Having some issues with the black right now guys. The black video is on hold till I get the kinks ironed out. Sorry if you're disappointed, I am as well.
SharpKnifeNuts are you happy with the power supply you have in the video? Thinking of getting one to do some ti hardware, but wasn’t sure which model to get
I absolutely love it! I use it almost daily for my ring business. I highly recommend it. There's a link to the exact model in the video description if you're interested. I like this particular model because it allows me to go high enough to do green without any problems as well. You can do the entire spectrum of colors with a high level of precision and repeatability.
SharpKnifeNuts got the power supply and some other supplies using your links. I’ve been messing with black in mini forge situation and I have had some really hit or miss results. Interested to see how you figure it out.
I've just started to mess around with anodizing titanium today and I've been trying to get a nice green for a while without luck. And now I found this! Thank you!! 👊
@@ApollosRings Yeah, it's a game changer. You don't have to worry about batteries not being the full voltage. Tip: When you crank the voltage up to say like 70, and you dip your piece, as the colors change, you can hit the button on the right, above the dial, to "set" your voltage. I found that as my piece starts changing colors up to a voltage, I will find one I like instead. Hitting that button stops the voltage increase. Good luck with it man, great channel too, lots of help you have given me!
This totally made my mind up that I need to get a power supply, far to much variation with the battery method, not to mention not having to worry if they batteries have lost juice. Great vid!
I wish I could. Outside of a lab it seems highly unlikely to reproduce. Not really a DIY kind of thing. I believe it's done with some sort of vapor dispersion. I originally thought I was on to something, but unfortunately it turned out to not work as planned. Sorry to get your hopes up.😞
Been itching to get into anodizing, and discovering your videos has given me the confidence to get on it. The explanations and visuals make it much less daunting. Thanks! Would love to see the black ano vid... I just messed up the black ano on a ZT knife and I need to redo it, so that'd be awesome! Thanks again in advance!
Safety question: When the power supply is on, and you grab the Ti wire with the piece on it, don’t you become the ground and get a shock? I’m thinking 90v dc could be dangerous, just wondering how you’re able to grab it and shake the bubbles off.
You're definitely not wrong, you can absolutely get a shock if you're not careful. It's been a while since I've watched the video back, but I remember correctly my hand was gloved while touching the wire. I always try to make sure I'm insulated, either from the insulation on the alligator clips, or gloves. I've rushed things in the past like an idiot and got a bit of a shock. Obviously the lower voltages aren't such a big deal, but getting into the higher voltage range, you definitely need to be careful. Safety first.
Thanks for posting, I'm definitely going to get one as soon as funds allow. I've been able to do a few cool pieces using batteries thanks to your videos, but the power supply looks much safer than a dozen 9V batteries getting hot and sometimes sounding like they are going to explode.
I used batteries for quite some time and made due, but now that I've used the power supply I can't believe I went so long without it. It is night and day easier, and I'm sure it is a bit safer as well. I can't say I've experienced all of the things you described, but I always was extremely careful with them. I did find out one time early on that you can really get them hot by accidentally touching the leads together, and tried very hard not to ever let that happen again, lol. Anyway, thanks for watching, always good to see familiar faces in the comments!
Great tutorial. I like to watch these videos to know as much as i can. Id like to see true black video next. Only thing I would add is if anodizing a heavy piece, add 5 volts at a time, until color achieved.
Thanks! Good tip with the 5 volt increments. That was the first time plugging the unit in and testing it out. It's so much easier than messing with all the batteries and troubleshooting when you get a dead one. I'm sure I'll find some more tips as I go along and get a bit more familiar with the unit. Thanks for watching! 👍🏼👊🏼
Subscribed. Liked. I'm hooked now. Can't unsee your episodes :-). Now I need to do some Titanium knife scales for my hobby & channel. Congrats on your success! I'm just getting started.
Question here, I know I'm late to the party, but learning from your videos has entertained and taught me a bit so I gave it a shot. My question is.. I tried the 9v method on a set of rgt micro hex scales. With intention of lapping the raised hex to polished titanium, I went for purple. First time they came out 2 different colors (my timing) and changed drastically when dry. Second time, I used a timer and controlled the process as best I could. They came out even, but changed color again (2 9v) I polished the hex pattern, and they went from purple to blue, after handling they went almost matte titanium. Looking like doo-doo today, I took a tooth brush and hand sanitizer/alcohol to them. It removed all the odd colors and changes within the hex pattern, and made it an almost uniform deeeeeeeep purple, moving towards the straw side of the spectrum I suspect. So my question is.. Being I'm pretty sure it was a really light coating/false color.. I used double filtered water from my softener/drinking tap, borax, aluminum foil, whinks, dawn (triple cleaned and rinsed to remove grease and oil) and titanium wire. If it's a false coating, what do you think would be the cause?
If you seal it, it'll effect the color. Get it wet and see if you like the way that looks before you try to seal it. If you do like the way the water looks, I'd use a clear spray lacquer.
SharpKnifeNuts can I ask, have you checked the if the max output is actually 120 ? I saw on a different unit that I was eyeing a reviewer mentioned the unit only reached 92 volts. Thanks
That's a great question, and honestly something I completely overlooked. As soon as I read your comment I raced to the shop to test it. I'm happy to say that the digital readout is spot on with the multimeter, and the unit goes up to 125.9 volts! It absolutely delivers what it promised! Thanks for that one though, I was really curious 👍🏼👊🏼
For sure brotha! I've been using mine primarily for the ring business, and I'm loving how simple it's made the entire process. I'm always up for trading tips! Probably easiest to email me for anything lengthy. Sharpknifenuts@gmail.com
Just found you, really appreciate all the variations you share. The only thing I can’t seem to find is what your fork is made of. I have done this a little some years back with Borax but eventually just turned to the torch. You make me want to experiment again. Lol
Thanks for watching! I should have some new stuff out soon from the new shop. The fork is stainless steel. You can use a piece of titanium, or stainless, but that's all I've found works properly.
