Ultrasonic testing of knife blades.

[DeSotoSky]

In another thread the following statement was made....

..... there are lots of nonconforming Buck blades sell in ..... for over years. And it was said that those blades were Problematic done by Ultrasonic detector of BUCK ......

Not wishing to propagate that thread I ask my question here.

Are knife blades ultrasonically tested and what characteristic is tested for?

I have never heard of ultrasonic testing of knife blades and a quick google search did not answer my question so back here to the forum to ask.

 

[BellaBlades]

I know that blades or TI parts and ultra sonic cleaned during manufacturing process from some companies.

 

[David Martin]

I've not heard of this type of test being done on blade steel. They test for metal homogeneous. No stress or cracks. I've heard of extensive testing being conducted on other metals (which use the same cutlery steels) such as jet turbine fan blades. Also at electric power plants on their turbine fans. But these metal parts are submitted to much more stress in heating and cooling than a knife blade. Plus, much more is riding on these huge machines. My brother has over 25 years working at steam cooled, gas fired electric power plants and during maintenance (overhaul) I was allowed in to an area and saw some of them. These things are 10-12 ft. in diameter and have many blades that of course rotate during operation. So if one cracks and shears, some expensive damage will occur. This is not the case with a knife blade. Not much at stake. Most of the time not even a finger. DM

 

[afishhunter]

The OP in the original thread, in IMHO, is a troll.
Ultrasonic cleaning makes sense. What kind of "test" would exposing a knife blade to sound waves accomplish? A more logical and commonly used test for cracks and other defects would be to magnaflux the blades.

 

[DeSotoSky]

....The OP in the original thread, in IMHO, is a troll.....

Oh, OK..... I just thought he was complaining about the poor quality of counterfits or unauthorized market items sold under the "BUCK" label in his country...

 

[Joe58]

I'm guessing however, the maker supplying the steel might perhaps run some sort of random spot checks for quality assurance? I've no idea though actually. After they've got their "recipe" down, may just run it off by the train load.

I worked for a company quite a few years back that did untrasonic and heat testing on the machinery electric motors and generators that creates the steel products in its various shapes. It was pretty cool to watch the machines that make wire rod. The molten steel when thru a big die, into another, and so on for the diameter they wanted. Now and then the die machine would not feed right and the red hot steel coils would go every which way until the feed was stopped. Wild to watch. Kinda scary. Like a big pile of red hot silly string. And I went off topic again. I really need to quit that.

Anyway - they would do spot checks on different runs making sure there were no voids, stress cracks, stuff like that. Their steel was for industrial construction purposes though. When they looked for voids or whatever it was like some sorta x-ray machine that showed a screen with a graphic readout that let them "see inside" the big slab of beams and stuff.

 

[mete]

If you have a laminated blade such as the three layer type of Fallkniven, Helle , etc,the proper test tool to find if the layers are firmly bonded is ultrasonic testing !! an automated system to check the laminated sheet or the final blade is easy to make.