Whether you’re field dressing an elk, preparing dinner for your family, or clawing your way out of a survival situation, your knife deserves the best protection possible — no weaknesses, no compromises.
That’s why we’re excited to announce that many of our upcoming knives will feature a PVD coating. It’s our way of stepping up our blade game — making knives that cut better, look better, and hold up to whatever you throw at them, all without losing that MKC craftsmanship we take so much pride in.
But what the heck is PVD knife coating? How will it help you in and out of the field? Let’s get into it.
What Is PVD Coating for Knives?
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a completely different process than Parkerization, an oxidation process that deposits a black finish on the steel, and Cerakote, which is similar to a premium paint applied to the blade’s surface.
Here’s how PVD works: The knife blades undergo a preparation process where they’re blasted to create the perfect surface. Then, they’re placed into a vacuum chamber along with a sacrificial metal alloy. This alloy gets energized within the chamber and deposits onto the knife blade, creating an exceptionally hard coating.
Unlike typical surface treatments, PVD coating integrates with the blade itself at a molecular level, creating a protective layer that enhances the knife's performance.
A Note to Our Current Knife Owners
Before diving into the benefits of PVD coating, we want to reassure our loyal knife owners who already have MKC blades with Parkerized or Cerakote finishes. Those knives were built to our exacting standards and will continue to serve you well for years to come. Both Parkerized and Cerakote finishes are tough, field-proven coatings that stand up to real-world use.
Your existing MKC knives remain fully covered by our MKC Generations® promise, just like all our knives. PVD coating simply gives us another option for finishing our blades while maintaining the quality and performance you expect from MKC.
We stand behind every knife we’ve ever made, regardless of its finish.
Why We’re Using PVD Knife Coating and Its Benefits
The decision to adopt the PVD knife coating process wasn’t made overnight. After careful evaluation, several factors tipped the scales in PVD’s favor:
Performance and Durability
Is PVD coating durable? Absolutely. PVD creates an almost otherworldly hard surface that resists wear, scratches, and abrasion better than many other blade finishes.
PVD coatings are known for their exceptional lubricity — basically, they’re slippery in the best way. For our hunting knives, the PVD coating undergoes a 220-grit blast (compared to the coarser 60-grit blast used for Parkerized finishes), creating a much smoother surface. But it’s the PVD’s natural low-friction properties that really make the difference. Your blade glides through meat, hide, and tough materials with less drag and resistance.
If you’re out there field dressing game, trudging through wet conditions, or just putting your knife through the wringer, you’ll notice the difference. Your blade will keep looking sharp even when you’re beat, and you won’t have to baby it as much between hunts.
Aesthetic Consistency Across Materials
We’ve built our reputation partly on our knives’ distinctive appearance. One of the biggest advantages of PVD coating is that it allows us to achieve our classic MKC look across our entire knife lineup.
Once upon a time, we could only achieve our signature black finish on certain steels, particularly our 52100 carbon steel. Now, we can use PVD coating on both our 52100 carbon steel and stainless steel knives, including MagnaCut. This gives us more flexibility in design and allows you more options without sacrificing the aesthetic you love.
If you’re concerned about your new PVD-coated knife looking different from your existing MKC blades, rest assured that we’ve worked hard to maintain our signature aesthetic. The PVD gives our blades that distinctive black finish you’ve come to associate with MKC knives, so whether you’re using one of our culinary knives or taking a hunting knife into the field, you’ll still have that recognizable MKC look and feel.
Of course, PVD coating isn’t without limitations. For instance, PVD can’t achieve the same bright, vibrant colors as Cerakote. Our blades that come in vivid colors, such as our blaze orange blades, will still be Cerakoted.
Maintaining Your PVD-Coated MKC Knife
Does the addition of PVD knife coating change how you should care for your MKC knife?
For the most part, the same care rules still apply, but there are some important details to note:
For 52100 carbon steel knives with PVD coating, you absolutely still need to use Blade Wax. The PVD coating is tough, but it’s got tiny, microscopic pores. Think of it like a super-tight mesh — if you leave your knife soaking in saltwater or other harsh conditions, moisture can eventually sneak through those tiny openings and reach the steel underneath.
When that happens, rust can form and start pushing outward, which can damage even the tough PVD coating over time.
Keep using Blade Wax on your 52100 carbon steel knives just like you always have. Think of the wax as plugging up those tiny pores and adding a shield against whatever Mother Nature throws at your blade.
Got a MagnaCut or other stainless knife with the new PVD coating? Same deal as before. These steels naturally fight off rust better, but a little Blade Wax goes a long way to keep them looking sharp and protected when they’re tucked away in your drawer or pack.
Bottom line? Treat your PVD-coated knife like the badass tool it is, and it won’t just have your back — it’ll have your kids’ and grandkids’ backs, too.
Final Thoughts on Our New PVD Knife Coating
Adopting PVD coating is just another way we’re providing you with the best possible tools for your needs. This durable, high-performance PVD knife coating enhances our knives’ functionality and maintains the distinctive MKC aesthetic that sets our blades apart.
Whether you’re a hunter who needs a reliable blade in the field, a chef creating culinary masterpieces, or a collector who appreciates the look of a well-made knife, we’re confident our PVD knife coating will meet or exceed your expectations for Montana Knife Company’s products.
As always, we stand behind our knives with our MKC Generations® promise, guaranteeing that your investment in an MKC knife is protected throughout its life — even if that outlasts yours.
by Josh Smith, Master Bladesmith and Founder of Montana Knife Company
