Materials for custom EDC parts
Titanium, aluminium, zirconium, copper, brass, stainless, tool steel and the laminates that go on knife scales. The designations a shop buys to, what each one weighs in a pocket, and where each one earns its price.
Metals, designations and density
Shops buy to the standard designation, not the marketing name. Put the UNS, EN or JIS number on the drawing and every quote prices the same bar. JIS titanium classes follow JIS H 4600. Density is in g/cm³ and is what decides how heavy the finished part feels.
| Material | UNS | EN / W.Nr | JIS | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titanium Grade 2 | R50400 | 3.7035 | Class 2 | 4.51 |
| Titanium Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) | R56400 | 3.7165 | Class 60 | 4.43 |
| Titanium Grade 9 (Ti-3Al-2.5V) | R56320 | 3.7195 | Class 61 | 4.48 |
| Aluminium 6061-T6 | A96061 | EN AW-6061 | A6061 | 2.70 |
| Aluminium 7075-T6 | A97075 | EN AW-7075 | A7075 | 2.81 |
| Zirconium 702 | R60702 | n/a | n/a | 6.51 |
| Copper C110 | C11000 | CW004A (Cu-ETP) | C1100 | 8.94 |
| Brass C360 | C36000 | CW603N | C3604 (close) | 8.50 |
| Phosphor bronze C510 | C51000 | CW451K | C5102 (close) | 8.86 |
| Stainless 304 | S30400 | 1.4301 | SUS304 | 7.93 |
| Stainless 316L | S31603 | 1.4404 | SUS316L | 7.98 |
| Stainless 416 | S41600 | 1.4005 | SUS416 | 7.75 |
| Stainless 440C | S44004 | 1.4125 | SUS440C | 7.65 |
| Tool steel D2 | T30402 | 1.2379 | SKD11 (close) | 7.70 |
"Close" marks a near equivalent, not an exact match. Chemistry limits differ slightly between standards, so name the one your drawing follows. More on the numbering system:Unified Numbering System.
How each metal machines and finishes
Titanium
The default for premium EDC. Grade 5 for strength, Grade 2 for colour, Grade 9 for seamless tube in pens and lights. Titanium conducts heat poorly, so shops run lower speeds and sharp tools, and it takes voltage anodizing with no dye. Grade 2 vs Grade 5
Aluminium
6061-T6 for flashlight bodies and most anodized parts. 7075-T6 has about 1.8 times the yield strength of 6061, at a higher bar price, and suits thin clips and scales. Both machine fast and take Type II or Type III anodize. 6061 vs 7075
Zirconium
Machines somewhat like titanium. Chips and fine dust are flammable, so shops control chip build-up and coolant. The black-blue finish comes from a heat treatment that grows a hard oxide layer. Bar is costly and slow to source.
Copper, brass and bronze
C360 brass is the easiest metal in the list to machine. C110 copper is soft and gummy, so it needs sharp tools to avoid burrs. Phosphor bronze is the usual pivot washer. All three patina in a pocket. Patina and tarnish control
Stainless steel
416 machines fastest and suits pivots and screws. 304 and 316L cover general hardware. 440C hardens for lockbar inserts and detents. All should be passivated after machining. Stainless compared
Tool steel
D2 / SKD11 and H13 are machined soft, hardened to typically 58 to 62 HRC for D2, then ground or wire-EDM cut to final size. Plan one to two extra weeks. Heat treatment for EDC parts
G10, carbon fibre, Micarta and engineering plastics
| Material | What it is | Machining note |
|---|---|---|
| G10 | Glass fibre and epoxy laminate. Hard, stable, does not absorb water. Comes in layered colours that show when contoured. | Glass dust is abrasive and a health hazard; shops cut it with extraction. Carbide or diamond-coated tools. |
| Carbon fibre | Carbon fibre and epoxy laminate, light and stiff. Twill or forged patterns. | Edges fray and delaminate with dull tools. Conductive dust needs extraction. |
| Micarta | Linen, canvas or paper in phenolic resin. Warm grip, wears in with use. | Machines cleanly. Takes a sanded or polished finish. |
| PEEK and POM | Engineering plastics for pivot washers, bushings and detent parts. | Thin washers need light cuts and flat stock to stay within thickness. |
Which material for which part
The usual choices, not the only ones. Part-by-part detail is on theEDC parts page.
| Part | Common materials |
|---|---|
| Knife scales and frames | Titanium Grade 5, G10, carbon fibre, Micarta, 6061 or 7075 aluminium |
| Lockbar inserts and detents | Hardened stainless (440C, 17-4 PH) or tool steel |
| Pocket clips | Titanium Grade 5, 17-4 PH stainless, spring-temper steel |
| Flashlight bodies | 6061-T6 with Type III anodize, titanium, copper, brass |
| Pen barrels | Titanium Grade 5 or Grade 9 tube, brass, copper, aluminium, zirconium |
| Pivots, standoffs, screws | 416 stainless, titanium Grade 5, phosphor bronze washers |
| Beads and small turned parts | Brass, copper, titanium, zirconium |
How to specify material on an EDC RFQ
- Name the grade and temper: "Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5, annealed" or "6061-T6", not just "titanium" or "aluminium".
- Say whether a substitute is acceptable. Left open, shops quote the cheaper option.
- Ask for mill certificates traceable to the heat lot if your customers or your brand need them.
- State hardness after heat treatment for tool steel and hardened stainless, with the test method.
- For laminates, name the colour layers and pattern, and send a photo of the reference you like.
How each finish behaves on these materials is on the processes page.
Questions about EDC materials
- Grade 2 or Grade 5 titanium for EDC parts?
- Grade 5 wherever a part carries load or holds a thread: frames, clips, pivots, pry bars. Grade 2 is softer, machines more easily and anodizes into deeper colours, so it suits cosmetic parts like beads and pen barrels that see little stress.
- Why is zirconium so much more expensive than titanium?
- The raw bar costs more, fewer suppliers stock it in small diameters and minimum buys are larger. The black finish buyers want comes from a controlled heat treatment that oxidises the surface, which adds a process step and a finisher who knows it.
- Will a copper or brass part tarnish?
- Yes. Both develop a patina in a pocket within weeks. Some buyers want that. If you do not, specify a clear lacquer or a plated finish, and accept that any coating eventually wears through at the edges.
- Can I supply my own material?
- Usually yes, for exotic stock such as Damascus, Timascus or a specific blade steel. Say so on the RFQ, along with the bar or sheet size, so the shop quotes the machining only and plans for any material defects.
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