Just wondering, if the scales of a knife are both to be done the same color could one scale be the anode while the other the cathode? Or any additional pieces like backspacers clips or standoffs could also be done while the one scale is hooked up as cathode? Might “overcook” the cathode scale though and have it ugly... might have to play around with that thought process... Thanks again, will be getting busy in the near future trying to achieve those vivid colors you show! :)
I have a stupid question,does it matter what kind of titanium wire is used in anodizing?I am about to experiment with the ano. this or next weekend. Any help would be apreciated. Thanx. NVM found the links
@@ApollosRings Thanx,Got another question,Thinking of sanding the titanium up to 2000 grit to make it nice and shiny. Do I etch with hydroufluoric acid befor or after sandingr? Do I need to etch? Will the etch afect the sanded surface?
I'd be happy to do a video on that if I had any in the shop. I'll look into getting some scrap pieces, I know there's a bunch of guys that would probably dig seeing the setup for that.
Thank you for the great video. I need your help a little bit. Distilled Water And normal Water What's the difference? What will happen when using normal water what is the appropriate amount of sodium bicarbonate per liter per kilogram Or a regular tablespoon. Is there a difference between cold and hot water and room heat? I hope you can help me 😊
Thanks for watching! Distilled water is mineral free. Depending on where your water is coming from it could have very little minerals, or it could be loaded with them. If your water has lots of minerals in it you could definitely have problems using it for anodizing. To be safe I always recommend using distilled water. You can purchase a gallon for like $1 at pretty much any grocery or drug store. As far as the baking soda is concerned, you're probably fine with 1 - 2 tablespoons per liter of distilled water. It doesn't need to be exact. Room temperature is perfectly fine for everything as well Hope that helps! 👍🏼👊🏼
I've got a few tricks up my sleeve for the black. It's kind of a process, but we'll see how it goes. So far I'm totally digging this though! I don't know why I waited so long, lol
I have this unit too and have been trying to do green with no success. I get to about 80 volt and for some reason my amps jump like someone flipped a switch and the part starts to burn in spots. Ive tried going through all the colors to 90-100v and also just set at 90v and dip like you did but the results have been the same. Any ideas?
First off, glad to see you back on CZcams again. It's been a minute. Secondly, as Arte Johnson used to say on Laugh In, "very interesting"...of course, you may not be old enough for a Laugh In reference, but the point about this video remains; very interesting. At this point in time though, an AC power supply is beyond my means so I'll have to stay with the 9v battery approach. Which leads me to thirdly(?) I can't get beyond pinkish/ purple with 12 9v's hooked together. Don't have a volt meter (gonna get one someday) so I guess low voltage might be the problem. Another possibility is that the titanium wire I'm using looks MUCH thinner than what you have in your video. My spool says it's 28 gauge which is what your link to the wire says it is. Do you think twisting two or three (or more) lengths of wire together might make a difference and allow me to achieve a green color with the 12 batteries? Thanks in advance Brian and happy New year.
Hey William! It has been a minute, I've been crazy busy with the ring shop. I'm definitely not complaining, but I just haven't had much spare time to film. I finally got a bit of a reprieve after Christmas here, so I figured I'd get a quick video up. I might be a bit young for original episodes of laugh in, but my mom introduced me to some of the re-runs when I was little. I totally get the reference! It's funny, I say that frequently but till your comment I couldn't remember where it came from, hahaha! As far as your issues anodizing are concerned, I would say the first step is getting a cheap multi-meter. You can pick one up for probably less than $10 at Tractor Supply. Just guessing, but I would say you probably have a bad battery in the bunch. I've had that problem before as well with batteries, and without testing them it makes you want to pull your hair out, lol. I wouldn't worry about the size of your ti wire. I only used the larger wire because it was what was closest to me when I started filming. I have 28 gauge wire as well that I frequently use to anodize, and don't have any issues. I definitely think your problem lies in one of your batteries. That would be the first thing I checked if it were me. Anyway, hope that helps, and thanks for watching! If I can help with anything else, feel free to message me any time! 👍🏼👊🏼
🔥💯when are you doing the black titanium? I've been watching and waiting. 🙏 I have a piece I want to do and didn't want to do the heat and oil method. 💯🔥
Can you do a video on the shades of green? I am trying to somewhat closely match or accent a small sheet (4”x5”ish) of titanium to a green leather dye. Or, I could send you a sample of leather and see if it can be matched. Would you take a small custom anodizing job like that? Either way I think a video on the shades of green would be great to see, because I can’t find too much info on the green shades for titanium. Thank you.
Green can be a tough color to get just right. I wouldn't mind doing a video on it though. Do you have a good picture of the color you're trying to match? If you email me at sharpknifenuts@gmail.com We can discuss this a bit more. I'm all for helping you out. If you have a good pic of the color you can send over, that would be extremely helpful.
I am going to get the items in your description to anodize titanium frame lock knives that I make. What finish do you recommend for knife scales? Bead blasted? Scotchbrite belts? Hand sanding?
I think I got a crappy supply off Amazon smh. Seemed nice enough, rated for 120v and 3amp but with a piece as large as a knife scale, the damn thing eventually stops at 91 or so and switches to current mode. I've achieved green on a small piece of Ti @ 94 volts or so but looks like I won't be able to do it with any of my knives!
