Dang...dropped my knife

O

onejim

Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
453
Well, I dropped my knife....

The blade hit the back spring and broke the tip. Not sure if it contributed or made a difference, but I did lower the proud blade. It's a GEC 153215.

I'm a novice at sharpening, let alone removing enough material to eliminate the damage.

Any recommendations on fixes?

I'm contemplating all options:
- fixing myself
- sending to someone for repair
- sending to someone for a spear blade conversion

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jim
http://s1113.photobucket.com/user/o...2-49AC-A994-65E7EDCB1647_zpsdknodnhg.jpg.html
 
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meh --not too bad. It's just a tiny bit. I don't think a conversion to a spear is necessary unless that's what you want. It doesn't look like there's much of a bevel on it. Has it been sharpened at all? I think it could be blended in.

Here's your photo embedded...
 
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Ouch. Not unfixable though. Send it back or find the right guy to do what you want to it.
 
GEC does blade replacement. If you go that route, I would call them first.
 
Way I see it you have two options. The first and the one I'd probably recommend is just sharpen it back a little so the edge takes on a very slight curve to the tip, giving you the full length of the blade sharpened again. Just an absolute skerrick to get that tip damage melded back into the edge. other than that you could hone the tip of the blade, at the sheep's foot you will, perpendicular to the cutting edge until you remove the damage if you catch my drift. Still keep it a sheep's foot but lose a little blade length.
However I strongly recommend just sharpening up that damage a little bit until the missing portion is part of the cutting edge again. For illustration's sake imagine a sheepsfoot with a sort of scimitar type blade curve up to the tip.
 
Easy fix on that one! most probably the easier of all tip breakages to fix on a Sheeps-foot or Wharnie- Where the Spine of the Blade continues forward down onto the tip- thats where to take it back and re-introduce the Swedge line.



Draw a line using a vivid marker approx where you see the line on my copy of your pic of your knife.....

If you have a Linisher- I use one that has a side mounted Disc on it. Use this disc 320 or 400g - you will be surprised just how quick 400 will take that Blade tip Down!
Take your time! - dont heat the metal up - this can be avoided by only softly pressing the blade and then taking it away from the Disc - resting it before the Blade begins to get hot - have a container of water to ensure immediate cooling so the blade gets to be ground down softly before it begins to heat up again and repeat process - do it wrong and impatiently and risk the chance of ruining your Heat Treatment.

At no time do you even need to touch the Blade edge - except for the final stropping after the reshaping.

Once you have sanded the tip back only just a smidgen past the break ( on the cutting edge of the Blade that is ) - you can very carefully round the top of your Blade and blend it into the existing Spine, then reintroduce your Swedge and blend it into the existing Swedge.

Take your time and this will be done inside an hour easy without any heat to mess with the heat tempering.
 
I would just grind back the tip as suggested... should go pretty quick.

~Chip
 
Either of the previous two ways would work, but I think the easiest would be to just sharpen it out. If you blend the new edge in well back from the tip, the curve would be hardly noticeable. You would lose the least blade length with this option.
 
LastRodeo said:
GEC does blade replacements. If you go that route, I would call them first.
Click to expand...

This.

Or, I would go with Duncan's idea (post 8), but I would not be skilled enough to to redo the swedge line. I'd send it to someone more skilled than myself.

I'm honestly surprised a drop broke that much off and didn't just roll the edge or chip it.
 
Per Duncan's post illustration as a guide, grinding the tip back via the spine only is by far the simplest way to fix this type of damage. As previously mentioned, there's no need to even touch or repair the cutting edge itself. And doing it by the spine alone will keep the cutting edge dead-straight to the tip, instead of leaving it with an ugly upturned and rounded tip, which makes a sheepsfoot less effective for piercing tasks and will also be much more difficult to keep sharp over time. And those upturned tips just keep getting more so, over time with repeated sharpenings. The tiny bit of blade length lost by such a repair is essentially moot with a sheepsfoot blade anyway, as the length of the blade is seldom, if ever, a concern with such a profile, and for the tasks typically associated with a sheepsfoot.

One fast way to do it (I've done this) is to make a large 'file' with a piece of hardwood and some relatively coarse aluminum oxide sandpaper, OR using an AlOx or ceramic sanding belt, cut and glued flat on the board. Something between 150-220 grit works well for this. Use the makeshift file in one direction, going down the spine and moving away from the cutting edge at the tip. Support the blade in a clamp or vise while doing this. The grinding for such a repair on this simple steel will go very fast; shouldn't take more than 10-20 minutes, maybe less for the small chip on a thin blade. You could also use this 'file' technique with a stone (AlOx, SiC, diamond) in similarly coarse grit.


David
 
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Nice one Eric!
If you are going to do this job yourself- - Please remember there is NO need at al to touch the Blade edge - ALL the work will be done from the Spine with no loss to the edge whatsoever.
Theres two GREAT things that come from this....

1, if? you do the tip yourself as we suggested, you will be blown away just how good-of-a-job you can do, OR....

2, If you have a such a guy like Eric to offer to fix that Knife for you- I dont think you could get a more talented peson on this earth who knows more about Knives, so Erics offer is an amazing thing for you :thumbsup:
 
Send it to Eric!! Duncan's suggestion is perfect, allowing you the beauty of a sheepfoot, very slightly shortened.
 
Wow, this place never ceases to amaze me. Great advice, drawings, and generous offers of help.

How could I ignore advice from Charlie, or turn down Eric's generous offer to help.

Eric, I'll be reaching out soon!

Duncan, thanks for the drawing. I truly hadnent even thought of doing anything other than sharpening it out....which was less than desirable.

Brett, I'm just as shocked as you. I sat the knife and wallet/keys on a picnic table, the knife fell off the table and struck the asphalt. I immediately opened it and couldn't believe it. I was upset, but couldn't get too upset though...cause all my knives are users. I love the worn in look and feel. My grandfather didn't have any pretty knives. Getting this knife fixed will now carry a story and memory, especially with these posts, making the knife all the more valuable to me.

Woodrow, if memory serves me correctly, Big Biscuit did a Sheeps foot to spear blade conversion that stuck out to me. I'm sure others have as well. Though after Erics note, I'm interested in how that worked/works.

I've been MIA from the forum for a while. Life sometimes just changes/gets in the way. Look forward to getting back into it, learning more from you all, and most importantly ogling all your beautiful knives.

Thanks again all!

Jim
 
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