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swedge sharpening
- Thread starter Mr YODA
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2000
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- 1,695
I just got off the phone with Travis (who asked Angie while I was on the phone with him) and he said that they will not sharpen the swedge, and if they receive a 42 with a swedge that is too sharp they won't service it because it is too dangerous. Sorry to burst the bubble, I too was hoping to get a sharpened swedge on my 42. 
Does anyone know any makers that will sharpen the swedge on a 42?
Does anyone know any makers that will sharpen the swedge on a 42?
yeah that is wierd...I was just posting what I got in response...here read it yourselves
Hello,
I was wondering if it was possible to send my model 42 back to you to have the swedge sharpened so as not to void the warrantee.
Thanks.
_________________
Matt,
You can send you knife in for sharpening at the address listed below.
Thank You,
Angie
Warranty Dept.
Benchmade Knife Co.
300 Beavercreek Rd.
Oregon City, Or. 97045
1-800-800-7427 Ext. 150
Hello,
I was wondering if it was possible to send my model 42 back to you to have the swedge sharpened so as not to void the warrantee.
Thanks.
_________________
Matt,
You can send you knife in for sharpening at the address listed below.
Thank You,
Angie
Warranty Dept.
Benchmade Knife Co.
300 Beavercreek Rd.
Oregon City, Or. 97045
1-800-800-7427 Ext. 150
Gollnick
Musical Director
- Joined
- Mar 22, 1999
- Messages
- 29,258
I suspect that Angie, who is a always very friendly and very helpful, didn't fully understand the question. Bummer. I thought that I had been told at one time that they'd sharpen the swedge for a nominal fee. Oh well. Travis is the man on this sort of thing.
Anyway, sharpening the swedge on a 42 yourself isn't that difficult. I've done several of them with my Gatco Edgemate using the "extra corse" hone to get most of the job done. You will need a sharpening approach with some sort of "extra corse" hone.
If you try to do this with, for example, a Sharpmaker, your arm will fall off before the swedge is nearly sharp (now, of couse, someone is going to post saying that they did theirs with a Sharpmaker and it only took three strokes. Fine. You have a stronger arm that me.)
Another option would be a Dremel Tool. But, you're unlikely to get a really nice, even result with that tool since it's so uncontrolled (now, of course, the same annoying person is going to post that they did theirs with a Dremel and they couldn't find any unevenness with a digital micrometer. Fine. You have a steadier hand than me.)
Another option you might try is a bench grinder. Just be careful not to get the steel to hot. You can easily affect blade temper with a bench grinder.
The only other problem here is that apparently BM feels that sharpening the swedge is a modification to the knife that voids the warranty. Now, the same annoying person is going to whine and complain that this is bogus and just another example of the evil powers at Benchmade trying to suck all the air out of the room. But, if you think about it, you are changing the profile of the blade. It's not a major change, true, but it is a change. If I decided, for example, to fire up my Dremel tool and convert my BM42 into a High Hollow, most folks would realize that I'd really changed the blade profile, really modified the knife, and that BM really doesn't have any obligation to warranty that. The difficult question is, "where do you draw the line?" What's a major change to the profile and what's not? BM prefers to draw that line very early. It's really one of those "if you give one guy an inch, the next guy will suddenly want a mile," things.
Anyway, sharpening the swedge on a 42 yourself isn't that difficult. I've done several of them with my Gatco Edgemate using the "extra corse" hone to get most of the job done. You will need a sharpening approach with some sort of "extra corse" hone.
If you try to do this with, for example, a Sharpmaker, your arm will fall off before the swedge is nearly sharp (now, of couse, someone is going to post saying that they did theirs with a Sharpmaker and it only took three strokes. Fine. You have a stronger arm that me.)
Another option would be a Dremel Tool. But, you're unlikely to get a really nice, even result with that tool since it's so uncontrolled (now, of course, the same annoying person is going to post that they did theirs with a Dremel and they couldn't find any unevenness with a digital micrometer. Fine. You have a steadier hand than me.)
Another option you might try is a bench grinder. Just be careful not to get the steel to hot. You can easily affect blade temper with a bench grinder.
The only other problem here is that apparently BM feels that sharpening the swedge is a modification to the knife that voids the warranty. Now, the same annoying person is going to whine and complain that this is bogus and just another example of the evil powers at Benchmade trying to suck all the air out of the room. But, if you think about it, you are changing the profile of the blade. It's not a major change, true, but it is a change. If I decided, for example, to fire up my Dremel tool and convert my BM42 into a High Hollow, most folks would realize that I'd really changed the blade profile, really modified the knife, and that BM really doesn't have any obligation to warranty that. The difficult question is, "where do you draw the line?" What's a major change to the profile and what's not? BM prefers to draw that line very early. It's really one of those "if you give one guy an inch, the next guy will suddenly want a mile," things.
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2001
- Messages
- 8,276
10 to 1 Angie misread "swedge" for "edge" as part of the Lifesharp program. Not uncommon. Since you are getting a different answer from Tarvis, I'd call to confirm BEFORE I send the knife in.
As to the amount of work, to paraphrase Sniperboy "that's a lot of metal to grind down". I'll agree with those that wonder why you need it sharpened in the first place. The only advantage you get with it is a partial edge for a reverse slice. It doesn't provide that much assistance for penetrating soft tissue (as is the primary function of a dagger).
As to the amount of work, to paraphrase Sniperboy "that's a lot of metal to grind down". I'll agree with those that wonder why you need it sharpened in the first place. The only advantage you get with it is a partial edge for a reverse slice. It doesn't provide that much assistance for penetrating soft tissue (as is the primary function of a dagger).
I have sharpened the swedge on two of my 42s. For the first one I used my Sharpmaker, and after about three strokes it was honed to razor sharpness. I also used my Dremel tool for one, and thanks to my steady hands when I was done it looked like it came back from a custom maker. I also just want to say that it is bogus that sharpening the swedge voids Benchmades warranty. I mean, I am just changing the profile of the blade.
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2001
- Messages
- 2,353
Not to dis Chuck,...
I sharpened my swedge with a dremel tool with a 1.5" dia. X 1" surface area grinding head.
It isn't a hollow ground, but I did it even on both sides of the blade, and finished the tip off evenly, and it has worked very well for me.
It doesn't look bad with the grind, for a user.
I use it every day. These are fresh scans..
It's in dire need of a little TLC on my India stone...
I sharpened my swedge with a dremel tool with a 1.5" dia. X 1" surface area grinding head.
It isn't a hollow ground, but I did it even on both sides of the blade, and finished the tip off evenly, and it has worked very well for me.
It doesn't look bad with the grind, for a user.
I use it every day. These are fresh scans..
It's in dire need of a little TLC on my India stone...
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2001
- Messages
- 2,353
If I hadn't sharpened the swedge, and just smoothed the edges off the spine, which I did. Or only rounded the bottoms of the handle, or rounded the latch, which I did, does any of that void the warranty? I made un-factory modifications, so it probably would. Sure makes it a lot more comfortable to flip, though...