Whink rust and stain remover, or Multi-Etch. Multi-Etch is more expensive, but safer to use. Whink is what I use in most of my videos. The active ingredient in Whink is hydrofluoric acid which is some nasty stuff. Make sure to use proper PPE. Stay safe
I got.the same one! It's awesome. So bro...how the hell do they do like a crazy lightning pattern...almost looks like electricity through wood if you know what I mean. Or like the zues anodizing pattern. So cool but not the slightest idea how
Hey, I've watched your videos and they're awesome! Really informative, I've actually decided to start doing a bit myself, I'm looking at a power supply and I've found one that does the voltage range but it's a 0 - 375mA, is that enough?
Thanks! Sorry for the late reply, just saw your message. Have you already got your power supply? If not, I have a link to the exact one I use here - TekPower TP12001X 120V DC Variable Switching Power Supply Output 0-120V amzn.to/2ZHkP7l
It will continue to dissolve the titanium until either there's so much titanium in the solution that it can't take any more, or it eats all of the titanium and there's nothing left. I give it a good soak, 5 or 10 seconds and it's pretty well good though.
Hi SharpKnife, Thanks for the Video, really helpful... I am really interested in doing Black Anodizing, Have you figured it out ? Its been almost a years, since you said, you will do a video. Also, can you share, what's the other best method of doing it, other than, with the Power Supply ? Thanks
That is normal. You can hear mine doing it from time to time in the video as well if you listen closely. Off the top of my head I can't remember what it is that does it, but it isn't anything to be concerned about.
I'm having trouble getting those higher voltage colors. The anodized layer looks like it's flaking off. What solution/electrolyte are you using? Just a satured solution of baking soda?
Sorry, just saw this. Yes, distilled water saturated with baking soda. Some grades of titanium are hard to achieve green on. I've found that a good etch helps. I don't always etch, but in order to achieve green I almost always have to.
Thanks! Heat anodizing works very well for certain applications, and can definitely look awesome, but it's considerably harder to control. I prefer the control with electro-anodizing for most applications I do. The other reason I prefer it over heat ano is because some parts are susceptible to warping with the heat.
Both methods work great on titanium, but for certain applications heat just doesn't make sense. If I'm doing a knife scale with a lock bar, the heat can screw that up if too much heat is applied. There is no concern when using the electo method.
Yeah, you'll get black, but it isn't true black ano. It won't hold up nearly as well. There is a process to achieve true black ano, but unfortunately it's considerably more complicated than I originally thought.
They can be crazy hard to get. I've noticed if I don't have a really good etch from the start I'll have issues hitting green. Also when I progressively work up to it I can rarely get the color I want. I usually have to set the voltage exactly where it needs to be, have a etched piece in the bath ready, then connect the positive to the wire. That's how I can achieve it on a frequent basis. Sometimes different grades of ti I'm unable to get green as well.
@@ApollosRings thanks for the reply! Sounds like it's time to pick up a power supply, I have tried everything I can with a proper etching bath and 9volts, using different pieces of Ti and can't find a proper bright green...
Did you ever upgrade power supply? I got the one you have and it gave me alot of problems! Initially worked fine but I noticed if I took the piece out and dunked it again the machine would click the switch it would be on amps in electro solution and when I pulled out would go back to volts was crazy to me then when I somehow figured out if I shut the machine off and unplugged it then it would resort back to normal but then I noticed that I could barel up the volts the amps would stay at 1 amp forever and not come down, water was getting warm not hot just crazy im sure it was user error but did or do you have issues with it? I do small things as well im not doing like a wheelchair frame or anything to where the ratios would be off but Im new at this as well so figured I would ask.
I've caught the titanium bug, then I seen your vids and I have try my hand at annodizing. Do you get good results with 9 volt batteries? Should I just buy a power supply in the long run you will spend just as much on 9 volts.
If you're careful and don't ever accidentally let the leads touch you can make a full set of 9 volts last a very long time. That being said, you really can't beat the adjustability and ease of use you get with a dedicated power supply. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get one personally, especially now that I use it for my business as well. If you have the extra $ to put out for the power supply you won't be disappointed.
You could absolutely do this with a bike frame. You could do the sponge method as well if you didn't want to submerge the frame in a large tub. I have a video on the sponge method up on the channel as well, if you're interested.
You do some great videos on anodizing titanium, really enjoyed them and have started experimenting myself. One thing that isn't working for me is the etching side of things. I live in the UK and can't get Whink or even Titan-etch. Do you know of any alternatives that I could use in the UK? The only other way around it would be to use Sulphuric Acid used as an electrolyte instead but you have to have a license for that stuff here. Anyway, keep up the good work.
Thanks, glad you dig the videos! As far as your etching problem is concerned, have you tried looking into Multi-Etch? I'm not super familiar with what's available in the UK, but I know that Multi-Etch is supposed to be a acid free etchant, and may be more readily available over there. I'd definitely be interested to know what you find out if you decide to go that route. Cheers!
@@ApollosRings Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately Multi Etch is also not available here. I do work in engineering and there is a product I use that cleans off parts used in an Wire EDM machine. It's supposed to be acidic based but not sure if it would do the same job, it certainly removes the corrosion on the EDM. I'm going to try that as an etchant and see if it works. It's hard to find anything that does the job here.
Oh man, sorry to hear that. I'll see if I can dig up any other options for you. I know that the active ingredient in the Whink is hydrofluoric acid at around 3% in solution, but I'm also assuming that's why you probably can't get it there. If you can get ahold of some of that you'd definitely be in business. Just gotta be extremely careful with that stuff, it's super nasty stuff.
@@ApollosRings HF Acid is the stuff they actually recommend and then tell you that it can melt through anything including your bones and metal and only certain plastics can stop it. I tell my friends here and they tell me that in Breaking Bad they used it to melt bodies. So, your warning is on point there, definitely wouldn't be able to get that without a license. I'll try my EDM acid cleaner this end and see if that works. Anything else you come up with is appreciated.
