Filing down a carbide glass breaker?

D

dozer2025

Joined
Apr 17, 2013
Messages
243
Hey ya'll, gots a question for youse.

I own a CQD Mark 1 Type E...nice big knife, but the placement of the glass breaker makes carrying it a pain. It's on the hilt and the knife is tip-down only, so I jab myself in the hand whenever I reach in my pocket. It's gotta go.
The glass breaker is tightly fitted into the handle, all efforts to pull it out with pliers have failed. So my question is...do you think it's possible to file it down? At least dull it? I own some diamond files I use for improving inadequate gimping and whatnot, but I am lacking in power tools.
I'm open to all suggestions.
 
do you know how its attached (did you undo the last screw )?
Have you tried unscrewing it?
Maybe you can file BEHIND the point, make two FLAT sections, then try unscrewing it?

since its very pointy and "carbide" tipped
I wouldn't try to file/grind it down with a file or diamonds :)

first I'd rub it on a brick, pavement... one dollar stone
or i'd cut behind the point with a hacksaw (or whatever)
 
If it's just tungsten carbide (I'm not sure what type of 'carbide' these are made of), either a SiC/AlOx stone or diamond should be able to handle filing the sharp point off, or at least gently blunting it. Usually doesn't take much material removal to make the sharpness go away. A steel file likely wouldn't be hard enough for that, as carbide is often used for cutting/scribing hardened steel & stone/brick as well. If you had access to a Dremel, a cut-off wheel for that might also work; I think the cut-off wheels typically use SiC abrasive. An alumina ceramic stone (Spyderco, etc) may or may not be hard enough to burnish & round the tip of it a bit; if you have one, it could also be worth a try.

If using a diamond hone, try just a fine/EF hone; use very, very light pressure, so the carbide tip won't gouge the nickel substrate on your hone. I suggest a Fine/EF because a coarser hone might be more vulnerable to having diamond grit dislodged from the nickel if the carbide tip 'catches' underneath the larger grit particles.


David
 
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Sandpaper is also an option that you can use to blunt it without risking your diamond stones or files.
 
You can buy an angle grinder and 10 discs at harbour freight for like $20. I dont care how hard the carbide is, the grinder will win.
 
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