Hi, all. I'm a new 1st-time ESSE owner. I spent quite a while perusing this forum and enjoyed the posts within. I bought a purple Izula and have a question about stripping the coating. I want to be able to use the knife for occasional light food prep so I'd like to remove the bulk of the powder-coat paint from the blade ... but not all of it! I'm envisioning a pseudo Sabre-Grind look with the paint left intact from the spine down to just below the Ant Logo ... following the curve of the belly so that the last 1/2" (or so) of the tip will also be "naked". I've seen videos and read tips on how to remove the entire coating but I'm wondering about the feasibility of removing it in the way I mentioned. Specifically, I wonder if I would be able to get a crisp line or if the transition line would end-up being flaky (chipped and scalloped). Perhaps I could score a line through the paint first (?). I'm leaning towards chemically stripping the first 3/4 of the paint but then switching to sandpaper as I approach my desired line ... or maybe a Dremel tool somehow (?). Also, if I WERE able to get a clean line, would it prone to flaking off down the road? How does the OEM line at the edge hold up? (mine is too new to have such data!) SOME Thanks, guys (and gals ... yup, I know you're here ... I've seen some damn good Lady Smiths on Forged in Fire!)
You are on virgin ground here...I've never seen anything like what you are asking about. I seriously doubt that you could accomplish this with a chemical strip as it gets under the coating...so taping it off wouldn't be effective in my opinion. That leaves sanding it off as I see it. Wish I could be more help but I've not seen this done. You could be the first...best of luck.
I would say masking it well and a light blast in a cabinet to remove what you want gone. I agree with Shane that a chemical strip will probably leave you with a "jagged" edge on the coating.
I don’t want to be the downer but I don’t think it will work. Even if you could get and absolutely pristine edge on the coating removal ( via chemical or blast media) any use is going to destroy that fine edge. There are many examples of oem coated ones that have lost cover in or on the edge. Even food acids are going to attack the steel at the very edge of the stripped section loosing the “grip” of the powder coat. In my uneducated opinion you would be better off completely stripping the coating and doing a food safe patina such as with vinegar. You can coat under the scale area with ultra durable clear silicone or an epoxy to prevent any kind of contamination getting under there. I myself have multiple plain Carbon Steel knives that have been patina’s and/or turned completely black with use. This “colorization” does not wear off nor transfer to foods being cut. As well they don’t rust merely from being used, washed and dried. Just my .02
For food prep I’d rather not have any coating. Food will hit the coating at some point and if want to minimize that. I use my 6hm for food prep and took off all the coating and sanded the residue with a dremel to a nice shine. Edited to add use a mask and stand upwind. There is a lot of dust that comes off.
If you're looking to remove only part of the powder-coat paint from your Izula knife blade, it's definitely possible. However, it may require some trial and error to get the result you're looking for. Scoring a line through the paint first is a good idea to help ensure a clean transition line. You could use a sharp knife or a razor blade to score the line. Chemically stripping the first 3/4 of the paint and then using sandpaper as you approach your desired line could work, but it may be difficult to get a clean transition line. A Dremel tool with a sanding attachment or a small grinding wheel could be a better option for achieving a clean line. As for the durability of the paint, it's hard to say. The OEM line at the edge should hold up well, as it's likely been applied with a high-quality coating process. However, if the transition line you create is uneven or flaky, it may be prone to chipping or peeling off over time. It's also possible that the exposed metal in the transition area could be more prone to rusting or other forms of corrosion. If you're unsure about how to proceed, it may be a good idea to practice on a piece of scrap metal first to get a feel for how the process works and to test different techniques. Good luck with your project!
My suggestion is to strip the entire blade, then mask the part you want to leave shiny and add a new coating to the rest of the blade.
