Must've got my BKRT Aurora too hot! Scales let go.

misanthropist

misanthropist

Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
1,236
Well, now I feel a bit dim...today was the day I decided to finally wax my Aurora sheath as the tip kept stabbing through the leather, really my only complaint about the whole thing. As I'm sure you all know I love the Aurora to death.

Unfortunately I must have gotten the thing too hot while waxing the sheath as the glue holding the scales on let go! I was surprised as I was holding the thing the whole time and while it was pretty hot to the touch I didn't think it was THAT hot...I mean I was holding it in my hand!

Anyway sometime between the waxing and the pressing (I am guessing it was while I put it in the press to let the wax harden) the scales let go and now it's just the pins holding them on, which is annoying as they now make a loud "click" every time I let go of the knife!

On the plus side the sheath kicks ass now - it's like a mix of leather and kydex.

But I don't know what to do about the scales...maybe a really thin glue could be somehow injected into the gaps?

Or would it be maybe worth the time and money to send it back to BKRT and see if they can pop the pins out and rehandle it for me?

I sure feel dumb because I love the knife to death but I just never thought I'd be able to kill the glue at that temperature.

In the future I guess I'll have to be more careful! But man the sheath is awesome now, and I know I've wrecked my last pair of pants! (I killed a couple of pairs of jeans when the knife cut through the sheath and came out through my back pocket, which was why I finally gave up and decided to wax the leather.)

Anyway what do you think? Pay BKRT to rehandle it, or try to find some super viscous glue?
 
Definitely send it to bark river, that might even be covered on their warranty. I know if it were me, I'd have a hard time trusting it in the future knowing it was just some glue injected from the side.

But I feel your pain, I had a favorite blade of mine do the same thing almost. Except I don't think any heat was involved...
 
A before I can't help you with although there are probably plenty of people here who could!

Tomorrow I will try to get an "after" pic for you although it looks exactly the same, only darker...well, that's not true. It's now completely form-fitted to the knife as I put the hot waxed sheath in my kydex press with the knife inside (that's probably when the glue died) so you can see a good outline of the knife all the way down...it's pretty cool in fact.

And the knife now pops in and out like a kydex rig, it's a very positive engagement and I much prefer it. In fact I always wax leather sheaths, I just procrastinated about this one!

But I really prefer the solid locking feel it now has. I just wish I hadn't gimped my knife in the meantime.

To conclude:

D'OH!!!

But I think you are all right...I will send it off this coming week and hope to have it back for christmas!
 
I would be really surprised if Bark River didn't fix it up for free. Plenty of folks have been taken care of, even when the knife damage was their own fault. I once wrote them a note complaining that my Mini Canadian sheath sucked, and what it would cost to get a new one, and they just sent me the new Sharpshooter sheath.
 
Heat is indeed the culprit; when they re-handle knives they use a heat gun to soften the epoxy.

Send it back to the Bark River Spa, Mike’s crew will fix it up for you at no charge.

Polishing and re-sharpening the blade is all part of the Spa treatment.

It will come back looking like new.




"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
Hey mis,

Since you "love the knife to death" I would think redundancy is in order. That would solve your problem about being without one, while it is being repaired.

Doc
 
Strange, I've done the same thing to my Aurora and had no problems with the knife & scales. Then again, I left the knife out until ready to press-fit.

My scales are canvass micarta, are yours wood?

Send it back to BRKT and let them fix it for you.
 
I've heard nothing but great things about BRKT warranty service, I'd send it in. Nobody/Company is perfect and these things happen, one reason many of us get/pay for better products is when these things happen, they take care of us, as opposed to the cheaper stuff *cough cs* :D
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
Did you leave the knife in the sheath while hot waxing?

Andy
Click to expand...

Well, I had the empty sheath in the oven to get it good and hot, and then I applied wax for a bit, and when I thought I was getting close, I put the sheath back in the oven until I was satisfied all the wax was drawn in, took it out of the oven, threw on a last coat of wax, stuck the knife in the sheath and put the whole thing in the press.

I didn't think there would be enough heat in the leather to heat the handle up much, but I guess I was wrong. The press does trap a lot of heat, so I guess that's my issue. I was surprised but I don't blame BKRT. I must have gotten the knife hotter than I thought.

I am VERY tempted to buy another in the meantime but I need to save up money...there is a ring I have to buy for someone!

I will try to sort out pics today but I am having camera issues so no guarantees!
 
misanthropist said:
I am VERY tempted to buy another in the meantime but I need to save up money...there is a ring I have to buy for someone!

I will try to sort out pics today but I am having camera issues so no guarantees!
Click to expand...

