Max Knives TIKNU1+ — One-finger anodised titanium impact tool

Overview

Second piece in the TIKNU1 group, the TIKNU1+ keeps the dimensions of the natural version — 55 mm by 37 mm, 10 mm thick — and adds colour to them. The solid titanium goes into the bath and comes out tinted, while the tungsten carbide glass-breaker tip stays where it is at the front of the body. The 25 mm hole takes the index finger just as it does on the bare model. Everything that separates them happens at the surface: where the natural version shows grey metal, this one throws back a clear shade that shifts in strength with the viewing angle.

A colour that grows out of the metal

Anodising lays down neither paint nor lacquer. Under current, the titanium surface grows a very thin oxide film, a few tens to a few hundred nanometres deep. Light reflects twice inside it, off the top and off the bottom of the film, and the two waves recombine so that a single shade survives, set by the thickness of the layer. A higher voltage gives a thicker film and therefore another colour. Nothing is added on top of the titanium, so the shade belongs to the metal itself.

Technical specifications

One-finger impact tool in solid anodised titanium. The body measures 55 mm by 37 mm, with a thickness of 10 mm. Finger hole 25 mm in diameter. Tungsten carbide glass-breaker tip. The TIKNU1+ sits in the middle of its group, between the TIKNU1 left in natural titanium and the TIKNU1+C treated in multicoloured crazy anodising; all three share exactly the same dimensions.

Care

An anodised surface is cleaned with warm water and mild soap, then dried with a cloth. The colour belongs to the oxide layer: no product revives it and none is needed. Keep abrasive creams, steel wool and strong solvents well away, as they would wear that layer down and shift the shade. The metal itself fears neither damp nor perspiration. A careful dry around the carbide tip finishes the job.

Legal notice. Impact tools are restricted or prohibited in a number of countries and are frequently refused in aircraft cabin baggage. Check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.