Yeah, HF acid is really no joke. If handled properly it can do really amazing things, but if improperly handled it can absolutely do some horrific things as well. I'll see what else I can come up with and keep you posted.
The actual process of anodizing doesn't, but if you're using a chemical to strip the ano from a piece, you'll want to do that in a well ventilated area.
I was curious as well. I have a large PDF file that I will share along with the video. I was always under the impression that black was impossible, but through this process it can be done. It's obviously a bit more complicated than traditional anodizing. From what I understand it's sort of a trade secret in the coatings industry, but one of my subscribers actually forwarded the information to me. It looks like the process is used quite a bit in aerospace, and industrial applications. I believe there is a titanium bicycle manufacturer that is using the process as well. I'll include links with all of my research in the video.
@@ApollosRings i cant wait because if i could use my anodization setup to blacken, that would amazing :) only method i know of is using some sort of oil and then torching at low temp.
That was the method I was aware of as well till I came across this. I'm pretty excited about it as well! Stay tuned, I'm probably going to try and have that up in a week or or two. Just waiting on a delivery.
Having some issues with the black right now guys. The black video is on hold till I get the kinks ironed out. Sorry if you're disappointed, I am as well.
SharpKnifeNuts are you happy with the power supply you have in the video? Thinking of getting one to do some ti hardware, but wasn’t sure which model to get
I absolutely love it! I use it almost daily for my ring business. I highly recommend it. There's a link to the exact model in the video description if you're interested. I like this particular model because it allows me to go high enough to do green without any problems as well. You can do the entire spectrum of colors with a high level of precision and repeatability.
SharpKnifeNuts think I’m gonna order it tonight. I’ll use your link if I do. Thanks
Thanks brotha! If I can ever help with anything else, just let me know!👍🏼👊🏼
SharpKnifeNuts got the power supply and some other supplies using your links. I’ve been messing with black in mini forge situation and I have had some really hit or miss results. Interested to see how you figure it out.
I've just started to mess around with anodizing titanium today and I've been trying to get a nice green for a while without luck. And now I found this! Thank you!! 👊
Happy to help!
Same exact power supply I use. Works great, no issues whatsoever with it. I get great, consistent colors every time.
That's awesome to hear! So far, so good on my end as well. I love this thing! Wish I hadn't waited so long now!
@@ApollosRings Yeah, it's a game changer. You don't have to worry about batteries not being the full voltage. Tip: When you crank the voltage up to say like 70, and you dip your piece, as the colors change, you can hit the button on the right, above the dial, to "set" your voltage. I found that as my piece starts changing colors up to a voltage, I will find one I like instead. Hitting that button stops the voltage increase. Good luck with it man, great channel too, lots of help you have given me!
That's a great tip, that'll definitely come in handy, I'm sure! Thanks for watching brotha!👍🏼👊🏼
hi there, may i ask what is the model name of that DC supply?
@@tuanphung1962 I got mine off eBay: TekPower TP12001X 120V is the brand and model. Good luck!
This totally made my mind up that I need to get a power supply, far to much variation with the battery method, not to mention not having to worry if they batteries have lost juice. Great vid!
Thanks brotha! I highly recommend it, I had no idea I would dig it so much, but I LOVE it!!! Wish I hadn't waited so long! Thanks for watching! 👍🏼👊🏼
Love to see black
I'm pretty excited for it as well, stay tuned, and thanks for watching! 👍🏼👊🏼
So cool how you can actually dial in a specific color!
It's definitely night and day easier than the battery method, and for repeatability on rings it's almost a necessity. Thanks for watching!
Awesome upgrade and very cool color changes at the end! That green came out beautifully! I can only imagine how cool the black anodizing will look!
I'm pretty excited for the black as well! Thanks for watching brotha! 👊🏼👍🏼
EXCELLENT JOB, YOU WON ME OVER! Sign me up😁
That's always good to hear, welcome aboard! 😆
I would LOVE to see black anodized titanium! Please show me
I wish I could. Outside of a lab it seems highly unlikely to reproduce. Not really a DIY kind of thing. I believe it's done with some sort of vapor dispersion. I originally thought I was on to something, but unfortunately it turned out to not work as planned. Sorry to get your hopes up.😞
Been itching to get into anodizing, and discovering your videos has given me the confidence to get on it. The explanations and visuals make it much less daunting. Thanks! Would love to see the black ano vid... I just messed up the black ano on a ZT knife and I need to redo it, so that'd be awesome! Thanks again in advance!
Awesome, glad the vids are helping out! I'm pretty stoked about the black ano as well. Thanks for watching! 👊🏼👍🏼
Hey man, great channel! I appreciate you taking the time to do these with great explanation and easy to repeat setups!
Thanks for watching!
I've had different grades of ti react with duller colors. Getting 6alv seems to be consistent. Looking forward to the Black anodizing 👍
Couldn't agree more, I've had very similar experiences. Thanks for watching!
I do want to see how to anodize titanium black. I have a titanium bicycle and I want to replace the brand stickers with an anodized logo. Thanks
The black didn't work as planned, but I'm working on an alternative as we speak. Stay tuned!
This is interesting. I'd love to see the black ano next! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
BLACK would be awesome. I want to do anodizing now. Thanks
👍🏼Thanks for watching!
Safety question: When the power supply is on, and you grab the Ti wire with the piece on it, don’t you become the ground and get a shock? I’m thinking 90v dc could be dangerous, just wondering how you’re able to grab it and shake the bubbles off.
