Is my BK9 chipped?

[Bladite]

poncho! villa!

 

[slapper]

I know nothing about files. Is there one you would recommend? Brand? Grit? Are files graded by grit? I'd like to know for my own dumb chips and dings.

A mill file is for a smooth finish, and a flat file(double cut) is for rapid stock removal. I recommend a mill file.

 

[Toooj]

HardTripper,

I believe our very own Flexxx has it correct. The tip has lost a bit of the powder coating exposing some of the tip metal. It should not be any problem. A good reprofiling or sharpening of the cantle will probably make most of it disappear.
If you think it is a problem, send it back to KA-BAR (my attention) and I'll exchange it for you.
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives

 

[HardTripper]

Thanks Tooj, Ill see how well I can smooth it out and if it keeps me up at night Ill send it your way. I am however ordering another Becker right now cuz I love this service and wouldn't want any other knife, when the designer and senior engineer jump to respond to a guy with chipped coating you know you've found the right place. Thanks so much guys.

 

[upnorth]

That's not a chip.

THIS is a chip.

 

[Shotgun]

I know nothing about files. Is there one you would recommend? Brand? Grit? Are files graded by grit? I'd like to know for my own dumb chips and dings.

I have a Nicholson medium bastard file. It has a double cut on one side and a single cut on the other. The double removes a lot of metal and I used that to profile my trail hawk. The single is finer and puts a useable edge on so that you can continue to refine it with higher grit sharpening systems. The full process was double cut to establish the angles, single to establish the edge, then 400, 600, 1000, and I think I stopped at 1500. Can cleanly slice paper now. Except for the little nick I picked up from somthing hard. Why can't the woods be gentle on blades?