How long does the color last on Alox scales?

[Canuckdad]

How long does it take for the colors on an alox SAK to start wearing/fading ?

I have always carried a silver alox. So I never had to worry about the color wearing off. It still looks brand new even after 19 years. But my wife recently bought me a black alox and I notice in many pictures of colored alox SAKs the colors start to wear off at some point. How long did yours look new before it started to fade? Keeping in mind I carry it every day. Did yours takes months , or are we talking years? just curious.

Thanks

[Bunk Tuppins]

I think the answer to your question depends on several factors, chief among them: is this carried in a pocket with other objects like keys?  If so it is going to show wear pretty quickly because metal objects like keys are abrasive and a pocket is just like a rock tumbler.  For this reason I've started to use silver alox knives for keys etc.  I carry black or red alox ones I have by themselves in a pocket.

[Echotech]

  with Bunk, depends on how you carry it.....personally I really like worn Alox, tells more of a story

[Bunk Tuppins]

One other possibility suggests itself.  Use a suspension clip (and possibly a bit of paracord or lanyard) on your key ring and separately another suspension clip on a colored alox knife and attach the clips at opposite sides of a pocket.  Depending on the type of side pocket I could see that arrangement keeping keys and knife apart.

[Canuckdad]

I think the answer to your question depends on several factors, chief among them: is this carried in a pocket with other objects like keys?  If so it is going to show wear pretty quickly because metal objects like keys are abrasive and a pocket is just like a rock tumbler.  For this reason I've started to use silver alox knives for keys etc.  I carry black or red alox ones I have by themselves in a pocket.

My SAK sits all by itself in my pocket so hopefully the color lasts a long time

[Brock O Lee]

You can let it wear naturally, which will take decades to mature if you don't slide it around on concrete every day. Or you can cheat slightly and give the "patina" a head-start like I did with this Berry Pioneer by hitting it with fine sandpaper to get a uniform worn look. I don't particularly like the uneven and blotchy wear pattern that occurs naturally and takes years to even out.

The bottom edge is more worn from daily contact with a S-Biner clip, but there is minimal additional visible wear other than that over 3 years of regular use and pocket carry.