Broke the tip off my favorite paring knife on a block of frozen ground beef this week

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Peak_Oil

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Nov 6, 2005
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The last time I broke the tip off a knife you guys convinced me to learn how to fix it by filing from the spine toward the edge, so that's what I'm going to do. I still have the files so I'm just going to fix my knife.

My wife wanted me to throw it out, but what the hell. I'm pretty sure I can return it to function without too much trouble.
 
I would file from the belly up to meeting the spine and carefully retain the curve of the belly. DM
 
If you want to keep the profile mostly the same just a shorter knife, filing from spine down to edge. Going from edge-to-spine route if you want a steep belly or tanto. The 2nd route is faster because of less metal involve. btw - high carbide % steel would ruin/dull your file.
 
As stated, you can go either way. It's your knife, and you don't seem too concerned about fixing it.

I would use a magic marker to draw the desired profile on the blade first.
 
bluntcut said:
If you want to keep the profile mostly the same just a shorter knife, filing from spine down to edge. Going from edge-to-spine route if you want a steep belly or tanto. The 2nd route is faster because of less metal involve. btw - high carbide % steel would ruin/dull your file.
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I'm sure OP has a stainless steel knife because it is a kitchen knife.
 
Invest in the little HF belt grinder and a few belts and you can then not only fix it but make all your kitchen knives stupid sharp!!
 
bluntcut said:
If you want to keep the profile mostly the same just a shorter knife, filing from spine down to edge. Going from edge-to-spine route if you want a steep belly or tanto. The 2nd route is faster because of less metal involve. btw - high carbide % steel would ruin/dull your file.
Click to expand...

I think most paring knives have a straight spine, not a drop tip.

If it's a drop tip, you would file or grind the spine, and keep the same profile, with a shorter blade.

With a "normal" straight spine, you would probably want to keep it straight. Going with the original grind is usually a safe bet.

If you colored the profile you wanted, I'd bet just about any machine shop would take care of it in 5 seconds. They know what grit to use to keep the blade from getting warm.
 
Any time I have done this, I have gone from the spine down to the edge with a belt sander (Work Sharp). Had to go real slow with the coarsest belt I had to reduce the heat damage. Dipped in water often.

I have only attempted this on cheap kitchen knives made from stainless steel, and then only with minor tip damage, usually from the owner (my better half??) using them for a pry bar/screwdriver. If I was presented with a good EDC to fix, I would probably pass or make sure the owner was aware of possible irreparable damage possible. I don't think I would have to repair a broken tip on any of my EDC's as I would not subject them to conditions that might result in this kind of damage. With the possible exception of some cheap ole throw away I might have that would not be a loss if ruined by my stupidity. (don't ask how I know this)

Omar
:rolleyes:
 
It's one of these

http://www.oneida.com/kitchenware/cutlery/openstock/paring-knives/paring-knife-11281.html

I very much like it in its original condition and wish I could snap my fingers and go back, but that ship has sailed. It's stainless. I don't think I want to work from the edge towards the spine because I'll be using a file and a vise to reshape the tip. I think I'd cut myself if I had the edge facing me instead of filing from the back. I guess it'll be a drop point when I'm done.

I snapped off about a quarter inch of the tip. Maybe I'll take some pics when I get a chance to do the work on it. Right now I have other responsibilities that keep me from working on it, so maybe next week.
 
Just chunk it in the trash and buy another one.It's 7 bucks and S.S.Sometimes wives know stuff.
 
You could still safely file from the front, just wrap the section of the edge that you're not going to be working on in a few layers of painter's tape. :)
 
Yeah, that's a drop point alright. 5 out of 6 of my paring knives are straight spined, so I guess I'm partial.

Most of the paring knives I sharpen have smaller blades with straight spines.

Grinding the spine down to meet the edge leaves you with a thinner tip, and grinding the edge to meet the spine leaves a thicker tip.

My point is that you can draw a profile on the blade to get a much better idea of how the knife will end up. If you like the profile with just dropping the tip, that's fine, and probably easier to accomplish with a file.

When I repair broken tips, I try to keep the original profile, that's all I was trying to convey.
 
Sorry to ask this question, but how did you break your paring knife on a frozen block of ground beef?

Good luck fixing it!
 
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