You're definitely not wrong, you can absolutely get a shock if you're not careful. It's been a while since I've watched the video back, but I remember correctly my hand was gloved while touching the wire. I always try to make sure I'm insulated, either from the insulation on the alligator clips, or gloves. I've rushed things in the past like an idiot and got a bit of a shock. Obviously the lower voltages aren't such a big deal, but getting into the higher voltage range, you definitely need to be careful. Safety first.
Can’t wait to see the black version! Always appreciate your videos
I'm pretty excited as well! Thanks for watching! 👊🏼👍🏼
excellent, methodical and visually to the point. thank you very much. And yes the black please.
Thanks for watching! 👍🏼
Thanks for watching! 👍🏼
Looking forward to the black anodizing
Me too! Thanks for watching!
That's just amazing, thanks for sharing your knowledge with everyone it helps me out alot....
Glad I could help, thanks for watching!
Gonna have to buy myself one of those power supplies
I love it! Wish I hadn't waited so long, lol! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for posting, I'm definitely going to get one as soon as funds allow. I've been able to do a few cool pieces using batteries thanks to your videos, but the power supply looks much safer than a dozen 9V batteries getting hot and sometimes sounding like they are going to explode.
I used batteries for quite some time and made due, but now that I've used the power supply I can't believe I went so long without it. It is night and day easier, and I'm sure it is a bit safer as well. I can't say I've experienced all of the things you described, but I always was extremely careful with them. I did find out one time early on that you can really get them hot by accidentally touching the leads together, and tried very hard not to ever let that happen again, lol. Anyway, thanks for watching, always good to see familiar faces in the comments!
Very interesting video sir !
Can't wait for future videos with this unit!
Me too, I'm so glad I finally picked it up! Thanks for watching! 👊🏼👍🏼
Great tutorial. I like to watch these videos to know as much as i can. Id like to see true black video next. Only thing I would add is if anodizing a heavy piece, add 5 volts at a time, until color achieved.
Thanks! Good tip with the 5 volt increments. That was the first time plugging the unit in and testing it out. It's so much easier than messing with all the batteries and troubleshooting when you get a dead one. I'm sure I'll find some more tips as I go along and get a bit more familiar with the unit. Thanks for watching! 👍🏼👊🏼
Subscribed. Liked. I'm hooked now. Can't unsee your episodes :-). Now I need to do some Titanium knife scales for my hobby & channel. Congrats on your success! I'm just getting started.
Thanks brotha! 👍🏼👊🏼 If I can ever help with anything just let me know!
Great video! Can’t wait for the black anodizing video.
Thanks, me too! Thanks for watching!👊🏼👍🏼
Question here, I know I'm late to the party, but learning from your videos has entertained and taught me a bit so I gave it a shot. My question is.. I tried the 9v method on a set of rgt micro hex scales. With intention of lapping the raised hex to polished titanium, I went for purple. First time they came out 2 different colors (my timing) and changed drastically when dry. Second time, I used a timer and controlled the process as best I could. They came out even, but changed color again (2 9v) I polished the hex pattern, and they went from purple to blue, after handling they went almost matte titanium. Looking like doo-doo today, I took a tooth brush and hand sanitizer/alcohol to them. It removed all the odd colors and changes within the hex pattern, and made it an almost uniform deeeeeeeep purple, moving towards the straw side of the spectrum I suspect. So my question is.. Being I'm pretty sure it was a really light coating/false color.. I used double filtered water from my softener/drinking tap, borax, aluminum foil, whinks, dawn (triple cleaned and rinsed to remove grease and oil) and titanium wire. If it's a false coating, what do you think would be the cause?
Pretty sweet man, congrats on the upgrade, I appreciate the videos, its made me want to try this myself.
Thanks brotha! I wish I bought the power supply sooner, it's made life so much easier, lol. Thanks for watching! 👍🏼👊🏼
@@ApollosRings no doubt, definitely easier to deal with than 9 volt batteries lol
Thank you! What can I use to seal the anodized/colored titanium surface?
If you seal it, it'll effect the color. Get it wet and see if you like the way that looks before you try to seal it. If you do like the way the water looks, I'd use a clear spray lacquer.
Let's see the black!!! Great work by the way....
It's coming, and Thanks! 👍🏼👊🏼
Super interested in the black ano... I'm gunna need to pick me up a power supply before then
I'm pretty excited about it as well! Thanks for watching! 👊🏼👍🏼
Can’t wait for the true black video!
You and me both! Thanks for watching! 👍🏼👊🏼
Very cool!
Thanks! 👊🏼
Black is not possible with electric anodizing... Only through the heat and quench method.
Yes ! Black ano please !!
Yeah, I'm pretty pumped for it too! Thanks for watching! 👊🏼👍🏼
SharpKnifeNuts can I ask, have you checked the if the max output is actually 120 ? I saw on a different unit that I was eyeing a reviewer mentioned the unit only reached 92 volts. Thanks
That's a great question, and honestly something I completely overlooked. As soon as I read your comment I raced to the shop to test it. I'm happy to say that the digital readout is spot on with the multimeter, and the unit goes up to 125.9 volts! It absolutely delivers what it promised! Thanks for that one though, I was really curious 👍🏼👊🏼
SharpKnifeNuts awesome, good news, thanks. Waiting on that black ano ;)
SharpKnifeNuts I hope all is well with your power supply.
Plz make the black anodizing video
Black turned out to be incredibly complicated. I'm currently working on a workaround, stay tuned!👍🏼👊🏼🍻
Looking forward to the black ano
You and me both! Thanks for watching! 👊🏼👍🏼
Love it...bring on the black!
I'm super excited about the black as well!
Yes please! Ano black!
Dude I just bought one too. Doing mostly balisong parts. Lets trade tips. It's been a lot of fun so far.
