Chip in Rockstead - can it be repaired?

[Terry M.]

I have a Rockstead Ren. I use it in my rotation occasionally and a few months back I used it to cut some wire in sheathing and chipped the blade. It’s a small chip but I’d like to work it out. With the way Rocksteads are sharpened though I wonder if I’ll have to send it in to them in order to have the chip worked out? Thoughts?

https://imgur.com/a/g1xlJlt

 

[Twindog]

I would send it in. They have free grinding and sharpening, although you pay postage and I don't know if you have to be registered.

That steel is ZDP-189 at 67 Rc. That will be a bear to regrind and polish.

 

[SwissHeritageCo]

Props to you for using your rockstead.

 

[Ozmose]

I would send it in. They have free grinding and sharpening, although you pay postage and I don't know if you have to be registered.

That steel is ZDP-189 at 67 Rc. That will be a bear to regrind and polish.

Yeah, you need to be the registered owner. That's one of the reasons you find them for such a steal on the secondary market sometimes.

 

[Terry M.]

Thanks for the advice folks.

 

[TheOne45]

Was just looking Dutch Buscraft video and the guy sharpened abused Rockstead knife on small belt sharpener (Ken Onion?) without a problem.
Go forward to 22 minutes.

 

[TheOne45]

Here is another video.... free hand Rockstead sharpening. It will take much more time but looks like it works.

 

[TheOne45]

At the end of the day, Rockstead is just a knife, not some sacred object.

 

[Terry M.]

At the end of the day, Rockstead is just a knife, not some sacred object.

I realize that. I’m not saying that it’s a sacred object but I’d like to get the chip worked out. No harm in wanting a clean edge is there?

 

[TheOne45]

No harm in wanting a clean edge is there?

That's why I posted those videos. If you sharpen your other knives you can also remove this chip from your Rockstead blade.
Rocksteads have a convex edge so Ken Onion belt sharpener would be the best and easiest option.

 

[Blade Lab]

Unless you're married to the zero grind, there's no reason you couldn't take out the chip with a small micro-bevel. But it's hard to tell from the posted pic how big the chip is, so maybe it would be a macro bevel?

 

[Terry M.]

Unless you're married to the zero grind, there's no reason you couldn't take out the chip with a small micro-bevel. But it's hard to tell from the posted pic how big the chip is, so maybe it would be a macro bevel?

Yeah it’s pretty small. I used macro to get a good up close pic of it

 

[elasmonut]

It's just a really precise grind in really hard steel. If you have steady hands a good linisher, a good eye a set of waterstones, and a lot time to practice you can refinish it like any other convex zero grind.

 

[Captiva]

Yeah, you need to be the registered owner. [snip]

So Rockstead won’t sharpen, or repair their knives for any price if not registered to the possessor? Not even Rolex watchmaker is that mulish!

 

[Ozmose]

So Rockstead won’t sharpen, or repair their knives for any price if not registered to the possessor? Not even Rolex watchmaker is that mulish!

It’s not out of the realm of possibility, but I’ve never seen anything that implies they would. When you check their website, the only info there is on warranty claims. If I recall correctly, there’s a form you need to fill and it asks for your original purchase information. I looked into it myself some time back, but I just remember hitting a dead end. Maybe something changed since then, but I doubt it. I just ended up sharpening it myself. Gave it a micro bevel so small you can barely tell it’s there.

 

[DocJekl]

I realize that. I’m not saying that it’s a sacred object but I’d like to get the chip worked out. No harm in wanting a clean edge is there?

You could consider adding matching edge chips to make it serrated?

No, but seriously, sorry this happened. I would contact Father and Son Traditional Sharpening and see what they think. They can can do a variety of edges, at a variety of angles, and make good recommendations depending on the geometry.

They sharpened one of my Hinderer XM-18 to 14 degrees with a toothy edge (CPM-20CV), and I have only had to strop it a few times over the year since they sharpened it. I was afraid the angle would be too narrow, but nope. Same with my S45VN small Sebenza 31 with a 14 degree edge that seems to hold up very well too.

I'd bet they could do a convex zero edge on stones, like DBK did with theirs, and polish it.

 

[TheOne45]

and a few months back I used it to cut some wire in sheathing and chipped the blade

I just read your first post again to refresh my memory and start wondering about words ''wire'', ''sheathing'' and ''cut''.
I'm still trying to be familiar with all english words and expressions and sometimes something get lost in translation.
Did you cut copper electrical wire or some other wire?
I wondered because some time ago I was testing my knife I made more then 40 years ago out of HSS saw ... I made a few cuts of stranded copper electrical wire and this left no marks on the edge.
Those Rocksteads suppose to be made of zdp189 steel at 67HRc or so.

 

[Terry M.]

I just read your first post again to refresh my memory and start wondering about words ''wire'', ''sheathing'' and ''cut''.
I'm still trying to be familiar with all english words and expressions and sometimes something get lost in translation.
Did you cut copper electrical wire or some other wire?
I wondered because some time ago I was testing my knife I made more then 40 years ago out of HSS saw ... I made a few cuts of stranded copper electrical wire and this left no marks on the edge.
Those Rocksteads suppose to be made of zdp189 steel at 67HRc or so.

Sorry for the delayed response.

It was telephone wire encased in underground sheathing which consisted of plastic and copper surround. It was NOT one of my finer moments of thinking.