Talonite Facts: Things That Will Totally Surprise You

Talonite is an alloy of titanium, nickel, and cobalt.

It has a very high percentage of cobalt. It was named after the Greek island of Talos, home to the mythical giant Talos.

The first documented use of talonite was in 1851 by French jeweler Pierre Cartier. Talonite is still used today in jewelry and watchmaking due to its unique properties.

Talonite is most commonly used in engagement rings and wedding bands because of its strength and durability. It is also a popular choice for men's watches as it is lightweight and comfortable to wear.

Talonite's hypoallergenic properties make it an ideal material for those with sensitive skin. Talonite was created for, and is ideal for, demanding service applications in harsh conditions such as saltwater.

Stellite is the name of a series of cobalt alloys developed by Kennametal Stellite in the early 1900s. Talonite is a kind of stellite, commonly known as stellite 6BH.

Another alloy in use to make knife blades is stellite 6K. Talonite and the other Stellite 6B alloys have half a percent more carbon than Stellite 6K, and the H indicates that the alloy has indeed been heat treated and age hardened.

Cobalt alloy knife blades, such as Talonite and Stellite, can provide a variety of qualities for the knife hobbyist or sportsman who requires a blade for a particular task. Cobalt alloys are utilized in knife blades because they are more corrosion resistant than steel and have a slicker base for better, finer cutting.

Cobalt produces a robust matrix pattern that retains carbide grains in place for improved edge retention.

The well-known cobalt alloys are talonite and stellite. The chromium and a small quantity of molybdenum in the alloy interact chemically with carbon during the production process to generate small carbide grains.

The alloy's wear resistance is due to the cobalt matrix's ability to contain these carbides securely. Cobalt Alloy 6BH (H= Hot Rolled Process) is Talonite, and Cobalt Alloy 6B is Stellite.

While Talonite is a fantastic alternative for high-performance applications, it is more challenging to work with than steel. As a result, creating a blade from Talonite requires more time and materials, and you'll spend more on it.

Unlike steel, though, the alloy can be cast. Talonite is also expensive in terms of raw material, with a pound costing roughly $200.

This is due in part to the method by which the alloy is formed. The procedure is time-consuming, but it was initially designed to be used in jet engines and was carried out without regard for cost.

Discovery And History

Talonite alloy was first discovered in 1849 by James Young, a Scottish chemist. He found the mineral while working with samples of titanium at the University of Glasgow.

Talonite is a very rare mineral, and it is not often found in nature. It can only be produced through a specific process involving heating titanium dioxide to over 3632 °F (2000 °C).

Because of its rarity, talonite was not commonly used until the early 1900s, when new mineral production methods were developed. Once it became more available, talonite began to be used in various applications, including jewelry, watches, and other decorative items. Today, it remains a popular choice for high-end jewelry and watchmaking.

Chemical Properties

Corrosion: Talonite has significantly less corrosive properties. Because of having only 3% of iron, it does not corrode easily.

The development of high-temperature, high-speed turbines for jet engines resulted in the creation of a new type of corrosion-resistant Haynes alloy. Consider a Navy fighter that draws sand into its engine when it takes off from Pensacola and sucks seawater as it lands on a ship.

Talonite is commonly utilized in sawmill operations like sawing green lumber. Talonite is an ideal material for dive knives as it does not rust according to conventional criteria, although it is technically vulnerable to chemical attack.

In most cases, weeks or months of exposure to a boiling 20% acid solution like sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid are required. Talonite was created for, and is ideal for, demanding service applications in harsh conditions such as saltwater.

Talonite Compared to Steels: Talonite is an alloy composed mainly of chrome and cobalt, with only a trace of iron. It is not steel because steel is made of iron. Steel is iron with a trace of carbon in it. (Iron-containing 0.1 - 0.3% carbon, with a maximum of roughly 2.5%)

Talonite alloy is not the same as steel and can't be compared on a one-to-one basis. The Rockwell of Talonite is lower than other steels, yet it contains carbide granules. It has a lower Rockwell hardness but is substantially more wear-resistant than steel.

Aside from the hardness of the carbides, it also offers a 30% increase in lubricity. Talonite is not a stainless steels alloy, even though it contains some of the same components. Talonite is far more highly resistant to corrosion than stainless steel.

Catalytic Chemistry: The metals used in an alloy are only a small component of what affects the alloy's quality. The quality is also determined by time, temperature, the number of steps, the type of procedures, and the quality of the components.

