Damascus EDC, the start of a journey: Est. 2017 (w. Dec 2024 update).

[mlamb]

Cody i’m glad you resolved your issue. I’m beginning to wonder, if CR should re-think the thumb stud due to the steel fractures? It doesn’t seem to be that common, but exists.

 

[BMCGear]

Hey people,

Since this thread got tagged in another post I thought I owed everyone an update.

I carried my raindrop for about 7 months. It was my daily carry and just looked better and better with age. The pattern stabilized at a nice worn-in look but never came close to disappearing or becoming unnoticeable. Why this thread died are two reasons:

1: Mainly I lost a little bit of inspiration to bother with posting after all my photos disappeared after the photobucket melt-down. I know.....I’m a whiner, but y’know.....kinda crushed my efforts.

2: Yowsa!!! I woke up one morning with a hairline crack in the blade between the thumb studs. I don’t think this has anything to do with using the knife or it being Damascus......just one of those things that happens with CRK. So....the knife is presently in Idaho receiving a new blade, which may end up Chad Nichols? I don’t know. I will see what they give me. I will let y’all know what happens and maybe reboot this thread when the new blade shows up.

Cody,

When a hairline crack like that happens is the user responsible for the blade replacement or does the warranty/company cover it?

 

[kidcongo]

Cody,

When a hairline crack like that happens is the user responsible for the blade replacement or does the warranty/company cover it?

It will be covered under warranty. They even sent me a prepaid UPS label to ship it back. It’s just one of those things.

If I could figure out where I want to host future photos I’d post some pics (open to suggestions). The crack is basically across the top of the blade between the double thumbstuds. Almost unnoticeable, but there nonetheless. Funnily enough I wasn’t cheering that I would get a new blade. I really liked the blade I had, and the character it had developed. Still....it is what it is.

 

[kidcongo]

Cody i’m glad you resolved your issue. I’m beginning to wonder, if CR should re-think the thumb stud due to the steel fractures? It doesn’t seem to be that common, but exists.

I like the thumbstud system they use with the interference fit, as it is so clean and solid and “forever”. I guess the challenge is if they press it in and the hole is just a tiny bit too small, or the thumbstud slightly oversized, something will eventually give. I imagine that’s stating the obvious, but there is a few knives out there that have had the same problem as mine, but not so many that I think it’s an issue that requires a design change.

I haven’t counted them in a while, but I have at least 4 or 5 Sebenzas that most would consider “users”, maybe even “hard users”, that get cut no slack at all. This is the first warranty issue I’ve had with a Sebenza, so I am not, under any circumstances, calling into question the quality of CRK or the Sebenza design. These knives put up with just about anything you can throw at then.

 

[Ajack60]

It will be covered under warranty. They even sent me a prepaid UPS label to ship it back. It’s just one of those things.

If I could figure out where I want to host future photos I’d post some pics (open to suggestions). The crack is basically across the top of the blade between the double thumbstuds. Almost unnoticeable, but there nonetheless. Funnily enough I wasn’t cheering that I would get a new blade. I really liked the blade I had, and the character it had developed. Still....it is what it is.

I’ve resorted to imgur, it’s easy to create an account and easy to use.

 

[Mike Large]

It will be covered under warranty. They even sent me a prepaid UPS label to ship it back. It’s just one of those things.

If I could figure out where I want to host future photos I’d post some pics (open to suggestions). The crack is basically across the top of the blade between the double thumbstuds. Almost unnoticeable, but there nonetheless. Funnily enough I wasn’t cheering that I would get a new blade. I really liked the blade I had, and the character it had developed. Still....it is what it is.

The Chris Reeve fan group on Facebook is great! As well as the bst

 

[TYPE-R]

Hey people,

Since this thread got tagged in another post I thought I owed everyone an update.

I carried my raindrop for about 7 months. It was my daily carry and just looked better and better with age. The pattern stabilized at a nice worn-in look but never came close to disappearing or becoming unnoticeable. Why this thread died are two reasons:

1: Mainly I lost a little bit of inspiration to bother with posting after all my photos disappeared after the photobucket melt-down. I know.....I’m a whiner, but y’know.....kinda crushed my efforts.

2: Yowsa!!! I woke up one morning with a hairline crack in the blade between the thumb studs. I don’t think this has anything to do with using the knife or it being Damascus......just one of those things that happens with CRK. So....the knife is presently in Idaho receiving a new blade, which may end up Chad Nichols? I don’t know. I will see what they give me. I will let y’all know what happens and maybe reboot this thread when the new blade shows up.

Hey Cody,
I EDC a Basketweave Damascus and if you'd like I can post pictures of the blade every couple of weeks. It doesn't see a lot hard use. Mainly cutting packing tape, padded and plastic envelopes and the occasional plastic strap, but I do use it everyday.

 

[Glock Guy]

Hey Cody,
I EDC a Basketweave Damascus and if you'd like I can post pictures of the blade every couple of weeks. It doesn't see a lot hard use. Mainly cutting packing tape, padded and plastic envelopes and the occasional plastic strap, but I do use it everyday.

I can't speak for Cody, but I would love to see how Basketweave looks after time!

