broken when chopping!!

[amiga]

Yep, i know it's still a "sacred cow", no matter how many cheap, flawed products they pump out in China. Decent technical, constructive advice: don't buy Cold Steel products, they were good in the past, but the new ones are unreliable.

 

[TheGame]

Yep, i know it's still a "sacred cow", no matter how many cheap, flawed products they pump out in China. Decent technical, constructive advice: don't buy Cold Steel products, they were good in the past, but the new ones are unreliable.

This, is in my experience, false. I have a Carbon V Recon Scout, as well as the SK5. The SK5 I have put through more use, and is still holding quite strong. Hasn't had anything happen to it. I have also seen many of their Kuhkris from recent times be tested extensively with nothing happening to them. There is absolutely no reason for this type of post.

On topic, see if CS will replace it for you. Let us know what happens, too.

 

[scrumpy jack]

This happened sometime ago, i never got in touch with cold steel regarding this i won it on an aution site but it was unused, as mentioned the NDT guy where i work said the tang at some point had been welded on, if you look close you can just see it under the coating, this would have otherwise been consealed under the handle. I took the rest of the tang out of the handle, removed the remaining coating off the tang, V preped it, purged the back with argon and welded it up myself, i think it was AMS 5822 i used as filler wire. My friend has had it since then where its remained in active service . Intact.

 

[zhangmaster12]

This happened sometime ago, i never got in touch with cold steel regarding this i won it on an aution site but it was unused, as mentioned the NDT guy where i work said the tang at some point had been welded on, if you look close you can just see it under the coating, this would have otherwise been consealed under the handle. I took the rest of the tang out of the handle, removed the remaining coating off the tang, V preped it, purged the back with argon and welded it up myself, i think it was AMS 5822 i used as filler wire. My friend has had it since then where its remained in active service . Intacted

PICS!

too bad about the Kukri, but i think you voided the warranty by welding

 

[Horn Dog]

I have used the old Carbon V kukris, the cheap kukri machetes in 1055, I think, and a newer one in SK5. They all performed well and held up to heavy chopping. Maybe I have just been lucky, but any company can have a few defective ones slip through. I have seen Ontario 18" machetes snap in two on a pine sapling, but mine have held up well. I would not let that keep me from buying Cold Steel or Ontario knives.

 

[amiga]

Ok, what is exactly Carbon V? What it is now, what it was 5 years ago? I have friends who use their old SRKs and Recon Scouts happily, and friends who bought them nowadays, and they can't keep their edge, the tang moves in the kraton handle, overall they feel and work like a cheap knockoff of their older versions.

 

[Big Mike]

...what is exactly Carbon V?...

Carbon V is just a trade name and not a specific steel specification.

It is often speculated the original Carbon V is 50-100B, I high carbon steel alloyed with chromium and vanadium.

Developed as a ball bearing steel it had the toughness to make a very good hard use knife blade.

Also know as 0170-6, It has been referred to as 1095 Cro-Van or 1095CV.

50-100B is one of my favorite steels for big choppers.


But what other steels have been called Carbon V is any ones guess, as it really is just a marketing term.




Big Mike

”Scaring the tree huggers.”

Forest & Stream

 

[kgd]

I'm going to side a little bit with Amiga here but without too much generality. The carbon V blades seem to have a great reputation. Alternatively, in the 2.5 years since I've been hanging around this forum I've seen more reports of broken cold steel knives than any other single manufacturing company. I'm told this has to do with the large market share they hold: sell many, many knives and even a small defect proportion gets reported often. However, it does seem rare to see broken bucks. You see the odd kabars broken but less frequently IMO than cold steel.

Perhaps there is a more of pattern to the breaks in terms of types of steels and/or models that are susceptible that would be a fun little project to research. Perhaps my memory is biased in thinking the way I do but it seems like a legitimate critique to me. Too bad carbon V is no longer available. Is SK-5 equivalent to Carbon V???

 

[koyote]

I'm going to side a little bit with Amiga here but without too much generality. The carbon V blades seem to have a great reputation. Alternatively, in the 2.5 years since I've been hanging around this forum I've seen more reports of broken cold steel knives than any other single manufacturing company. I'm told this has to do with the large market share they hold: sell many, many knives and even a small defect proportion gets reported often. However, it does seem rare to see broken bucks. You see the odd kabars broken but less frequently IMO than cold steel.

Perhaps there is a more of pattern to the breaks in terms of types of steels and/or models that are susceptible that would be a fun little project to research. Perhaps my memory is biased in thinking the way I do but it seems like a legitimate critique to me. Too bad carbon V is no longer available. Is SK-5 equivalent to Carbon V???

Possible that the reason for the large number of CS blade breakage reports is the sheer degree of abuse that they see. In my experience, due to the general lack of collectibility in the lines, and the price/quality ratio- more CS knives get purchased for serious crazy use than any other brand. I have a couple SOGs that could probably hold up to more abuse than a CS trailmaster, but they are worth well over $200 each! The cheaper government model I have would still be worth 2 to 3 inexpensive CS beater knives.

Now, all that being said- I have an observation- almost all the time when I see a non-abusive breakage like this one in a blade, it is a hidden tang and near the hilt. I've tried hard to make sure my hidden tangs are beefy, but why do yall think this particular thing happens?