For sure brotha! I've been using mine primarily for the ring business, and I'm loving how simple it's made the entire process. I'm always up for trading tips! Probably easiest to email me for anything lengthy. Sharpknifenuts@gmail.com
Awesome video! But, why did you whink it again before going to 93V?
Just found you, really appreciate all the variations you share. The only thing I can’t seem to find is what your fork is made of. I have done this a little some years back with Borax but eventually just turned to the torch. You make me want to experiment again. Lol
Thanks for watching! I should have some new stuff out soon from the new shop. The fork is stainless steel. You can use a piece of titanium, or stainless, but that's all I've found works properly.
Just wondering, if the scales of a knife are both to be done the same color could one scale be the anode while the other the cathode? Or any additional pieces like backspacers clips or standoffs could also be done while the one scale is hooked up as cathode? Might “overcook” the cathode scale though and have it ugly... might have to play around with that thought process...
Thanks again, will be getting busy in the near future trying to achieve those vivid colors you show! :)
I have a stupid question,does it matter what kind of titanium wire is used in anodizing?I am about to experiment with the ano. this or next weekend. Any help would be apreciated. Thanx. NVM found the links
As long as it's titanium wire you're good. If you have any other questions I'm happy to help. 👍🏼
@@ApollosRings Thanx,Got another question,Thinking of sanding the titanium up to 2000 grit to make it nice and shiny. Do I etch with hydroufluoric acid befor or after sandingr? Do I need to etch? Will the etch afect the sanded surface?
I would like to see a titanium MC pipe get green :)
I'd be happy to do a video on that if I had any in the shop. I'll look into getting some scrap pieces, I know there's a bunch of guys that would probably dig seeing the setup for that.
Cant wait for you to show the black ano
I was trying to get it out this week, but had a family emergency to deal with. Stay tuned, it'll be out shortly 👍🏼
Can u show the black anodizing video please?
Thank you for the great video.
I need your help a little bit.
Distilled Water
And normal Water
What's the difference?
What will happen when using normal water
what is the appropriate amount of sodium bicarbonate per liter per kilogram
Or a regular tablespoon.
Is there a difference between cold and hot water and room heat?
I hope you can help me 😊
Thanks for watching!
Distilled water is mineral free. Depending on where your water is coming from it could have very little minerals, or it could be loaded with them. If your water has lots of minerals in it you could definitely have problems using it for anodizing. To be safe I always recommend using distilled water. You can purchase a gallon for like $1 at pretty much any grocery or drug store.
As far as the baking soda is concerned, you're probably fine with 1 - 2 tablespoons per liter of distilled water. It doesn't need to be exact.
Room temperature is perfectly fine for everything as well
Hope that helps! 👍🏼👊🏼
What is wink? Thinking about doing this as I make rings and would be awesome to make my own colors to the titanium ones. Thanks
I have the same one, your going to love it!
Can't wait to see what cool stuff you do with it! I can't get black, I can get a dark blue though..
I've got a few tricks up my sleeve for the black. It's kind of a process, but we'll see how it goes. So far I'm totally digging this though! I don't know why I waited so long, lol
So cool you got one, I've been playing around with anodizing titanium bmx spokes, I'll send you a post from Instagram showing a wheel that I did!!
Yeah, for sure! I'd love to see it!
I have this unit too and have been trying to do green with no success. I get to about 80 volt and for some reason my amps jump like someone flipped a switch and the part starts to burn in spots. Ive tried going through all the colors to 90-100v and also just set at 90v and dip like you did but the results have been the same. Any ideas?
Love it. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
First off, glad to see you back on CZcams again. It's been a minute.
Secondly, as Arte Johnson used to say on Laugh In, "very interesting"...of course, you may not be old enough for a Laugh In reference, but the point about this video remains; very interesting. At this point in time though, an AC power supply is beyond my means so I'll have to stay with the 9v battery approach. Which leads me to thirdly(?)
I can't get beyond pinkish/ purple with 12 9v's hooked together. Don't have a volt meter (gonna get one someday) so I guess low voltage might be the problem. Another possibility is that the titanium wire I'm using looks MUCH thinner than what you have in your video. My spool says it's 28 gauge which is what your link to the wire says it is. Do you think twisting two or three (or more) lengths of wire together might make a difference and allow me to achieve a green color with the 12 batteries?
Thanks in advance Brian and happy New year.
Id add 1 more 9 volt battery for a green/blue. Gotta factor in the weight.
Hey William! It has been a minute, I've been crazy busy with the ring shop. I'm definitely not complaining, but I just haven't had much spare time to film. I finally got a bit of a reprieve after Christmas here, so I figured I'd get a quick video up.
I might be a bit young for original episodes of laugh in, but my mom introduced me to some of the re-runs when I was little. I totally get the reference! It's funny, I say that frequently but till your comment I couldn't remember where it came from, hahaha!
As far as your issues anodizing are concerned, I would say the first step is getting a cheap multi-meter. You can pick one up for probably less than $10 at Tractor Supply. Just guessing, but I would say you probably have a bad battery in the bunch. I've had that problem before as well with batteries, and without testing them it makes you want to pull your hair out, lol. I wouldn't worry about the size of your ti wire. I only used the larger wire because it was what was closest to me when I started filming. I have 28 gauge wire as well that I frequently use to anodize, and don't have any issues. I definitely think your problem lies in one of your batteries. That would be the first thing I checked if it were me.
Anyway, hope that helps, and thanks for watching! If I can help with anything else, feel free to message me any time! 👍🏼👊🏼
🔥💯when are you doing the black titanium? I've been watching and waiting. 🙏 I have a piece I want to do and didn't want to do the heat and oil method. 💯🔥
Can you do a video on the shades of green? I am trying to somewhat closely match or accent a small sheet (4”x5”ish) of titanium to a green leather dye. Or, I could send you a sample of leather and see if it can be matched. Would you take a small custom anodizing job like that? Either way I think a video on the shades of green would be great to see, because I can’t find too much info on the green shades for titanium. Thank you.
