RC-6 chips

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Billbo66

Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
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My last trip outing resulted in a few decent size chips in the blade of my RC-6. These are near the tip, and are deep enough that a simple sharpening did not take them out. Any ideas on how to get these out myself, without sending it out for a regrind? I was a bit surprised at the chips, as I did not think I was abusing the knife to much.
 
What were you doing? I would say hit it with an aggressive grit stone or sandpaper.
 
wow.
not sure what you were doing, but reprofiling the tip starting with a coarse bench stone is probably your best bet.
I'm really curious to know what you hit that did that?
 
I'd like to see the chips before sharing my personal opinion. :D
 
hmm, I kinda think these are small dings, rather than chips. I've dropper my Izula on concrete, tip first, but instead of breaking it just bent a little. Also, it took me just a few minutes to bring the tip back up to almost new condition.
I'd really like to know what you were doing and maybe see close-up pix of the "chips".
Regardless, it sucks to chip a ESEE like that. Good luck sharpening those out!
 
Love dimples are fairly common on blades used for chopping. It happens to all my bigger knives (Scrapyard SOD, RD-9, Koyote Leukumachete, even my S-curve). Often I can't pin point what I actually did to cause the damage, but since chopping was involved it could have been hitting grit or sand in the wood or glancing blows of the blade driving it into rock or other hazards. It is usually confined to specific spots. Some, like the ones on my RD-9 took a bit of time to work out. I went with 220 grit sand paper taped to a piece of glass to work them out, then up the grits and finally onto the sharpmaker.

I suspect the OP's aren't much different then the ones I've encountered. Anywhere from 0.5 mm to 1mm or less. In some blades the steel is rolled not chipped however it is hard to tell this by the naked it eye. You really have to put it under good magnification see the folding of the steel in the dimple itself.

My advice, just keep sharpening the blade as you need it. Chances are the love dimples aren't really interfering with your blade, but because you are a knife nut it bothers you. If that is the case, best to just SUCK it up, put the time in and get the damage out to alleviate the little squirrel in your brain that makes you think a tiny little divot will make any real difference to your life with your blade. It won't, but you have a terrible affliction of mispriorities and its one reason why you registered on bladeforms. Welcome to the club!
 
I will try to get some pics up later tonight. I had forgot to bring my axe on a 3 day paddle trip, and was whacking dead wood around our campsite. Pine and Sycamore, mostly, 3-4" range. I was surprised that the dings were toward the tip. The dings are probably .25 to .5mm deep. I had a Koster Bushcrafter 3V, and my trusty RC-6. I have battoned with this knife quite a bit, and it holds up great- even stays pretty sharp. I would not usually use the knife to chop, but it was my only tool, since I forgot the ax.
 
i thought the RC6 was meant for chopping :(
that means i have to expect dings on my blade too?

i really need to start getting into sharpening so i can fix this myself...
 
sounds like you clipped a rock, since you say the dings are out towards the tip.
 
carspidey said:
i thought the RC6 was meant for chopping :(
that means i have to expect dings on my blade too?

i really need to start getting into sharpening so i can fix this myself...
Click to expand...

The ESEE-6 is not meant for chopping.

It can handle it...but it certainly isn't meant for it, nor is it particularly good at it.
 
I agree, you most likely hit a rock if its near the tip, unless there was a stray nail on the wood you were chopping.

Most of mine have a few nicks and dings in the edge, a part of the game we play in the woods.

It'll sharpen out with time.
 
Eh, it isnt -made- for chopping, but that's opinion. Most of us consider it too short to be good at it. But it's the same steel and thickness as knives most of us DO chop with. So it's nothing you did -wrong-.

If you're hard using a knife, it's gonna get some wear. Not a big issue. I see them as much badges of honor as most of my scars. (in both cases, if it was caused by stupidity, a good story that involves at least 2 bears and a wolverine cover that up)

My brother smashed my RTAK II into a chain link fence post. beat the hell outta the edge. knife still worked fine, and in time it sharpens out.
 
Billbo66 said:
I will try to get some pics up later tonight. I had forgot to bring my axe on a 3 day paddle trip, and was whacking dead wood around our campsite. Pine and Sycamore, mostly, 3-4" range. I was surprised that the dings were toward the tip.
Click to expand...

Were you standing and chopping? If so are you sure the wood did it and that the tip wasn't smacking into rocks in the ground? Just asking as I've seen that happen before.
 
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