 

[amiga]

Now, all that being said- I have an observation- almost all the time when I see a non-abusive breakage like this one in a blade, it is a hidden tang and near the hilt. I've tried hard to make sure my hidden tangs are beefy, but why do yall think this particular thing happens?

Maybe the tang needs to be differentially heat treated to remain more sprigny/tough?

 

[udtjim]

I ave had several of these without any problems, most likely a defect which can happen in any brand.

 

[EMT_Lee]

Carbon V is just a trade name and not a specific steel specification.

It is often speculated the original Carbon V is 50-100B, I high carbon steel alloyed with chromium and vanadium.

Developed as a ball bearing steel it had the toughness to make a very good hard use knife blade.

Also know as 0170-6, It has been referred to as 1095 Cro-Van or 1095CV.

50-100B is one of my favorite steels for big choppers.


But what other steels have been called Carbon V is any ones guess, as it really is just a marketing term.




Big Mike

”Scaring the tree huggers.”

Forest & Stream

It's a good steel, if HT'd right. I really like my BK7 in 0170-6. :thumbup:

 

[chewbacca]

Perhaps there is a more of pattern to the breaks in terms of types of steels and/or models that are susceptible that would be a fun little project to research. Perhaps my memory is biased in thinking the way I do but it seems like a legitimate critique to me. Too bad carbon V is no longer available. Is SK-5 equivalent to Carbon V???

My understanding is SK-5 is a 1095 steel from Japan. I could be wrong. I have several CS knives, and a couple of machetes. I haven't had any problems, but I will say that they are not as low cost as they used to be. I feel that I can find comparable or better quality knives for less money. The SRK retails for around $75, for the same or less I could buy a BK2 or a BK7. The trailmaster goes for $145-150...I could buy two BK9's for that price, or a Ranger RD9 and have money left over.

 

[kgd]

I tried to back up my earlier post with a bit of research. Used google and tried a series of search terms: broken, failure, snapped, damaged, breakage with AND statements to cold steel, buck, gerber, kabar, ontario.

I could not find a any notable anomolies for either company using this approach. There were a few cold steels broken, a few kabars (Becker being one) etc. but nothing outstanding. With that - I'll retract my previous statement.

Koyote - there is a certain truth to that, the guy who watches the cold steel video and then buys a big beefy 0.25" thick knife for $89.00 is probably going to use it very hard without excessive worrying about the consequences.

 

[Myal]

Now, all that being said- I have an observation- almost all the time when I see a non-abusive breakage like this one in a blade, it is a hidden tang and near the hilt. I've tried hard to make sure my hidden tangs are beefy, but why do yall think this particular thing happens?

the OP I think said that there was a weld in the tang

its possible that the welded area wasnt let cool on its own but quenched to cool the weld and it could have been a bit brittle at that spot . my theory anyway .. I dont know for sure .

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

the OP I think said that there was a weld in the tang

its possible that the welded area wasnt let cool on its own but quenched to cool the weld and it could have been a bit brittle at that spot . my theory anyway .. I dont know for sure .

I think he said he welded the broken knife together and it has worked since then.

The CS warranty might not apply in this instance anyway- I think it is 5 years limited warranty on fixed blades for the original purchaser. Not that I wouldn't try in this instance, but if the knife has been welded back together, no point.

 

[Myal]

This happened sometime ago, i never got in touch with cold steel regarding this i won it on an aution site but it was unused, as mentioned the NDT guy where i work said the tang at some point had been welded on, if you look close you can just see it under the coating, this would have otherwise been consealed under the handle. I took the rest of the tang out of the handle, removed the remaining coating off the tang, V preped it, purged the back with argon and welded it up myself, i think it was AMS 5822 i used as filler wire. My friend has had it since then where its remained in active service . Intact.

I think he said he welded the broken knife together and it has worked since then.

The CS warranty might not apply in this instance anyway- I think it is 5 years limited warranty on fixed blades for the original purchaser. Not that I wouldn't try in this instance, but if the knife has been welded back together, no point.

maybe we both could be right too

 

[Dekz]

The way I understand the original poster: it looks like there is evidence that the knife was previously welded (hidden inside the handle). Because of this, he did not contact CS for warranty but instead re-welded the knife himself.

 

[Ravaillac]

My understanding is SK-5 is a 1095 steel from Japan.

SK-5 is, basically, plain carbon steel at 0.8-0.9% carbon and minor additions, So it is something like 1085.

SK-5 is not necessarly made in japan. Only a japanese norm widely used in Asia, but could be steel produced in China as well.

As for CarbonV, Coldsteel CarbonV knives used to be made in USA by Camillus Cutlery, so CarbonV was basically what Camillus was using at the time.

 

[samhain73]

I had a TOPS knife do the same thing, when almost 1/2 of the tip snapped off, prying open a paint can. There was slight orange rust INSIDE the break. The knife was brand new, 3/16 thick coated 1095 and only used for boxes etc. before the break. (I figured 1095 at 3/16 thick and 3" blade length could handle 50 lbs of prying..) So it's not a Cold Steel thing, it just seems to happen every once and awhile unfortunately.