalm:
Showing off your babies...
Making your friends jealous... :twak:

I NEED ONE OF THOSE!!! I guess the nail polish might help me...  :D


00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #20 on: September 05, 2013, 03:09:18 AM
an interesting idea, although i suspect you will end up with a pocketful of tiny nail polish specks as it slowly flakes away. particularly if there is anything else along side in your pocket.

Yes, you do get a little bit, very small pieces and over time, not all at once.  If one just colors the checkered areas, then even less as the inlaid parts do not really wear. 
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Offline prijon12

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #21 on: September 05, 2013, 10:07:55 PM
Top notch!  If you wanted to try multiple coats perhaps thin the polish just a bit
with mineral spirits. Also, a thinned coat of clear epoxy resin could be used as a sealer (thinned
with acetone) but I like the flexability of being able to change colors.

Thanks for posting this idea.

prijon12


00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #22 on: September 06, 2013, 10:54:12 AM
Anyone else try their hand at this?  I would love to see more pics!  I actually have a few more models that could be modified.  Pink pearl farmer anyone?
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gr Offline firiki

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #23 on: September 06, 2013, 11:52:21 AM
Anyone else try their hand at this?  I would love to see more pics!  I actually have a few more models that could be modified.  Pink pearl farmer anyone?
Well, pink pearl is too sweet for me but I'm not against. I like your idea, needs further exploring as I'm a little concerned with nail polish flaking -and my sweaty hands not helping much. Just a thought, how about using enamel?
Omnia vincit amor. Vae victis.


us Offline Marius

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #24 on: September 06, 2013, 04:00:13 PM
Just a thought, how about using enamel?

I tried appliance white enamel touch-up (the kind used to touch up chips in cast iron bathtubs) on an old beat up 93 mm alox. Unlike other paints it does not get dissolved by alcohol or paint thinner once dried up, etc. It is also harder wearing than regular paint. Still, not even this would stay permanent on the scale and could be scratched off with the bare nail, even when left only inside the grooves. Anodizing remains IMHO the best option for aluminum knife handles.

Btw, just coloring the silver scales black does not make a recent SI close to a Vic railroad Black Beauty. There is way more to those Black Beauties compared with recent 93 mm alox than the black anodizing around the silver-red shield.


00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #25 on: September 10, 2013, 05:02:28 AM
Just a thought, how about using enamel?

Btw, just coloring the silver scales black does not make a recent SI close to a Vic railroad Black Beauty. There is way more to those Black Beauties compared with recent 93 mm alox than the black anodizing around the silver-red shield.

That goes without saying, but I am just offering a color change solution for a user, or a shelf queen (for fun).  The coloring on the side was not all the successful for a user, it held up for a week or so, but it gets brittle (maybe washing the knife in warm/hot water weakened the adhesion to the aluminum). 

But, the blue jeans look has held up well.  The polish has stuck in the grooves for several weeks now with daily carry and a few washings.  Lightly scoring the grooves with a hobby knife before applying the color may have helped this?  All in all I am very pleased with the experiment, my black checkered SI feels much like an old pocked worn colored Pioneer and the coating has good durability which were the actual goals.  One day I may want a different color, but black is suiting my fancy right now.

Other materials may even perform better?  Anyone tried Silicone Aluminum?  Does it come in colors?   
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00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #26 on: September 11, 2013, 12:22:11 PM
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us Offline ducttapetech

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #27 on: September 11, 2013, 01:05:54 PM
Nice.
I wonder if rhino liner would work?

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Nate

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00 Offline papercut

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #28 on: September 27, 2013, 10:09:19 AM
After 2ish months of pocket carry (with keys) the black coating is still holding strong!  So much so that I want to paint up my silver farmer pearlized blue or somesuch.
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de Offline HankSolon

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Re: Tired of silver alox? Nail polish is your answer!
Reply #29 on: September 27, 2013, 11:01:29 AM
Do I know that silver alox rambler?  :D


 

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