MIS, STOP, DON'T DO IT!!! :eek:


CAMERA ISSUES ARE THE LEAST OF YOUR PROBLEMS!


THINK MAN!!!!


HOW MANY KNIVES DOES THAT REPRESENT?? :(



A KNIFE GOES ANYWHERE YOU WANT, ANYTIME YOU WANT.



A KNIFE HAS NO CLAIM ON COMMUNITY PROPERTY.



A KNIFE DOESN 'T HAVE A MOTHER.



A KNIFE DOESN'T CARE IF YOU COME HOME LATE.



NO!!!



IF SOMEBODY WOULD START A 'WHY A KNIFE IS BETTER THAN A WOMAN' IT WOULD GO TO A GAZILLION PAGES, WITH GOOD REASON...............



(Of course, come to think of it, a wake is something we haven't had on here before..........)




MEIN GOTT, WHAT NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!! :confused:
 
Well...I'll tell you what. If you find me an hourglass-shaped knife that comes with its own supply of money, and rents hookers to celebrate special occasions, I will put aside all thoughts of jewelry purchase!

But you know, I'm eight years in on this relationship and I have to say I don't think there's a way I can do better, and believe me, I have spent a LOT of time in disturbingly cold calculations about the matter!

If this puts your mind at ease, I overheard part of a conversation between the target of the ring and the girl that would probably get picked for maid of honour last night:

"I've finished designing my wedding holsters, want to see?"

Some girls have hope chests with blankets and silverware...Erin has a box of guns. I am not worried - I think the knives will still play a big role in my life!
 
Well I've only got this to say about the subject. Jeff Diotte makes some very knice ATS-34 wedding bands with very tasteful knurled patterns.
 
Good to know!

Also as I forgot to mention the scales were linen micarta. Anyway I'm sure the people at BKRT will sort it out and they will probably be able to tell if there was a fluky glue issue like not enough put on, or if I just screwed it up myself. If there was no problem with the glue or the original construction then I don't think they should have to pay for my mistake. If they pop off the scales and find that for some reason there was only glue in one little spot or that the glue hadn't been mixed correctly then I am sure they would pay anyway.

But I don't want to abuse their warranty! It might not cost ME money to get it fixed but it would cost SOMEONE money and I don't think they should be paying for something that is not their fault.
 
Sounds like you picked a winner, in ladies and blades.
Also sounds like a cool way to fix my fox river sheath, zero retention in that thing.

Could you give me a few more details about what you did? How hot and long in the oven?
Did you just rub it with a candle? I tried soaking it in water then putting sheath and knife under a mattress wrapped in a towel, it workd only a little bit.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
MIS, STOP, DON'T DO IT!!! :eek:


CAMERA ISSUES ARE THE LEAST OF YOUR PROBLEMS!


THINK MAN!!!!


HOW MANY KNIVES DOES THAT REPRESENT?? :(



A KNIFE GOES ANYWHERE YOU WANT, ANYTIME YOU WANT.



A KNIFE HAS NO CLAIM ON COMMUNITY PROPERTY.



A KNIFE DOESN 'T HAVE A MOTHER.



A KNIFE DOESN'T CARE IF YOU COME HOME LATE.



NO!!!



IF SOMEBODY WOULD START A 'WHY A KNIFE IS BETTER THAN A WOMAN' IT WOULD GO TO A GAZILLION PAGES, WITH GOOD REASON...............



(Of course, come to think of it, a wake is something we haven't had on here before..........)




MEIN GOTT, WHAT NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!! :confused:
Click to expand...

If a knife is dull you can sharpen it.

No really congrats. Sounds like you have a you have a keeper. I think I might need her to call my wife and explain how to celebrate special occasions properly.

Matt
 
Here is my standard approach:

Heat up your oven to around 150 degrees (farenheit) and put your empty sheath inside. You should get the sheath hot enough that you can still hold on to it, but not so hot that it's painful.

Melt some wax in a double boiler - this can be a metal can or bowl in a pot, or in a larger can...it doesn't have to be fancy.

Now take a toothbrush and start rubbing the melted wax in. The hot leather will soak it right up. The sharpshooter leather took a ton of it.

Now at the end, throw your knife in there, and drop the thing in a kydex press. Don't have a kydex press? Don't be so sure!

All mine is, is an ensolite mat cut into squares and glued to some boards. I put the boards in a vise and it works.

But you could also fold over a blue ensolite mat a few times, stick the knife sheath/knife inside, lay a board on top and park your car on it for a bit. It takes about 15-20 minutes to cool and harden in my experience, but can be up to 30 if there's a lot of wax. The ensolite foam really holds the heat.

Good luck!
 
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