Why is this happening? (BK-2 issues)

mattchibi

mattchibi

Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
96
Just stripped my BK-2, and after the paint coating has gone away, I am noticing some issues with the blade. Here are some pictures.

1) There are yellow/orange-ish streaks along the blade (not the handle though)
2) There seems to be a problem with the handle, Im not sure if its a heat treat problem. I know its normal for the handle to be a darker shade than the blade, but the darker shade seems to be leaking onto the blade portion and it makes it look not the nicest. Also in the 3rd image, you can see the handle of the knife looks blue-ish. In the light, in real life, theres a blue-ish tinge to it. Almost like when you dont clean hand soap off of metal, it leaves this residual irridescent shine to it. Not a nice normal metallic finish..
3) There are shingle-like marks all over one side of my knife, no idea what they are.

Am I over-reacting guys? Most BK-2's look pretty perfect after being stripped.

Compare BK-2 to Bk-11:
problem1compare.jpg


Shingles:
problem1r.jpg


Yellow Streaks on the Blade & Darker heat treat:
problem2back.jpg

problem2i.jpg


Thanks guys

In case anyone is wondering, I bought it from someone on that famous auction site
 
it does looked like the steel is galled from too much heat but i know little of knife tempering and heat treating and such.
 
Did a previous owner internally combust with the BK2 in hand perhaps?

My guess - this is something to do with the heat-treat?!?!
 
right now i think you're over-reacting. only way to know if there's an issue is to use the knife hard and see if it holds an edge and sharpens back up just fine once it gets dull...i've used several beckers hard and i'm betting this one is just fine :)
 
why would those pock marks be over the laser etch? If those were there before you would have seen with the powder coat on right?
 
Contact Ka-Bar and if it's a defect, I have no doubt they will take care of you.
 
When I stripped mine you could see grind marks, especially on the spine. You need to remember the reason most companies coat their blades in anything is partly to hide imperfections from the manufacturing process. the coating can hide a lot. Allowing them to sell them at a lower price post.

To not coat the blades and have them look perfect for other types of finishes would mean a BK2 would cost a lot more money since a lot more labor would be involved.

But to me my BK2 is a complete user I have even used mine as a pry bar in a pinch. So the grind marks to me add character and are no big deal. Now if it cost twice as much I might take issue but for a knife at that price point it's a non issue to me. Plus nice the knives look perfect with the coating it's kinda on us since we are altering them.
 
Yer knife has the funk man!

Seriously, I have never seen one like that before. Ask Toooj!
 
Couple questions, just out of curiosity?
1. What was your method of stripping the blade? What did you use to do it(chemicals, tools, etc..)?
2. Have you tried to force a patina with anything yet?
3. Have you called Kabar customer service?
 
Jaytaylor said:
Did a previous owner internally combust with the BK2 in hand perhaps?

My guess - this is something to do with the heat-treat?!?!
Click to expand...

It was sold as new. Came in the box and everything. Sheath was in the sealed plastic bag, and the knife was sharp.

JV3 said:
right now i think you're over-reacting. only way to know if there's an issue is to use the knife hard and see if it holds an edge and sharpens back up just fine once it gets dull...i've used several beckers hard and i'm betting this one is just fine :)
Click to expand...

Yeah im betting this one is just fine, but I wanted to ask the experts (you guys) first.

sideshowbob8 said:
why would those pock marks be over the laser etch? If those were there before you would have seen with the powder coat on right?
Click to expand...

The pock marks are only visible on the handle part, as if it was like that after it was manufactured. The blade cutting edge has no pock marks at all.

DerekH said:
Yer knife has the funk man!

Seriously, I have never seen one like that before. Ask Toooj!
Click to expand...

Ya! I dont actually dislike it all that much. I put the black grivory handles back on it and the off-colouredness of it looks like blue flames. If the knife is fully functional and not defective (when I have time to email ka-bar), then I probably wont go through the hassle of shipping it back and waiting for it. I think the random shingles and the off-colour are gonna be cool for a patina.

bsmith_shoot said:
Couple questions, just out of curiosity?
1. What was your method of stripping the blade? What did you use to do it(chemicals, tools, etc..)?
2. Have you tried to force a patina with anything yet?
3. Have you called Kabar customer service?
Click to expand...

1. I used DS Super Remover, the same kind I used on my BK-11 in those pictures above. Its a gel like substance sold up here in Canada.
2. No patina yet tried, on any blade in fact
3. Have not called yet, im super busy with work and school but I will call them sometime this week
 
One thing I THINK it COULD be is surface twitches from the rolling mill ie, the steel company......Take it out and if you have performance issues please contact customer service at KaBar......I really doubt you will have any use related issues.....

All Best....

Ethan
 
I stripped my bk9 and 11 on Sunday. Mine has the same issue except farther down the blade. I used the fool out of them before they were stripped and didn't notice any problem in function so I'm not too worried about it.
 
I searched "surface twitches from rolling mill" and few other like terms and came up with nothing. What are surface twitches?

To me it looks like heat treat issue. At very least inconsistencies in that piece of steel of some sort. But I am amateur at best.
 
My newest BK9 has the same thing, only it goes half way up the blade. I have used it like crazy and had no issues, I did find this photo that shows what the hot rolling process can leave on the steel. Discoloration of the steel before heat treating shouldn't cause any negative effects after the blade was heat treated, besides looking different.

steel-batch3.jpg

steel-batch3.jpg
 
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