Talonite alloy is better because it is manufactured using more complex chemistry. A catalytic addition can make an alloy's carbide grains smaller, making them more wear-resistant. A catalyst can change the structure of cobalt bonding mechanisms, causing them to grow more slowly and uniformly, resulting in a framework that would be both softer and tougher.

Applications In Life And Lab

The versatility of talonite alloy makes it a valuable material for many applications. The benefits of talonite include its versatility, hardness, and durability.

In the lab, talonite alloy is used to support catalysts to increase their efficiency. Outside of the lab, talonite alloy is used in products such as knives, cookware, and cutting boards.

The non-stick surface of talonite prevents food from sticking to these surfaces, making them easy to clean. Additionally, the razor edge of talonite blades makes them ideal for slicing food without leaving behind any jagged edges.

The edge retention property of talonite is relatively high.

Finally, the hardness and durability of talonite make it an excellent choice for kitchen utensils that are regularly exposed to heat and moisture. With its combination of properties, talonite is well suited for a wide range of uses in both life and the lab.

Material Properties

Talonite is an alloy of cobalt and chromium. When manufactured, molybdenum and chromium interact chemically with carbon to generate Molybdenum carbide and Chromium carbide.

Cobalt creates a soft and robust cobalt matrix that retains the carbide particles in place.

This implies that a Rockwell or equivalent hardness test will test the matrix and produce relatively low readings, while the toughness and wear resistance are found in the carbide particles.

If tool steel keeps its edge for 6 - 8 hours, Talonite TM will hold its edge for 12 - 14 days, making it particularly useful for knives and other sharp materials.

The following are some of the physical properties of Talonite; Density -8.387g/cm3 (0.303 lb/in3), Hardness, Rockwell C - 42-49, Ultimate Tensile Strength - 195,000psi, Yield Strength - 121,000psi, Elongation %, break - 4.50%, Modulus of Elasticity-30,600ksi, Heat Capacity - 0.101 BTU/lb.°F, Thermal Conductivity - 103BTU.in/ft2.hr.°F, Melting Point (°C)- 1454 °C (2,650 °F), Electrical Resistivity - 546 Ω/cir.

Mill ft, and Magnetic Permeability - <1.2 @22 °C at 200Oe.

Cold Weather Applications- Talonite alloy also does not signify any changes in strength or usability at reasonable operating temperatures. This material can be used in making saws and knives in unheated paper mills and sawmills in places like Upper Canada, Alaska, and Upper Michigan.

Talonite is good for some things and bad for others. The disadvantage of the alloy is that it is difficult to cut anything hard with it. Talonite's cobalt is soft, and the cutting edge is poorly supported. The edge slides and stops cutting immediately as you cut something firm.

Talonite has unique qualities that set it apart from steel. It has no metallic taste and does not stain acidic foods. One of the reasons it's utilized in sushi and fruit knives for cutting citrus is because of this.

It also has a high degree of lubricity, making it exceedingly slippery. Because the material is so slick, you won't even notice it cutting the skin. The knife blade appeared to have grazed the skin.

Talonite's corrosion resistance can only be regarded as extraordinary. Talonite is so resistant to corrosion that it can be left in the sea for 1,000 years without corroding. It will corrode if you boil the alloy in a 20% acid solution like hydrochloric or sulfuric acid for weeks or months.

The material has been heat-treated when you receive it. On the Rockwell C scale, the toughness is in the middle 40s. The test demonstrates the cobalt's hardness. On the other hand, the cobalt matrix comprises extremely hard chromium and molybdenum carbides. As the gentler cobalt wears away, the harder carbides are exposed, which aid in cutting.

You can also use an abrasive chop saw or grind the knife blade to shape it to profile. The use of a bandsaw is not recommended. Grind the bevels with high-quality belts. Be aware of the material's high lubricity; if you use worn belts or apply too little pressure, the belt will slip instead of cutting.

FAQs

Qw: What is a Talonite knife?

A: Talonite knife blade is a razor-sharp blade known for its top-class sharpness quality.

Q: What does talonite contain?

A: Talonite is made up of chromium and molybdenum.

Q: What kind of metal is talonite?

A: Talonite is a hard metal alloy.

Q: Who founded talonite?

A: Talonite was founded by James Young.

Q: When was talonite discovered?

A: Talonite was discovered in 1849.

Q: What unique properties does talonite have?

A: It has very high corrosion resistivity and maintains its sharpness for a long time, making it ideal for knife blades and other materials.