Frustrated with my 550

L

longbow

Basic Member
Joined
Jan 9, 1999
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4,366
Bought this a couple of weeks ago. Extremely well made folder. I mean I look at it, carry it and use it and wonder how someone could want the Hinderer that costs 3x as much at least. However the thing that is kicking my ass on this thing is the minor blade chips I am getting especially back towards the end of the edge cantle. I would say riccasso but it doesn't have one. It's driving me nuts. I get them sharpened out and cut something and they may or may not reappear and it doesn't seem to matter what the medium is. Now they are minor but there is one tiny chip that looks like it is a flake that comes off in the same spot. Anyways kind of nut when it comes to sharpening my knives and having the edges look like they should but this thing is just not behaving at all. Ok there, I feel better almost. keepem sharp
 
If you think its a quality control issue, you might follow up on it. That blade really shouldn't be chipping unless you are riding it hard, or have the edge angle thinned out too far, or both.
 
Sounds like something very wrong with the H.T. on that particular blade. I am a big Hinderer fan and while you alluded to the reference, I am addressing the jist of your post.
Sounds like a warranty issue (quality control)
 
Yeah, like powernoodle said, that definitely shouldn't be happening under normal use.

My guess is that when they were putting the factory edge on the knife the temper got messed up. That's what happened with my Tilt, which, rather than resharpening myself, I lent to Ankerson so he could put the Vanax 75 through his standard sharpening and testing process to see how the steel performed. When he first sharpened the Tilt and used it for some stuff, it was getting a ton of microchipping along the edge and just generally not performing at the lofty level that one would expect a 9% vanadium, Bohler PM steel to perform. But once he removed some more metal when sharpening it again, the microchipping problem was gone and the edge-holding performance was as good as expected.

My guess is that's what is happening here and that, after removing some more metal with another sharpening or two, you should reach steel that performs as it should. I'd try that before concluding that the issue is one with the HT of the entire blade rather than just the HT getting messed up along the edge during the factory sharpening.
 
As mentioned, sometimes the edge can suffer during the factory sharpening process, I heard the O.P. allude to the fact that he somewhat of a sharpening "nut" so it seemed as though the blade had been sharpened several times but was not only chipping but flaking, usually a telltale sign of a H.T. issue.
Maybe further sharpening will indeed get him there, not sure if possible but photos would help.
 
My factory edge was pretty bad. 18 degrees on one side and >25 on the the other. Not a huge deal since I did a 20 degree reprofile with my edge pro. After that it cuts and cuts without even needing a touch up.
 
rubiconss said:
As mentioned, sometimes the edge can suffer during the factory sharpening process, I heard the O.P. allude to the fact that he somewhat of a sharpening "nut" so it seemed as though the blade had been sharpened several times but was not only chipping but flaking, usually a telltale sign of a H.T. issue.
Maybe further sharpening will indeed get him there, not sure if possible but photos would help.
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Good points. Whether his resharpenings have removed enough metal will probably depend on whether he has been just trying to match the factory edge or whether he's done a more aggressive rebeveling. As I recall from what Jim told me via PM about the Tilt I had lent him, it was only after he had rebeveled it to around 35° inclusive (my guess is that it started around 40° or a little more) that the steel started performing like it should.

If resharpening doesn't (or, if the OP has already removed quite a bit of metal, has failed to) take care of the issue, I agree that a problem with the overall HT becomes the next logical explanation, at which point it would definitely be time to send it in to ZT.
 
neuron said:
Good points. Whether his resharpenings have removed enough metal will probably depend on whether he has been just trying to match the factory edge or whether he's done a more aggressive rebeveling. As I recall from what Jim told me via PM about the Tilt I had lent him, it was only after he had rebeveled it to around 35° inclusive (my guess is that it started around 40° or a little more) that the steel started performing like it should.

If resharpening doesn't (or, if the OP has already removed quite a bit of metal, has failed to) take care of the issue, I agree that a problem with the overall HT becomes the next logical explanation, at which point it would definitely be time to send it in to ZT.
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I agree. Going to 36* inclusive could remove enough material to then take care of the flaking the OP mentioned. Warranty is still in play so contacting ZT at any point is the safe solution. I think being knife lovers we all are willing/able to intercede and solve 98% of issues on our own.
We call the company when logical solutions are exhausted.
 
THanks for the input folks. I ain't saying it is a Hinderer per say, but owning knives from the few custom makers I do I am just trying to make the point that outside of IKBS bearings not used here the build quality and attention to detail is as good as I've seen on any folder I own. Production or custom. I've sharpened it free hand and I've used a Smiths sharpening system. The edge gets a super fine edge too for lack of a better word. You know how you can get 8a where it gets that real fine edge but doesn't last long, that is the type of edge I'm getting alot but this one lasts. I'll raise the angle free hand sharpening to swipe it off but those little rat bastard flakes along the back edge still appear. For instance I opened a large box containing a bowie this p.m. I had just sharpened the edge to where it looked great to me. Cut open the box, cut off all the crap wrapping on the bowie, cut open some lobster tails out of the pack and a couple of fillets and voila edge flaked in the same place. Maybe I'll give them a call. Sure is a put together knife though. keepem sharp
 
longbow said:
THanks for the input folks. I ain't saying it is a Hinderer per say, but owning knives from the few custom makers I do I am just trying to make the point that outside of IKBS bearings not used here the build quality and attention to detail is as good as I've seen on any folder I own. Production or custom. I've sharpened it free hand and I've used a Smiths sharpening system. The edge gets a super fine edge too for lack of a better word. You know how you can get 8a where it gets that real fine edge but doesn't last long, that is the type of edge I'm getting alot but this one lasts. I'll raise the angle free hand sharpening to swipe it off but those little rat bastard flakes along the back edge still appear. For instance I opened a large box containing a bowie this p.m. I had just sharpened the edge to where it looked great to me. Cut open the box, cut off all the crap wrapping on the bowie, cut open some lobster tails out of the pack and a couple of fillets and voila edge flaked in the same place. Maybe I'll give them a call. Sure is a put together knife though. keepem sharp
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Yeah, I'd say give 'em a call. Definitely sounds like there could be something wrong with the HT, especially in that portion of the blade where the edge keeps flaking.
 
If anything, the reviews on S35VN from several MFG's is that it rolls. Chipping sounds suspect to me and may indicate a MFG defect in the HT.
 
I think I fixed it. Lowered the edge cantle ie) sharpened the knife at a shallower angle. Used 19deg both sides on my Smiths sharpener and it appears to have alleviated the chips towards the back. keepem sharp

PS used the coarse stone only with just light pressure as I went along
 
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