Damaged my 1311 today:(

El Bandit0

El Bandit0

Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Messages
1,278
I spent most of today clearing brush at a local shooting range for an expansion project. While cleaning and resharpening this evening I noticed a bulge in the blade, apparently while cutting I ever so slightly bent the edge to one side. The bulge is not visibly noticeable, one can just barely make it out by eyeballing the edge from the handle forward, knife held edge up at eye level. This is one of my absolute favorite blades and I have used it hard but not abusively, and it has always served me well and outchopped blades much longer and heavier than it is. In my experience a bulge in the blade precludes a catastrophic chip, crack, or snapping of the blade. I do not believe the 1311 will actually break but would like to know if there is anything I can do short of sending it back to the Yard. I will not be able to send it until the end of next month at the earliest, still have quite a bit of clearing to do. Any advice is welcome. Please forgive the lack of pics, webcam's broken and I have no other camera at this time.
 
I say keep beating it. If it chips out bad enough they will send a new one. Odds are you can steel it back to shape.
 
Working on it with ceramic sticks right now, trying to get it back to shaving sharp. It really got a workout today.
 
Only problem I foresee is I don't think you will be able to get a replacement from the Yard. If it breaks, you will probably get shop credit. Fine and dandy except the 1311 is a dream blade and I for one would WAY prefer to have the knife. Maybe the Yard can fix it before catastrophic failure?
 
al g blenny said:
Only problem I foresee is I don't think you will be able to get a replacement from the Yard. If it breaks, you will probably get shop credit. Fine and dandy except the 1311 is a dream blade and I for one would WAY prefer to have the knife. Maybe the Yard can fix it before catastrophic failure?
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I'm not sure this is necessarily true, they should keep blanks on hand for a while to be used as replacements. Not saying they still have any, but you never know.
 
We all know scrap yard might take care of you,

but my advice is...DO NOT KEEP that blade...sell it right now...better if cheap...I´ll be checking the "for sale forum" ´til noon, "only to asist you in your inconvenience"... LOL.

Great knife that is.
 
I have had some rippling in the edge of my 1311 twice. Once was very minor and I was able to sharpen it out. The second time happened recently and is quite a bit larger and higher...Doesn't seem like I could sharpen it out. I guess I will just keep beating on it and if it really breaks contact the Yard at that time.
 
I had that happen to my 1311 when I first got it when they were new and a couple of other blades. What does it mean? Improper heat treat, or does it just happen sometimes?

I'd contact the yard and see if they have any more to replace it (let me know what they say), I think that's what they did with mine. I had the same thing happen to a much lesser quality, name brand chopper, sent it in and they bent it back. I haven't had any more issues with it, but is this the right thing to do, or does it need to be replaced?
 
Have you tried using a 'burnishing rod'? You can also use a smooth screwdriver shaft too, btw. You will need to work it back and forth at the correct angle to realign the edge, a good bit of force will be needed to push it back into alignment.
 
Tried to burnish with a ceramic rod, the bulge is not huge yet but at the same time I was not able to straighten it out. Gents, I have no intention of parting with this blade unless it is to be sent in for replacement. I will be contacting the Yard sometime this week, very busy today. Thanks for all the advice.
 
To me the 1311 is nothing more than a thick machette. Put a file to it and get back to hacking. Without seeing pics I'm being a little facetious!!! Seriously you should be able to clean it up with a large stone. I quit wasting my time with rods of any kind if the knife is a real chopper. I have been free handing sharpening all my life and use fine files on many implements. Sounds to me though a good stone would clean that up in a heart beat.
 
El Bandit0 said:
Tried to burnish with a ceramic rod, the bulge is not huge yet but at the same time I was not able to straighten it out. Gents, I have no intention of parting with this blade unless it is to be sent in for replacement. I will be contacting the Yard sometime this week, very busy today. Thanks for all the advice.
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Assuming that your edge ripple can be fixed by a burnishing tool, the ceramic rod is not strong enough to take the side force needed for realigning the edge. You will want to use a smooth (NOT grooved) butchers steel, or a smooth tool shaft. Clamp down the knife and really lean into the edge with the burnishing tool.

My guess is the Dan and Co. held back some blade blanks for warranty work, so are probably covered.
 
Gonna try again tomorrow with a screwdriver shaft, does burnishing out a ripple weaken the steel around the damaged area?
 
El Bandit0 said:
Gonna try again tomorrow with a screwdriver shaft, does burnishing out a ripple weaken the steel around the damaged area?
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Trying to burnishing out a ripple; metal fatigue would be my biggest concern. To my knowledge, bending and twisting metal allways makes it weaker.

H
 
resinguy said:
Assuming that your edge ripple can be fixed by a burnishing tool, the ceramic rod is not strong enough to take the side force needed for realigning the edge. You will want to use a smooth (NOT grooved) butchers steel, or a smooth tool shaft. Clamp down the knife and really lean into the edge with the burnishing tool.

My guess is the Dan and Co. held back some blade blanks for warranty work, so are probably covered.
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I use to do it with back of another knife blade. It is hard smooth and straight.
 
Alrighty, I burnished the heck out of it last night, it's a lot better now. Will be using it this afternoon again, expecting no problems.
 
El, all knives can have their edge become disaligned with use (especially hard use). The key is to burnish the edge before using it, rather than afterwards. If you would have continued to use your 1311 without burnishing the edge back to alignment, it is very likely that you would have chipped a significant portion of the edge away. I've seen a few 1311's that have roughly 1-2" diameter chips in the edge, which could be metallurgy or the result of poor edge alignment and hard use.
 
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