Rough weekend

CPP

CPP

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Sep 8, 2014
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Friday morning just as the snowstorm was midway I put my largest folder in my front-right pocket and continued to get ready to go outside. A few minutes later I reached into the same pocket and realized the knife had fallen to the bottom of the pocket and then felt the now-separate pocket clip. It was a steel, over-the-top clip that had always felt strong and secure and it had broken on opposite sides of the screw hole. I have no idea why the clip fell inside my pocket and am fortunate the knife wasn't lost due to this had I made it outside before noticing. The clip is easily enough replaced via the company's website.

Yesterday, Saturday, I noticed a large branch had fallen on top of the fence around the pool and went out with 4-inch plus fixed blade and a bow saw. I was looking for an excuse to get outside to enjoy the weather and was looking forward to putting one of my favorite knives to good use. I proceeded to use the knife to get rid of the smaller branches between 1-2 inches perhaps up to three. The temperature was below freezing and the branch was covered in snow. After getting through most of the branches I noticed the canvas Micarta handle felt strange even through my thick winter gloves and saw that an inch or so of the scales had broken off of either side of the knife. I used the now broken knife for the remainder of the job and sawed the bigger branches.

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I am intentionally not mentioning the brand names in this post because I don't want this reflect poorly on companies with solid reputations.
 
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Sounds like a rough weekend for sure .

I hope today marks the start of a new and better week for you in the blade department .
 
Any idea at all what caused the handles to break off on both sides? Was it the cold? No impacts to the handles while cutting the branches, right?
 
That sucks!

I have never heard of micarta breaking -

Well now you have that out of your system it's time for some good to come your way!

best

mqqn
 
It is good to find out the capabilities and limitations of our equipment, preferably in the safety and convenience of our back yards. Could have broken one day into a week long camping trip! I am interested to hear how or why that handle broke. Wishing you a speedy and satisfactory repair on your gear.
Best of luck.
 
Thanks for the positive thoughts. I'm guessing that it was one of two things. First, when chopping my hand slides further down the handle than usual until my smallest finger is right at the butt of the knife. Because I was wearing gloves it's possible my hand slip down until my ring finger was hanging onto the butt of the knife and the fronts of the scales which extend to the finger guard struck the branch as the blade did. Or, because some of the branches I was cutting off were at awkward angles and close to other branches maybe the handle hit one those those other branches on the knife's way to its target. It's possible the cold made the scales brittle but that sounds unlikely as I hadn't been outside for very long.
 
I don't think the cold affects micarta that much, and certainly not that quickly. I've batoned a micarta-handled Bravo-1 in sub-zero temps for 40 minutes straight before and had no problems. Might have been a defect? Anyhow, let us know how it turns out...
 
I don't think it was a defect because both scales broke. While grilling dinner outback I looked for the pieces of the handle–I have black mulch around the patio which this very difficult–and I found one. It was one piece as opposed to being shattered into several and had no scuff marks or scratches anywhere not even close to the blade where I thought there would be some.
 
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Good point.

The first was a ZT 0562 and the second a Bark River Bravo one field version.
 
Did the micarta break at a screw or rivet point? If they broke at the same place on both sides it was definitely something done wrong with putting them on (too tightly pinned?)
 
At the screw on one side and about a quarter inch before it in the direction of the blade on the other.
 
Wow, those are two nice knives to have issues with on consecutive days...hope things go better this week!
 
I just got back from vacation and a replacement pocket clip for the 0562 was waiting for me. It was a little looser than the original so I adjusted its (torsion, tightness?) to my liking and now it's good as new. The KAI site has a warranty subsection for minor repairs that enables the user to order replacement parts (screws, clips, etc.) for free without requiring the knife be sent in.

I've been in contact with Bark River and sent the knife in and am due to receive it in the next week or two. After I payed for shipping they are replacing the handle scales and I requested colored liners which I had to had to pay for of course and a new sheath as I had cut the top of the old one while returning the knife to it. They are also sharpening and polishing it.

Quite a happy ending.
 
Things break but what was really strange to me was where it broke. At first I thought it had broken at the curved section of the clip where it enters the handle because that is flexed the most during normal use and maybe gets bumped against things while in pocket. However, it broke on both sides of the hole for the screw a place where I wouldn't expect much strain and it seems the clip is protected at least somewhat by the screw. Anyway...
 
About a week ago, I received my repaired Bravo on my doorstep. The scales were replaced with the same ones it came with except I had red liners added-the handles were covered by the warranty and I paid for the liners. The blade was sharpened and polished, removing some of the scuff marks and the sheath was replaced as the original had some slices in it. Another happy ending.
 
Glad you got your knives fixed.
I'm curious ; what micarta was it on your Bravo? ( color,etc) It was not G-10 ,right?
 
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