Shattered blade Condor

bubba-san

Well-Known Member
I had a friend come by my shop last night , He brought a big heavy chopper made by condor tool .
It is called a "Boonslang" . My friend said the blade was bent , and did not hold edge very well .
He asked me if I could remove handles and straighten out the blade . Its supossed to made from 1075
So he also asked if I could clay the blade and put a Hamon on it . It was a thick blade almost 1/4 " at handle and about 3/16" on blade part . So I removed handles , and normalised it several times and also did anneal .
Pretty soon it was nice and soft , so I straightened it out and clayed it up . waited for it to dry a few hrs.
Started up the forge and heated her up to a nice color and non magnetic . Quenched it 4 seconds in water
no problem . When I quenched it in oil ( parks) I heard the terrible sound , at least three tinks .
I knew it broke . when I pulled it out it had four breaks nearly all the way thru . I was mad so I dropped it , shattered like glass . I havent broken a blade in a long time but this was a mess .
I can tell you one thing , it was not 1075 . Condor tool is using some junk steel ... I know my steel and
It broke like it was a full quench with something cheap . What was wierd it broke in the oil not the water .
I told him not to buy anymore of those blades . Not sure what happened . Maybe it had some hairline cracks I did not see ?? what do you think ???? I am inclined to believe it had some hairline fractures from using it . But, who knows . Cracking in oil but, no cracking in water was wierd ?? maybe I should have left it with the water quench !!
 

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Since this is..... 1. A production/factory knife, and 2. Made somewhere overseas, there's no telling what the material is. You've just experienced the reason why IF I agree to do repair work on any knife other then one I've produced, I do so with the stipulation that it may or may not work out. You never know what you're getting yourself into when dealing with a knife that is not of your own making.

Even though this was a "friend"......it puts you "on the spot".....not worth it.
 
Just for grins and giggles, and possibly some enlightenment, I'd dig a piece of that blade out of the trash and reaustinize it and see if it would air quench. But then again, you said that you did straighten it without breaking it after normalizing it. A real puzzle here, but I agree, it doesn't sound much like any simple steel.

Doug
 
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Sorry to hear this happen to ya, i won't work on factory knives like that anymore for that reason.

You never really know what you have? Also many people ask me to rehandle one of the Culinary knives.

I can't charge enough to really make it worth while and I am half way to making one of my own once I've rehandled a production knife.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
Thanks folks , for the warning about factory knives . One thing for sure ! it sure isn't Aldo's 1075 . I just made a bowie from some of that.
It takes a nice hamon and is probably the easiest stuff around to Ht . You are right about some factory knives , especially if its imported ! no telling what that steel was ? Although they advertise it as 1075 ......
 
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