I brought and AK bowie probably almost a year ago and I noticed what appeared to be a barley visible hair line crack on the tang about 1/4 of inch below the front of the blade. Also on the sides the crack was noted to travel down approximatly 1/4 of the way down the tang after I removed the buffalo horn scales.
I dremeled the front about 1/16 of an inch deep hoping the line would disappear and that the side marks were just scratches but regretfully the hair line did not disappear. I even dremeled the sides oh so slightly hoping the those lines would dissappear no luck the same pattern remained. I knew then that it was indeed a hairline crack I should have sent it back but I didn't, I wanted to hopefully keep it so I decided to test it.
I wrapped the blade up with some junk mail catalouges (I guess they have some use) and tape. I layed the bare tang minus the handle scales on top of an elevated piece of steel and the blade edge down (wrapped of course) on a piece of wood on the floor. I then hit the back of the blade and tang area with a 5 pound hammer using moderate force, at the second blow the tang cracked right off no bend. That was not very hard to do at all.
In between blade and tang (I just split them) the top 1/4 inch portion appeared to be black and the rest looked brittle grey in colour. I there anyone here that can confirm or deny my suspicions that the tang was too brittle. I am glad I didn't attack a log with it.
I dremeled the front about 1/16 of an inch deep hoping the line would disappear and that the side marks were just scratches but regretfully the hair line did not disappear. I even dremeled the sides oh so slightly hoping the those lines would dissappear no luck the same pattern remained. I knew then that it was indeed a hairline crack I should have sent it back but I didn't, I wanted to hopefully keep it so I decided to test it.
I wrapped the blade up with some junk mail catalouges (I guess they have some use) and tape. I layed the bare tang minus the handle scales on top of an elevated piece of steel and the blade edge down (wrapped of course) on a piece of wood on the floor. I then hit the back of the blade and tang area with a 5 pound hammer using moderate force, at the second blow the tang cracked right off no bend. That was not very hard to do at all.
In between blade and tang (I just split them) the top 1/4 inch portion appeared to be black and the rest looked brittle grey in colour. I there anyone here that can confirm or deny my suspicions that the tang was too brittle. I am glad I didn't attack a log with it.
Yangdu is the one to contact on this one. It happens from time to time, but she should be able to take care of you.