Heat Treat Question

A

axlplayer14

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Dec 20, 2015
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I was reading the Kabar Catalog and noticed that they use a differential ht for the USMC knives. Just wondering, do they use a differential ht on Beckers also?


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Am I reading this wrong?..........all my Beckers are DHT? I have no hamons. I don't see any heat treat lines in my stripped Beckers.
 
Snakebreaker said:
Am I reading this wrong?..........all my Beckers are DHT? I have no hamons. I don't see any heat treat lines in my stripped Beckers.
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No, no. I believe the blade area has a normal HT and the handle area is left a bit softer.
I could be wrong, but that's the way I've always understood it.
 
Hamons generally require a polish and etch to be revealed. But hamons are actually from differential hardening, I believe. I THINK Ka-bar does a differential temper, which would produce a more even transition. (which would be revealed by the same techniques)
 
MKabar said:
That´s great, but please, stop using differential tip grinding method... :-D. Thank you. Every second or third member will be grateful :-).
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Back again with the same complaint on a different thread...starting to remind me of the bent bk9 guy...


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Snakebreaker said:
Ok.......now I'm confused. OKB, can you chime in here?
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I went back and did some digging. It appears this WAS correct at one point. Anything that was stamped or has a stick tang (like the Fighting/Utility Knives) is DHT. After the change over to laser marking the Becker line switched to fully hardened.

-OKB
 
Learn something new everyday!
Thanks for the post axlplayer14.
And thanks to OKB for clearing it up.
 
Thanks OKB! That's some great technical insight on the stamped vs laser Becker's.

Can someone explain in layman's terms what this means using a stamped vs etched BK2 for example
 
Stamping caused micro-fractures in the steel. Under heavy use, such as chopping or batonning, a blade would break in line with one of the vertical legs of the letters in the stamp. Not often, but frequently enough that Kabar shifted to laser etching the blades. Poof. Blade snapping dropped to virtually nothing.
 
axlplayer14 said:
Back again with the same complaint on a different thread...starting to remind me of the bent bk9 guy...


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I see your point, but another point is that the OP didn't get an "official" Kabar answer on the other thread situated on this very page, where he probably would've appreciated one. (Makes me appreciate even more Mr. Ethan's quick and helpful reaction!)

I, for one, would have been interested as well to see any feedback on that issue.

(Written while in close proximity to my BK 9 :). That I love, but came with a grind that rivals that of a 10$ Tramontina.)
 
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