Knife tip strength

legato1

legato1

Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
1,188
So i see post on here all the time where people doubt the strength of knife tips (spyderco most commonly) and fear that they will fail them in the "field". I usually reply with something along the lines of... its a knife, use it for its intended purpose, it shouldn't break. I know were all guilty of using our knives for silly things when we either have no choice or are too lazy/impaired to get the right tool. Oh well, if it breaks put a new tip on it and go about your business. Ive had to do it a few times after making some bad choices, but this time I decided to take some pictures.

Last weekend I got drunk and tightened a flathead screw with the tip of my para 2. I got it nice and snug but for some reason wasn't satisfied and gave it another shot to really crank it down. The tip snapped. Totally my fault, this knife has been my user since they released the run of sprints and the tip held up just fine until I drunkly used it for something it was not designed for.

No big deal, if I absolutely had to, I could still stab things with it as shown in one of the pics. A few minutes on some wet/dry paper and the para was back in business, albeit a few mm shorter.

Moral of the story... The tips spyderco puts on their knives are plenty strong and take a good beating, even if you do manage to break it its a quick fix.
 

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Hurts my soul a little bit seeing a sprint run being used like that, I will admit.

Although I appreciate where this thread is coming from :thumbup:
 
My CTS 204P is my main edc and favorite blade atm.
Seeing this made my soul die alittle haha
glad you got the tip back np
 
I warn people on here about the tip of the PM2 all the time. Ha! Looks like you fixed it just fine. Whatever, it is a tool. As long as you know the risks, do what you want. Just don't wine :))) about it after, which you clearly aren't. I took a mm, maybe less, off the tip of an M390 blade drilling holes (yes, two) in a coconut. Frankly I was impressed. Gives me confidence in the Guardian3. I put some effort into that little project. 10 strokes on the stone and back to pin point sharp. Trendy coconut water anyone?
 
uxo2 said:
Should of used a SAK.
Click to expand...

I actually loled when i read this. Good deep belly laugh, haven't had one in a while. My s30 para has had quite a few new tips put on it.... funny, most of the times i break them I'm drunk and throwing/abusing it in some way, maybe i should get a busse..... The positive qualities of the spydercos significantly out weight the risk of me breaking a tip. I guess thats why I'm so perplexed when i see that mentioned. I found a good way to avoid hurting the knife point on coconuts when i was in honduras. I just pulled it off the tree and sharpened the coconut like it was a pencil until i exposed the little membrane then popped it, similar to the machete method people use but modified for a small knife.

The 204p is awesome stuff. I thought the s30 was good but the cts takes a very aggressive edge and holds it a very long time. I have not had a hard time sharpening it with just a sharp maker, despite what people say about these hard carbide steels.
 
Regrind it. The tip is prone to being brittle. Whats worse is cutting yourself because your "screwdriver" slipped.
 
I inserted the spine into the slot, i wasn't using the point the way most people usually try to use a knife as a screw driver. Significantly smaller chance of cutting myself and more effective.
 
Part of the reason I usually have my SAK with me is that I hate damaging my blades. However, I too had a chunk taken out of a knife. I was trying to use my Kudu to unlock my old bedroom door after I accidentally got locked out. It didn't work out to well for me or the knife.
 
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I just wish some of these keyboard warriors would realize a broken tip isn't going to take you or your knife out of the game. If a broken tip prevents you from achieving your goals, you have bigger problems. I understand we love our knives and sometimes part of the hobby is getting really nice knives and babying them, but when the rubber hits the road don't be afraid to put it to the test. I just get the feeling that people treat spyderco tips like they're going to be the difference between life and death. The best tool is between our ears, and id rather have my brain and a busted spyderco than nothing at all. I have scars and my knives do too, doesn't make either of us any less badass/useful.
 
Some tip problems are due to grinding damage .It' very easy to overheat the tip !
 
legato1 said:
I inserted the spine into the slot, i wasn't using the point the way most people usually try to use a knife as a screw driver. Significantly smaller chance of cutting myself and more effective.
Click to expand...
That shouldn't have broken it unless you used a bit too much force.

People trying to screw with just the tip deserve it, but the spine should take it easily.
 
Very true, with thin tips i quench frequently if I'm using grinders. And i do it bare handed so i can feel any heat, but i never let it get to that point. But for the little tip damage i usually produce, hand sanding usually does the trick, and with wet paper and hand speeds i don't produce that much heat.
 
Jens Schuetz said:
That shouldn't have broken it unless you used a bit too much force.

People trying to screw with just the tip deserve it, but the spine should take it easily.
Click to expand...

I was properly wasted, i used more than enough force lol. It was the top strap screw of a smith and wesson 327pd 4 inch.
 
legato1 said:
I just wish some of these keyboard warriors would realize a broken tip isn't going to take you or your knife out of the game. If a broken tip prevents you from achieving your goals, you have bigger problems.
Click to expand...
[SUP][/SUP]


I have broken enough blades that I finally realized that
knife tips suck for certain task.

As you found out the hard way.

That is why I also carry a SAK Super Tinker.

It opens beer bottles better and works on standard and Philips screws.

And yes I cringed seeing what you did to that CTS 204.


But in the end. It really don't matter because you gave us a cool
story.


And you ended up with the first PM3 in CTS 204.
 
uxo2 said:
[SUP][/SUP]


I have broken enough blades that I finally realized that
knife tips suck for certain task.

As you found out the hard way.

That is why I also carry a SAK Super Tinker.

It opens beer bottles better and works on standard and Philips screws.

And yes I cringed seeing what you did to that CTS 204.


But in the end. It really don't matter because you gave us a cool
story.


And you ended up with the first PM3 in CTS 204.
Click to expand...


All i have to do now is grind a bit off the handle. Not gonna lie, that the first thing i thought about when i closed it and saw the new clearance. But i love tip up and didn't want to go through the trouble of re tapping. even though i have all the tools and and all the time in the world..... now that i give it some more thought. it may be nice to have the first tip up PM3.
 
I remember breaking my first spyderco tip, it was a Police fully serrated, I was just prying something, not even hard and it broke, I still have it after 11 or so years,
but I realized that there is always a right tool for the job, I picked the wrong one, now I carry a SAK and my main folder on my pockets, and an Esee 3 on my go to bag
 
That is a fantastic regrind!. I think tip strength is criminally under-rated, myself. But I think I'm one of the few, around here, who feel that way.
 
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