Joe Just Got His Rtak!!

C

Commando Joe

Joined
Mar 6, 2002
Messages
7
I love my new RTAK. Its alot lighter than my original expectations. The sheath leaves room for modification, and there is a powder coating on the blade, I'm not sure what it is, given I don't know as much about blade coatings as some of you veterans do.

Ok heres my question, it could be a little sharper, I would like to sharpen in on my lanksy, I think it looks like 25 degrees, but it might not be because its such a large blade. Should I sharpen it on 25 degrees or 30.

Also, I'm going backpacking (actually bushwhacking) tommorow for four days, is there anything people would like me to test to evaluate it. I've never really tested a knife before, but I'm sure I could give some type of educational information on this beautiful tool.

Joe
 
Originally posted by Commando Joe
...I would like to sharpen in on my lanksy, I think it looks like 25 degrees, but it might not be because its such a large blade. Should I sharpen it on 25 degrees or 30.
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For sharpening, I recommend you mark the edge with a Sharpie or other magic marker and use that to gauge when your sharpening angle is correct. Set your starting sharpening angle to LESS than you guess the angle to be (maybe 15 degrees) so sharpening is leaving shine along the just the shoulder of the secondary grind, then gradually increase the angle of the sharpener until you are removing metal across the entire face of the secondary grind (i.e. there is no magic marker ink being left at the very edge of the grind).

BTW, glad to hear you like the RTAK. I was lucky enough to get one of the Livesay models and like it plenty. :) As for testing it, for a bigger knife like this I would ask you to chop a whole bunch with it. See how it is for penetration and if it's comfortable over an extended session of work.
 
I was using mine today to chop some wood that is still fairly green and took a very large chip out of the blade. It is a devastating experience to see a blade that is supposed to fill a survival roll fail while performing such a simple task. I was using proper chopping technique and was being very cautious about not torqueing the blade, so when I checked it and saw this big chunk gone I was thoroughly upset. I have emailed Ontario to see if anything can be done to replace the knife as I was using it for it,s intended purpose.
 
Originally posted by Fred A
I was using mine today to chop some wood that is still fairly green and took a very large chip out of the blade. It is a devastating experience to see a blade that is supposed to fill a survival roll fail while performing such a simple task. I was using proper chopping technique and was being very cautious about not torqueing the blade, so when I checked it and saw this big chunk gone I was thoroughly upset. I have emailed Ontario to see if anything can be done to replace the knife as I was using it for it,s intended purpose.
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Jeff Randall posted over on Outdoor Forums asking you to send him an e-mail about the chipped RTAK...

His e-mail address is: jeff@jungletraining.com
His website: http://www.jungletraining.com
 
Hi Fred A,

Are you the Fred A... from Hitchcock, Texas that we send Firesteels to ?

If so please send me an email ASAP.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
Have been contacted by Ontario and Jeff Randall and was told to send the knife back and they will send me another. Very good to get such fast and courteous response about this problem. Luckily I had several other blades with me while I was out practicing my survival skills! Should be a lesson to everyone that there is never any one survival knife for every task it's always good to have back up.
 
:grumpy: Sorry for the missuse of this thread :grumpy:

Hi Fred A.

Send you an email yesterday in respons to the email that you send, again didn't receive any answer back from you.

If read here you were out testing survival skills etc. please make time and send us what you owe us since December 10.
I've even made it easier as a money order can go to a Scouting friend in MI.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
Yah upon inspection of my blade from heavy chopping I took a small chunk out of my blade as well. What gives here? its a minute chip but it looks like it will take forever to take out. Should I report it as well?
Joe
 
Joe, a bit more details would be of use. If the chip is less than a mm in size that could just be an impact off of a rock, or a very hard knot, depending on the temperature, your skill and the wood type. However at ~25 degrees per side, or anything close to that, wood should not be a problem for steel so only a rock should cause problems and you should see a lot of indendation around the site of impact, especially at the lower RC these are being run (56-58).

If the chip is much larger it is very likely a defect in the steel regardless of what you hit. 1095 is an inherently tough steel and at ~57 RC it should be very difficult to damage in a gross way with a proper heat treatment. You might want to repeat the work with another section of the blade to see if you can induce the chipping again. Or work on the same spot to see if it gets much worse.

I have had similar and worse problems with Ontario's QC with the Spec Plus line and the machetes in the past so chipping doesn't surprise me.

Fred :

I was using proper chopping technique and was being very cautious about not torqueing the blade ...
Click to expand...

None of that should be a problem. That would only be a rigid requirement on blades that are heavily optomized for wood cutting. This would be a geometry of less than 0.020" thick behind the bevel and ground at less than 10 degrees per side. Edges of that class would require care and skill to cut knots in hard woods without damage regardless of the steel.

-Cliff
 
I believe the problem is in the heat treatment, I gave my brother an RTAK for christmas and his chipped in the same spot as mine. No knots in the wood , no rocks, the chip was about midway down the blade and right at the edge and took out about a quarter sized chunk from the blade. Ontario did send me a new RTAK and also sent one to my brother. I also corresponded with Jeff Randall about both situations and he was very helpful.
 
Yes that is either a flaw in the steel or something wrong with the heat treatment, at that hardness 1095 should not fracture in such a gross way, regardless of knots or an impact off of a rock.

-Cliff
 
Hi,
since this afternoon I share Fred A´s experience. While chopping through a small branch (2.5 cm, which should be about one inch) a pretty large piece chipped out of the blade.:mad:
This is not acceptable for a survival knife.
Best regards from Austria,
Tinolito
 
Busse Combat sells extreme high performance knives. They cost much more, but if you guys are going to rely on your blades for survival purposes they are worth every cent.:D

Jeff
 
I think you're probably right but maybe Swamp Rat would be a better option if price is a factor. Maybe a BK&T, I got an Ontario Kukri and I just can't get into it with this knife.
 
I have been thinking about picking up a battle rat lately. I have broke a BK&T Patrol Machete in two, by chopping on a pine 2x4, so be carefull there also.

Jeff
 
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