Advice on how to lower SAK blade?

[cbr1000]

I busted the tip on a SAK Cadet. I figured no problem just sharpen the broken tip and file the kick to drop the blade tip back in the well. I sharpened the tip and moved on to filing the kick, but my SAK doesn't have a defined kick to file to lower the blade height in a closed position.

Anybody know what's the best way to lower an SAK blade into the well? I'm guessing I just file the entire tang? I just want to make sure because the knife has sentimental value and not seeing a kick makes me wonder if filing the entire tang might cause a problem with blade pull.

My other option is to file the top of the blade tip so it is in the well? I just won't have much of a blade left lol.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

The bigger concern, as I see it, is if you do file the tang, you may end up with the blade's cutting edge impacting the spring at the bottom of the well every time it closes. If there's already not much of kick (or any) to file, that's probably a clue that there's not much room for the blade to be lowered anyway. Blades with taller kicks usually have some room underneath for some lowering; little or no kick is usually the opposite. I don't have any recent versions of the Cadet; but of the Vic SAKs I do have, they don't leave much room for error, especially underneath the forward portions of the blade (from the 'belly' out to the tip).

I'd check first to see how much free space there is, between the cutting edge and the spring, for the blade to drop. If it already looks very close to bottom at any point along the blade's edge, I'd abandon any ideas about filing anything (kick or tang) to lower the blade. If so, that may leave regrinding the tip as the only 'fix' option, if you still want to pursue it.


David

 

[cbr1000]

Okay David, thank you

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

With my spartan lite, the area from belly to tip hits the spacer even without filing the kick. Better bring down the spine.

 

[NJBillK]

Why sharpen the edge back up and increase the cutting edge thickness?

Why not drop the spine of the knife down to meet the original cutting edge and maintain a better cutting geometry?
Then you wouldn't have to worry about the kick.

Most traditionals have soft enough springs that you can push the blade further into the well when closed. You can do this to measure the depth that you have to work with, but I wouldn't go that route. I would do as I have said above.

 

[deltaboy]

Take sand paper and sand down the bottom to get you your clearance, 2-3 mm should do.