Is this a stress fracture on my A.K. Bowie?

[Steelcore]

Due to the nature of the dendritic tree branch shape id say its a fracture and since normal chopping would cause compression in that area id say it is not likely the cause. Batoning would cause extension in that area since your striking at the tip area in front of the fracture so Id say without question that it was caused by batoning. There must have been a slight defect or weakness (stress riser) in the area that caused the fracture. It would probably go no where chopping but lateral prying or batoning would likely cause that fracture to propagate. Like Karda said if you grind beyond the crack it may not ever cause you a problem.

Hi, I've been studying metallurgy and archaeometallurgy, and I would agree that the dendritic nature of the mark is definitely a crack caused by this spine area being harder than normal (assuming differential tempering). A forge flaw mark (which I have in a few really old khukuris) tends to run along parallel to the length, as that is how the folding takes place...along the length. As far as stress riser goes, the geometry in that location looks fine (sharp angles tend to be the cause of stress in use of a piece, other discussion entirely), but there may have been an annealing missed at the end to relive stress there.

I'd say that the crack would not go anywhere if you don't strike it, but I would not pry with it. You see, any use of it from now on will shunt the stresses to this location now. If you are using the edge to chop and such, then I bet you are fine...that is far enough away from the edge to do much more. The cracking probably stopped because the internal steel of the blade is soft enough to stop the spread of the crack.

You could try to torch anneal it, but you will need some time and a big torch head to get the spine warmed up enough...really more of a forge process than a torch process. Hey, you could experiment and run a bead of weld across it, and then file and polish!

 

[ndoghouse]

When I say stress riser I mean more of a grain or micro defect in the steel rather than a geometric curve or angle. Maybe stress riser is the wrong word? Arcing a quick bead there (in my opinion and experience) would not transfer enough heat to change anything other than at the immediate weld boundry. It surely wouldnt affect the edge temper. I agree with you that you could probably weld a quick bead and grind it off and polish.

 

[FAL FORGE]

My Bura CAK is priceless to me.

I agree with the two gents above, use the correct rod and zap that crack and refinish the area.