Got Crack?

NJJ

NJJ

Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
232
So, I finished this blade and was testing it like I always do and this little F#$*#$*&(#*$& crack appeared out of nowhere! GRRRRRRRRR! I didn't see or feel it until I was hacking up a 2x4...
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Anyways... just had to vent. It's 0.140" 1084 4" blade and 4.5 handle... This is my first cracked blade... from now on I am going to test them BEFORE I put the handle on :)
 
It might have been super small and not really visible until you started using it. It probably grew when you were hacking up the 2x4. That's sux man. Maybe you can grind up in there and get rid of it and keep it as a shop knife.
 
Always a bummer. Was it oil quenched or water. I generally ok so far never (knocks on wood) had a crack with oil but have lost several blades to water/brine. One thing I do that adds an extra step but is well worth it when I water quench a blade is take it to a very reasonable finish. Probably 500grit or higher. Give it a soak in ferric for a good 30 sec or so. Clean it off, I usually wash it with soap and water and give it a quick blast of wd40.

Then set it aside for a night. The next day go over it again with the final grit paper to clean up the blade. Sat it aside for a little while then come back to it. A big crack will show up right away but the smaller ones will take a little bit but will usually show up as a little line that appears almost to be just the finish but can be wiped away for the most part. Its kind of like doing dye penetrant testing but home brew version.

Ofcourse if you just get a dye penetrant kit it would be alot quicker I imagine.
 
Thanks for the tips guys. I think I will drill a hole at the end of the crack and just use it as a shop knife, still sucks though...

It was quenched in brine, I have done all of my 1080/1084 in brine heated to about 120 degrees. Not bad though, one cracked out of all of the blades I have done :)

Like they say in bow building - If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin' :)
 
Pretty good. I tend to go in spirts with brine quenching. Sometimes I will pull them all out ok and others not so much. Probably variations in heat and what not or how I do it. Still like brine the best usually. Doesnt smell when tempering, gets the 10xx series steels blazing hard and works great for hamons in the steels that will provide such. Its just the dreaded pinq is always in my mind.
 
NJJ said:
Here is my fix
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I wonder how long it will last?
Click to expand...

If the rest is sound, I'd imagine it would take a hell of a lot to break it.

Think about it, it's got more meat than many folders, and they don't break that often.

That's a fine looking knife btw. It looks very sharp, I like the tip a lot, the handle looks comfy and your mark is kinda cool.
 
Looks good. I like the proportions of the knife too.
The fix looks good. Kind of cool that the hole has the same diameter like the pin
It should hold quite well. With the fixed crack all what happened is that the tang became a bit longer and the blade a bit shorter. :)
 
Thanks guys. It is sharp! I took it down to a zero edge just to see how it would hold up, I figured it'd do ok since it was with thicker stock. I have five of these coming back from Peters in 1095 that I'm excited to get finished.
 
That really is a nice looking knife. Very utilitarian design. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next five look like :)
 
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