wrdwrght wrote: ↑Fri Feb 15, 2019 9:55 am
I’m not trying to steer you away from DLC. You need to make your own discoveries.
I happen to have DLC on my ESEE fixed blades (1095 steel). I bought them years ago, before bare steel was an option (which I would now take). I learned quickly to put Ballistol on their edges soon after use to counter the havoc of humidity on the apex. “Stainless”, of course, is more resistant to that havoc, but only by degrees.
I lubricate my pivots with various products (just worked some Burt’s Bees Beeswax Balm into the pivot and spring of my patina’d K390 Urban) and have had no rust issues.
Liners and other hardware are not (yet?) DLC’d. They, like all else, want attentive maintenance.
Consider The Mastiff, a forum member who knows a thing or two about blade steel. He lives in North Carolina, loves M4 but won’t tolerate patina. He keeps them spotless with attentive maintenance.
As an attentive maintainer, I see DLC as gimmicky. But, then, I don’t care for flippers, either, especially on knives with a Spydiehole.
I personally do not consider myself a huge proponent of DLC either, hence my inexperience with it. In general my philosophy towards things is that simpler is better. The most beautiful and functional things are often the least extra and complex. For me, DLC provides a unique benefit though of being more discreet especially in low light environments, where reflections from an otherwise naked stainless steel blade could catching unneeded attention. The fact that it provides some protection from corrosion is a nice cherry on top. I really want to slap my DLC M4 on my peel ply CF handle, the handle which no matter what will become an EDC in my collection as opposed to more of a stay-at-home blade. I know I should have no problem with CTS-204 in it, but the black M4 with its matching black hardware and black CF handle would combine to make a really cool all black knife that would be near invisible at night. Not really the type to go for the "stealth" all black aesthetic on any of my things, but for some reason all the blacked out PM2s ive seen just look amazing.
Trying to determine if the DLC could be resilient enough to keep it nice and healthy factoring in potential occasions of intense moisture, perhaps occasional few days of neglect, wear and tear from edc, etc, while I still am being mindful about keeping it dry and stropped for the most part. Perhaps I'll just have to see how it goes and be disciplined about taking apart every once in a while to check up on everything.. I appreciate all the info you've provided, I def feel a bit more informed! :D
edit: Ballistol- is that anything like Tuf-glide/cloth? I have a marine tuf-cloth I use on all my knives when I first get them and the DLC M4 will get the rub down as well. So far I havnet had any rust issues ever with Tuffcloth treated blades but that is also with consistent maintenance as well (mostly in just the form of stropping and wiping it clean). Maybe DLC + the tufcloth could make it fairly close to M390 in terms of corrosion resistance?