 

[kidcongo]

Hey Cody,
I EDC a Basketweave Damascus and if you'd like I can post pictures of the blade every couple of weeks. It doesn't see a lot hard use. Mainly cutting packing tape, padded and plastic envelopes and the occasional plastic strap, but I do use it everyday.

For sure. This thread is open to a community effort. Feel free to add!

 

[TYPE-R]

Great! I'm not the best photographer so bear with me.

My Small 21 Bog Oak with Basketweave

Blade on the 1st day, June 2, 2018 (only took picture of the front)

June 26, 2018
It's picked up some light scratches on the both sides of the tip.

Front

Back

 

[kniferbro]

I’ve resorted to imgur, it’s easy to create an account and easy to use.

I use imgur as well. Set up an account specifically for bladeforums and its been super easy.

 

[ljusmc]

You guys are killing me! I had a Large 21 with DT Raindrop Damascus a few years ago and sold it in a fit of insanity. Now I feel like I need another one.

 

[WValtakis]

~Chip

 

[MIKE969]

I like the thumbstud system they use with the interference fit, as it is so clean and solid and “forever”. I guess the challenge is if they press it in and the hole is just a tiny bit too small, or the thumbstud slightly oversized, something will eventually give. I imagine that’s stating the obvious, but there is a few knives out there that have had the same problem as mine, but not so many that I think it’s an issue that requires a design change.

I haven’t counted them in a while, but I have at least 4 or 5 Sebenzas that most would consider “users”, maybe even “hard users”, that get cut no slack at all. This is the first warranty issue I’ve had with a Sebenza, so I am not, under any circumstances, calling into question the quality of CRK or the Sebenza design. These knives put up with just about anything you can throw at then.

Question for you, did the crack appear at a seam of the two alloys of the Damascus, or did it form in the middle of one of one of the alloys? In other words, was the failure caused by a separation of the alloys of the steel?

 

[kidcongo]

Question for you, did the crack appear at a seam of the two alloys of the Damascus, or did it form in the middle of one of one of the alloys? In other words, was the failure caused by a separation of the alloys of the steel?

No the crack formed directly between the thumstuds as if the blade was not Damascus at all. The “layers” in the steel were not part of the cracking process and nothing delaminated at all. In fact the crack is perfectly straight between the studs even though the pattern is wavy on the spine.

I believe it’s just the classic crack that some CRKs have been known to suffer between the studs. One day it was suddenly there.

 

[TYPE-R]

It's been a few weeks so thought I'd update the thread. Will probably do a monthly update going forward.
The knife was carried everyday but didn't get a lot of action. It mainly cut tape because we didn't get many deliveries due to the holiday.
Not much difference in the blade from the last update.
On a side note, the action has smoothed quite a bit the past 2 weeks and has become a joy to open.

7/10/18

 

[TYPE-R]

It's been a month so it's time to update this thread again. I still carry this knife everyday I can, which strangely enough, it's raining today so I'm not. Feels weird not having my CRK on me. It opened a lot packages this past month and broke down a few boxes which added light scratches. None of them are deep or take away from the pattern much and I don't even notice except when doing these updates. The tip hasn't rounded at all and the blade is still sharp which is surprising since it's still factory. It's not going to pop any hairs but will cut effortlessly. It's also starting to patina around the thumb stud.

8/11/18

 

[kidcongo]

Just a note:

CRK returned my L21 a couple weeks back fitted with a new blade. The thumb-stud crack had nothing to do with me using the knife, or it being a Damascus blade. I was told a certain small percentage of all the blades crack at the thumbstuds as the interference fit of the studs is difficult to achieve perfectly every time. It was just (bad) luck of the draw.

So my new blade is not Devon Thomas, but the new Chad Nichols Raindrop. The blade is no less gorgeous, but the etch is different. The CN blade has a much smoother surface than the DT had. It will be interesting to see how it wears. I’ve been carrying it for a couple weeks now and the normal process seems to be happening. Whether or not the pattern fades faster, or more completely remains to be seen.

I have yet to decide what to do about sharing images on this website moving forward. I keep kinda hoping that BF just follows suit with what other forums are doing. So until I figure out a plan, you’ll have to use your imagination.

 

[353]

Just a note:

CRK returned my L21 a couple weeks back fitted with a new blade. The thumb-stud crack had nothing to do with me using the knife, or it being a Damascus blade. I was told a certain small percentage of all the blades crack at the thumbstuds as the interference fit of the studs is difficult to achieve perfectly every time. It was just (bad) luck of the draw.

So my new blade is not Devon Thomas, but the new Chad Nichols Raindrop. The blade is no less gorgeous, but the etch is different. The CN blade has a much smoother surface than the DT had. It will be interesting to see how it wears. I’ve been carrying it for a couple weeks now and the normal process seems to be happening. Whether or not the pattern fades faster, or more completely remains to be seen.

I have yet to decide what to do about sharing images on this website moving forward. I keep kinda hoping that BF just follows suit with what other forums are doing. So until I figure out a plan, you’ll have to use your imagination.

Happy ending to the story, that's great!

What problems are you having posting photos?

 

[Mike Large]

Hit upload photo and just downgrade picture size. Should work perfect