Green can be a tough color to get just right. I wouldn't mind doing a video on it though. Do you have a good picture of the color you're trying to match? If you email me at sharpknifenuts@gmail.com
We can discuss this a bit more. I'm all for helping you out. If you have a good pic of the color you can send over, that would be extremely helpful.
wow amezing ser wath this slushon cemecul how plz ful prosis help plzzz
I am going to get the items in your description to anodize titanium frame lock knives that I make. What finish do you recommend for knife scales? Bead blasted? Scotchbrite belts? Hand sanding?
Hello there, I was wondering if you could tell me what the process is to prepare bead blasted titanium for anodizing? Thanks.
I think I got a crappy supply off Amazon smh. Seemed nice enough, rated for 120v and 3amp but with a piece as large as a knife scale, the damn thing eventually stops at 91 or so and switches to current mode. I've achieved green on a small piece of Ti @ 94 volts or so but looks like I won't be able to do it with any of my knives!
Can i ask i have my titanium green i wanna back into silver what chemical to use?
Whink rust and stain remover, or Multi-Etch. Multi-Etch is more expensive, but safer to use. Whink is what I use in most of my videos. The active ingredient in Whink is hydrofluoric acid which is some nasty stuff. Make sure to use proper PPE. Stay safe
how to neutralize anodize like before? Do you use chemical liquid ?
That's really cool. I like how you can dial it up for different colors. Does this work for knife blades?
It'll work on anything titanium. Blades, probably not unless it's titanium, but it'll work on titanium knife scales.
Can you polish the titanium to give it a super smooth feel? Would you polish before or after the process?
Yes you can, you would need to do it prior to anodizing because if you do it after you'll remove the ano.
I got.the same one! It's awesome. So bro...how the hell do they do like a crazy lightning pattern...almost looks like electricity through wood if you know what I mean. Or like the zues anodizing pattern. So cool but not the slightest idea how
How much water and baking soda for the mix did you add?
Very Cool, thanks
Thanks for watching! 👍🏼👊🏼
Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
Before going through the buying of all the parts ….. would this work on stainless steel
I'm assuming you're referring to the anodizing, and the answer is no, this process as is will not work on stainless.
Nice man! Obliterated that subscribe button!
Thanks brotha!👍🏼👊🏼
may i know? what are the ingredients and how many amperes and how many volts should the power supply be?
Hey, I've watched your videos and they're awesome! Really informative, I've actually decided to start doing a bit myself, I'm looking at a power supply and I've found one that does the voltage range but it's a 0 - 375mA, is that enough?
Thanks! Sorry for the late reply, just saw your message. Have you already got your power supply? If not, I have a link to the exact one I use here - TekPower TP12001X 120V DC Variable Switching Power Supply Output 0-120V
amzn.to/2ZHkP7l
Which type of metal have you used for anodized? Is it titanium to titanium ? Or any other metal??? Please tell me the details.
it's titanium. Check out the full tutorial on the channel here for the complete "How-To"
Do you wait for the Whink to stop bubbling, or will it never stop?
It will continue to dissolve the titanium until either there's so much titanium in the solution that it can't take any more, or it eats all of the titanium and there's nothing left. I give it a good soak, 5 or 10 seconds and it's pretty well good though.
Pleeeeeaaase explain true black anodizing
Hi SharpKnife,
Thanks for the Video, really helpful...
I am really interested in doing Black Anodizing, Have you figured it out ? Its been almost a years, since you said, you will do a video.
Also, can you share, what's the other best method of doing it, other than, with the Power Supply ?
Thanks
I have one but mine keeps clicking rapidly, still works but that sound is a little unnerving
That is normal. You can hear mine doing it from time to time in the video as well if you listen closely. Off the top of my head I can't remember what it is that does it, but it isn't anything to be concerned about.
how long does it take for it to turn green ?
Turns green around 100 volts
Pls type the name of all acids and quantity how much include
I'm having trouble getting those higher voltage colors. The anodized layer looks like it's flaking off. What solution/electrolyte are you using? Just a satured solution of baking soda?
Sorry, just saw this. Yes, distilled water saturated with baking soda. Some grades of titanium are hard to achieve green on. I've found that a good etch helps. I don't always etch, but in order to achieve green I almost always have to.
Very cool
Thanks, glad you dig it!👍🏼👊🏼
How much would you charge to do knife scales?
Sorry, Just saw this. If you're still interested email me ApollosRings@gmail.com
Show me the black anodizing using a power supply!
great video, whats your take on heat anodizing?
Thanks! Heat anodizing works very well for certain applications, and can definitely look awesome, but it's considerably harder to control. I prefer the control with electro-anodizing for most applications I do. The other reason I prefer it over heat ano is because some parts are susceptible to warping with the heat.
@@ApollosRings awesome! So electro anodizing works best with titanium?
Both methods work great on titanium, but for certain applications heat just doesn't make sense. If I'm doing a knife scale with a lock bar, the heat can screw that up if too much heat is applied. There is no concern when using the electo method.
Have you done a video with Timascus
Not yet, I do have one coming up though, tay tuned! Thanks for watching! 👊🏼👍🏼
Do black anodizing, i think i know how to do it, heat + quench in wd40... repeat till happy?
Yeah, you'll get black, but it isn't true black ano. It won't hold up nearly as well. There is a process to achieve true black ano, but unfortunately it's considerably more complicated than I originally thought.
Amazing series of videos but I can't get the greens and teals!
