AD-15 lock pin/notch deformation and wear?

Thanks Cold Steel.
I don't understand the discolored steel. Why wouldn't the entire blade (and tang) be heat treated the same way? Can you explain what exactly we're looking at?
 
My AD15 arrived today. This one looks and feels spot on* - edge grinds are even, and with the new heat treat on the tang, I'm hoping it'll be a long-term keeper. Thanks to the team at Cold Steel for getting this sorted :thumbsup:

*Edit - I should have looked more closely at the grinds. They're off. Not horribly so, but not all that close. Not enough to make me send this one back as well.
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Still wondering how one spot on tang could be harder than the rest.
Colored steel typically indicates that more heat was applied which would temper more and lower RC.
Can’t wait to hear the explanation!
 
Cold Steel Knives said:
I don't have an answer for you at this time, sorry. I'll work on determining why the color wasn't polished off in that section for you.
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Thanks, I'm not wondering so much why the color wasn't polished off as I am wondering about the process of achieving a differential heat treatment as you've implied. In other words, that area of the tang could be softer than the rest of the blade but not harder as I understand heat treatment.
Or are you saying that there's just more steel in that section and there was no change to heat treatment? That the coloring was polished off the blade but not the tang for cosmetic reasons?
 
Cold Steel Knives said:
Send it on in! We're working hard to make sure there's no further issues with them. They seem to be hit and miss which is unacceptable.
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so dumb question are all the original ones problematic or just some slipped through. if y'all are manufacturing differently that makes me think original are all problematic? mine seems fine but I havent played with it much.
 
I still think mine was a bad heat treat leaving the tang soft... Cold Steel Knives Cold Steel Knives did you guys Rockwell test it after receiving it?
 
Unfortunately my AD-15 seems to have developed a similar issue to the ones described in this thread. When I first recieved my AD-15 it had an almost undetectable amount of up/down play. Over time, the play has become more noticeable. The amount of play is still very small, but it is now audible. When I look at the where the pin interfaces with the blade tang slot, I see that one side of the pin has a very wide shiny mark while the other end of the pin has a very thin shiny mark. This seems to indicate that the blade is bearing down on one side of the pin harder than the other. Have a look for yourselves. I am considering sending it to cold steel but am hesitant since I am in Canada and shipping knives back and forth across the border is never a risk free process.

0iG8eBL.jpg


KDbIVJv.jpg


Any thoughts or advise?
 
I'd say it probably needs to go back:( It's such a heavily sprung non-flipper knife that I imagine it should be fine at the border?
 
bladeCraft124 said:
Unfortunately my AD-15 seems to have developed a similar issue to the ones described in this thread. When I first recieved my AD-15 it had an almost undetectable amount of up/down play. Over time, the play has become more noticeable. The amount of play is still very small, but it is now audible. When I look at the where the pin interfaces with the blade tang slot, I see that one side of the pin has a very wide shiny mark while the other end of the pin has a very thin shiny mark. This seems to indicate that the blade is bearing down on one side of the pin harder than the other. Have a look for yourselves. I am considering sending it to cold steel but am hesitant since I am in Canada and shipping knives back and forth across the border is never a risk free process.

0iG8eBL.jpg


KDbIVJv.jpg


Any thoughts or advise?
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Based on the anodization color of the lock “arm” this looks like the original batch that had this issue. The newer version has dark gray anodized lock arm. Should probably send it in for replacement.
 
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