Industrial coatings on chipper knives

[monkeylove]

Just out of curiosity has anyone or the knife manufacturers ever tried some of the industrial coatings on our chipper blades. DLC is one of the best but there are others out there. They are like putting hard anodizing on aluminum rings. It would put a micro film of very hard and very slippery material onto the blades. After a resharpening you would loose the coating on the bevel but would still have the benefits on the flat side, so about 50% of the slipperyness.

 

[Hoowasat]

How about kryo-treating? Numerous manufacturing facilities get extended life between sharpenings of drill bits and milling tools, plus kryo-treating is all the way through versus heat treat and quench which affects only about 0.010"to 0.015" of the outer surface. I recall reading an article years ago where the USPS kryo-treated their fleet's brake rotors and drums and achieved four times the life of those items versus non-treated parts. I think they kryo-treated the brake pads and shoes, too.

 

[monkeylove]

The only thing I don't know is if kryo would make it to brittle for the shock load. I know years ago they used S7 steel but most manufacturers have switched to A8-Mod due to it holding up better in shock loaded environments.

 

[monkeylove]

The DLC would be similar from what I read about it with about 4 times the life before sharpening. I have never used it though, usally in my job I just switch to full carbide for wear issues and S7 for shock issues.

 

[craneguy1]

20 years ago my uncle sharpened our knives at the machine shop he worked at...always did a bang up job on them except that one time he tried glass beading them...they didnt last as long....so glass beading is out...lol.

 

[monkeylove]

20 years ago my uncle sharpened our knives at the machine shop he worked at...always did a bang up job on them except that one time he tried glass beading them...they didnt last as long....so glass beading is out...lol.

Lol, that would cause some issues. I may sharpen mine own also, just not sure it is cost effective. I don't have a surface grinder in work anymore, so I would have to stop over my buddies shop. That will certainly cost me beer and pizza.

 

[96coal449]

The only thing I don't know is if kryo would make it to brittle for the shock load. I know years ago they used S7 steel but most manufacturers have switched to A8-Mod due to it holding up better in shock loaded environments.

If this is the same process I'm thinking of, it's used in high performance diesel engine and transmission building. I don't think it's brittle. The forces of torque applied when sled pulling is tremendous. Even the hi-po daily drivers are using the same treating for some of their builds. Dyno warriors and drag racers alike all have good results with it. Supposed to be expensive. I think carbide tipped knives would be ideal. Especially for land clearing.

 

[monkeylove]

I think it would require a major design change to run carbide. Maybe one of the softer carbides like C3 might work but I think even that will be to brittle on a 30 degree edge. Just for the heck of it I am going to get a price to coat them. Might not be cost effective but if it doubles the cost and gives me 3-4 times the life before the first re-grind then it would be well worth it.