Absolutly sick to my stomach.....

B

badasp118

Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
105
I just bought this AK Bowie off of the exchange, and I dont think it had ever been used as it was perfect. I took it with me to a boyscout camporie, that I took a bunch of the kids from the Military School too. I pulled out my new AK Bowie and started to cut down a green sapling. I was starting to teach them how to build a lean too. I cut several small branches off and I started to cut down the sapling which was about three inch's thick and I heard a pinging sound and this is what occured. Is there any way to fix it? It was so perfectly mirror finished, but I bought it for a user. I was so disapointed I dont know if I will buy another HI product. any ideas. I really liked this knife alot. It felt so good in the hand...........

Badasp118
SSG Stahl
akboowie.jpg
 
hi there

you have to wait for aunty or kada to comment on that. as far as i know the warranty is bound to the original buyer - not the product itself. it does look fixable though. ask a professional grinder if he/she can put a new axe grind on the knife. the convex bevel will be small but should be workable.
 
Yeah I doubt that they will warranty it, as im not the original owner. I just wish I knew someone that could fix it. I was so excited about this knife, just built a cool new sheath for it, and was so phyched to use it. It just feels like such a waste..........I really wish I had just bought a new one, although Im shure it had never been used. I had a professor at the school look at it and he said it looked like a stress flaw from when it was a leaf spring, and probably had a micro crack (stress fracture) from forging that was not visible to the naked eye, and when I sunk it into the sapling it broke.........:barf:

Badasp118
SSG Stahl
 
this sort of thing is exactly why Yangdu is in Nepal right now.... someone screwed up the heat treat
that does not look fixable via sharpening, unless you want a half inch shorter blade and know how to apply a heat treat yourself
 
yeah this one is going to be up to Yangdu. However, the warranty really is with the original owner and not the knife itself. Blame ebay and the like. Too many folks bidding on slightly used knives then purposely snapping them in a vice with a cheater pipe then sending the broken pieces back to Uncle Bill for a brand spankin' new knife.

Don't fret too much about it right now. Just be patient and wait for Yangdu to get back. That is a bummer though.
 
someone always has to ruin things. I really like the products and really appreciate the work that goes into them. But as I am a disabled police officer and have very limited funds I have to be shure that what I buy works well. I like the fact that the AK bowie is built like a tank. I was so shocked that this happened that I am almost afraid to use the BAS I bought for my son as a gift.
Badasp118
SSG Stahl
 
I encourage you to speak to Yangdu about this when she returns, regardless of what the warranty says.
 
The others are correct, the warranty only applies to the original purchaser.
It would however be at Aunties discretion.
She should be back next weekend. and i could discuss it with her.....

It's NOT a heat treat problem....and i will tell you why.
Because of the rust on the inside of the chip, i would surmise that it was an inclusion, either formed when it was a leaf spring or during the forging process.

Hold off doing anything until i discuss it with Auntie.

Worse comes to worse i can fix it for you, it will have to lose some bevel though.
It would take me a week or so to grind it out, sand, buff it back to shine and sharpen with my schedule and tools. We'd just have to work out getting it here, which would cost about $15-$17 each way.
 
Hoooooly crap, that's bad.

It's NOT a heat treat problem....and i will tell you why.
Because of the rust on the inside of the chip, i would surmise that it was an inclusion, either formed when it was a leaf spring or during the forging process.
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That seems like the most likely reason.

If I were in a very paranoid mood, and you'd bought it from E-bay or something, I'd be tempted to suggest someone had banged the edge with a hammer hoping for a replacement, then not gotten it, then glued the chip in place and sold it. Seems unlikely, though!

It's almost definitely a quality control issue in any case. I bet Yangdu will make it right, even if you don't get the "full warranty treatment."

I'm kind of curious, if it's okay to ask, which kami's mark is on it?
 
Once in awhile these things will happen. I had a chiruwa AK fracture like that years ago (I was the original owner). Uncle Bill replaced it for me and sent it to Art Swyhart for a regrind and heat treat. Several months later it returned with a slimmer profile and went up for sale as a blem. I recognized it and snatched it up - it had been my first HI blade and had sentimental value, so I was glad to have the opportunity "re-buy" it.

I'm Not sure if that one can be neatly reground given the location of the fullers, but it wouldn't hurt to ask about the warranty when Yangdu returns.
 
Actually I bought it from a very well known member of blade forums and I can guarentee that there was no funny business. I would have noticed anything like that. There is no Kami mark on this blade. It is a very early ak Bowie acording to Karda and others on this forum and slipped through unsigned other than the HI script. The Bowie is a monster and was a beautiful knife. I really fell in love with it. It was embarrassing though to pull it back after cutting a small green sapling and find a huge chunk missing from the blade. Especially after talking it up all morning and telling the kids how it was made in Nepal and had come half way round the world and how the kamis make beautiful knives with so little. But its no ones fault certianlly not the Kami .. just a flaw in the steel..... and no one could have foreseen that I guess......
 
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Badasp, I wouldn't worry too much about it at this point. Wait and see what happens when Auntie returns. Also, don't let this sour you on HI. Things happen, but HI has a long history of making things right. It seems like for every HI knife with a problem, there are many more chugging away as if they were possessed, doing amazing things! Did you also buy the BAS from the same seller? Speak to Auntie about your fears and see what she recommends. It seems Uncle Bill preached testing every blade ASAP to weed out any lemons quickly. IMHO, this is solid advise. I fear that some blades, especially DOTD blades, are purchased on impulse and put away until the buyer either gets around to using them or decides to liquidate. Unfortunately, the problem you're facing is a possible result. I wouldn't worry at all about it at this point. Take care.
 
Its weird, its not rust that I can tell, its more like and impurity in the steel. Where it broke away it looks like well "pitted old leaf spring" its a really grainey look. Almost like sand formed a pocket in the steel? I'm not really shure how to explain it. I bought the bas from Auntie so I guess the advise is good. Ill use it and see how it does. I should have taken it also on the campout. I will on next months. Especially as many of the kids I teach need the use of a knife. I provide cheapies I pick up, under supervision. Military schools don't t provide knives. LOL! I often use cheap chineese crap or donated knives for the kids and my knife for the good stuff. The campouts are good for the kids though, I actually have kids that have never been in the woods though and one of them told me it was funner than video games! Lol
 
badasp118 said:
I actually have kids that have never been in the woods though and one of them told me it was funner than video games!
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Not to derail the thread, but this statement made me smile. I tip my hat to you, sir, for providing outdoor entertainment for the kids.
 
Qeth said:
Not to derail the thread, but this statement made me smile. I tip my hat to you, sir, for providing outdoor entertainment for the kids.
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anyone who thinks that its hard to have kids enjoy themselves in the woods has yet to show kids how to build a fire

everyone is a bit of a pyro at heart :D
 
did you have a close up of the blade before it was broken?

I agree kids like to watch things burn
 
There are two threads down the list a bit that I had started about a week ago when I got it. There r good pics there.
 
sorry, I cannot see the pictures as I am in China now. Maybe someone might be able to spot if theres a hairline fracture that have been polished over.
 
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