They can be crazy hard to get. I've noticed if I don't have a really good etch from the start I'll have issues hitting green. Also when I progressively work up to it I can rarely get the color I want. I usually have to set the voltage exactly where it needs to be, have a etched piece in the bath ready, then connect the positive to the wire. That's how I can achieve it on a frequent basis. Sometimes different grades of ti I'm unable to get green as well.
@@ApollosRings thanks for the reply! Sounds like it's time to pick up a power supply, I have tried everything I can with a proper etching bath and 9volts, using different pieces of Ti and can't find a proper bright green...
What do you use for the electrolyte in your bath?
@@ApollosRings a tbsp or 2 of baking soda into a cup or 2 of water.
Did you ever upgrade power supply? I got the one you have and it gave me alot of problems! Initially worked fine but I noticed if I took the piece out and dunked it again the machine would click the switch it would be on amps in electro solution and when I pulled out would go back to volts was crazy to me then when I somehow figured out if I shut the machine off and unplugged it then it would resort back to normal but then I noticed that I could barel up the volts the amps would stay at 1 amp forever and not come down, water was getting warm not hot just crazy im sure it was user error but did or do you have issues with it? I do small things as well im not doing like a wheelchair frame or anything to where the ratios would be off but Im new at this as well so figured I would ask.
Any tips on anodizing aluminum
Hi, can you go back from green to the inicial tones?
I've caught the titanium bug, then I seen your vids and I have try my hand at annodizing. Do you get good results with 9 volt batteries? Should I just buy a power supply in the long run you will spend just as much on 9 volts.
If you're careful and don't ever accidentally let the leads touch you can make a full set of 9 volts last a very long time. That being said, you really can't beat the adjustability and ease of use you get with a dedicated power supply. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get one personally, especially now that I use it for my business as well. If you have the extra $ to put out for the power supply you won't be disappointed.
What are the properties of titanium mixed with pure water?

I'm not sure I understand what you're in search of. What do you mean?
Could this method work for a Titanium bike frame or is that too large a piece of metal?
You could absolutely do this with a bike frame. You could do the sponge method as well if you didn't want to submerge the frame in a large tub. I have a video on the sponge method up on the channel as well, if you're interested.
Black would be cool to see, is a red possible?
Im looking forward to the black for sure! There are a few shades of pink, but that's about as close as it comes to red unfortunately.
Me quedé esperando el color negro
What surface does the opener have? Can you bead blast it?
It looks like some sort of a blasted finish to start with, but yes, I don't see why you couldn't bead blast it.
What is the wink?
ser how gold coler plz ???
Can you use tsp for the water mix?
Yes, you absolutely can.
Can you tell me which chemical is used for anudizing titanium green cloud?
You do some great videos on anodizing titanium, really enjoyed them and have started experimenting myself. One thing that isn't working for me is the etching side of things. I live in the UK and can't get Whink or even Titan-etch. Do you know of any alternatives that I could use in the UK? The only other way around it would be to use Sulphuric Acid used as an electrolyte instead but you have to have a license for that stuff here. Anyway, keep up the good work.
Thanks, glad you dig the videos! As far as your etching problem is concerned, have you tried looking into Multi-Etch? I'm not super familiar with what's available in the UK, but I know that Multi-Etch is supposed to be a acid free etchant, and may be more readily available over there. I'd definitely be interested to know what you find out if you decide to go that route. Cheers!
@@ApollosRings Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately Multi Etch is also not available here. I do work in engineering and there is a product I use that cleans off parts used in an Wire EDM machine. It's supposed to be acidic based but not sure if it would do the same job, it certainly removes the corrosion on the EDM. I'm going to try that as an etchant and see if it works. It's hard to find anything that does the job here.
Oh man, sorry to hear that. I'll see if I can dig up any other options for you. I know that the active ingredient in the Whink is hydrofluoric acid at around 3% in solution, but I'm also assuming that's why you probably can't get it there. If you can get ahold of some of that you'd definitely be in business. Just gotta be extremely careful with that stuff, it's super nasty stuff.
@@ApollosRings HF Acid is the stuff they actually recommend and then tell you that it can melt through anything including your bones and metal and only certain plastics can stop it. I tell my friends here and they tell me that in Breaking Bad they used it to melt bodies. So, your warning is on point there, definitely wouldn't be able to get that without a license. I'll try my EDM acid cleaner this end and see if that works. Anything else you come up with is appreciated.
Yeah, HF acid is really no joke. If handled properly it can do really amazing things, but if improperly handled it can absolutely do some horrific things as well. I'll see what else I can come up with and keep you posted.
Does it give off toxic fumes like aluminum?
The actual process of anodizing doesn't, but if you're using a chemical to strip the ano from a piece, you'll want to do that in a well ventilated area.
@@ApollosRings If I don't want to use chemicals can I just use something abrasive?
Yes, you can mechanically remove anodizing with an abrasive. Scotch-Brite pads work well.
im curious what you mean by black anodizing, do you have any links to what that is?
I was curious as well. I have a large PDF file that I will share along with the video. I was always under the impression that black was impossible, but through this process it can be done. It's obviously a bit more complicated than traditional anodizing. From what I understand it's sort of a trade secret in the coatings industry, but one of my subscribers actually forwarded the information to me. It looks like the process is used quite a bit in aerospace, and industrial applications. I believe there is a titanium bicycle manufacturer that is using the process as well. I'll include links with all of my research in the video.
@@ApollosRings i cant wait because if i could use my anodization setup to blacken, that would amazing :) only method i know of is using some sort of oil and then torching at low temp.
That was the method I was aware of as well till I came across this. I'm pretty excited about it as well! Stay tuned, I'm probably going to try and have that up in a week or or two. Just waiting on a delivery.