Went to work with my M43 today limbing a pine tree that had fallen not too long ago. The wood was still green and at first the M43 was making short work of it, then the unthinkable...I looked down and there was a fairly large dent/roll in the blade about 4 inches up from the handle. At no time did the blade of that kuhk ever come into contact with anything other than pine tree. No rocks, no metal, no dirt. I continued to work with the knife as it was my only means of limbing the tree and I didn't want to drive all the way back home to get something else. By the end of the day my Kuhk looked like it had serrations! there are roughly six good sized dent/rolls starting from the first and continuing on up the blade nearly to the tip. I know that this thread is worthless without pics however my girlfriend has my camera with her so I won't be able to post pics till tmw but I will, I'm not one to come on here and make claims and not back them up:thumbup: I figure its just a bad heat treat but the problem is I have used this kuhk several times before with no problems at all...anyway just thought I would share this with you all.
M43 damaged
- Thread starter WVHILLS
- Start date
First ry using the chakma to realign the edge. The are that looks like serrations may just be due to junk in the bark of the tree.
If it appears to be a more serious problem the contact Yangdu and it will be taken care of with no problem at all.
I have two M-43's one of which I used for several years of survival living. The edge has of course seen some gnarly times, but I've always been able to restore it with the chakma or a little work on a stone or strop.
Definitely don't fret. Ypu've ordered form the most honest and decent folks you'll likely ever deal with.
If it appears to be a more serious problem the contact Yangdu and it will be taken care of with no problem at all.
I have two M-43's one of which I used for several years of survival living. The edge has of course seen some gnarly times, but I've always been able to restore it with the chakma or a little work on a stone or strop.
Definitely don't fret. Ypu've ordered form the most honest and decent folks you'll likely ever deal with.
I am not worried about the warranty at all. Yangdu always takes good care of people:thumbup: I would try the chamka if I thought for a second that I could use it correctly
I tried taking the chamka and pushing it down the edge of the blade several times like you would with a steel? I dunno it's pretty jacked up.
I tried taking the chamka and pushing it down the edge of the blade several times like you would with a steel? I dunno it's pretty jacked up.- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 80
What incidentally, is the correct way to use the chamka?
Like you would use a butchers steel or a file.
for severely rolled edges though you need to pound them back into line with a hammer.
- Joined
- May 9, 2002
- Messages
- 12,257
Without seeing pictures, its tough to say if the chakma would do any good or not. The chakma is just used to press out the small deformations and waves that any steel blade will get with use. It's just like a butcher's steel. If you watch a good butcher, he/she will make several cuts then steel his edge and repeat. Khuks aren't usually THAT looked after, but generally speaking using a chakma once or twice a wood cutting session does tend to work...if the chakma is hard enough.
That's a shame about your m-43. Khuks are funny animals. My second khuk was a used 15" AK that I had tested time after time. Chopped, dug, pried, etc. I gave it to a friend here on the forum and the blade snapped off at the tang the first time he used it:foot: We were able to get it worked out, but still. Stuff happens
Once you get some pics up, Yangdu will know what to do
That's a shame about your m-43. Khuks are funny animals. My second khuk was a used 15" AK that I had tested time after time. Chopped, dug, pried, etc. I gave it to a friend here on the forum and the blade snapped off at the tang the first time he used it:foot: We were able to get it worked out, but still. Stuff happens
Once you get some pics up, Yangdu will know what to do
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 80
Jeez man, get some kind of polish and clean that bloody thing!
Yeah but it looks to me that some of that damage was where the sweet spot (and the hardening) should be, or at least on the periphery of it.
I've never had that happen with any of mine - knock on saatisal - and I've chopped a lot of wood significantly harder than pine; oak, hickory, locust, osage, and the like.
Faulty heat treatment is my opinion.
I've never had that happen with any of mine - knock on saatisal - and I've chopped a lot of wood significantly harder than pine; oak, hickory, locust, osage, and the like.
Faulty heat treatment is my opinion.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 80
Wouldn't a file compromise the convex bevel edge?
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
- Messages
- 8,930
Send it back to HI and will evaluate your returned Knife to determine if it has been misused or abused. This determiation will be based on our many years of experience and expertise, and our decision regarding such will be final. We will then contact you to advise you to our decesion to best resolve your complaint whether it be repalcement, exchage or repair.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 19,814
exactly what KIND of pine tree? could it be ... balsam or fir types? perhaps certain cedars? yes?
some of those stupid things, in particular, the knots, and certain parts of the branches, are like stone. i wouldn't even consider them wood - silicated lignum (sp). i chipped an axe on such a tree. wow. you'd have an easier time on oak
Bladite
some of those stupid things, in particular, the knots, and certain parts of the branches, are like stone. i wouldn't even consider them wood - silicated lignum (sp). i chipped an axe on such a tree. wow. you'd have an easier time on oak
Bladite
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 19,814
it's harder to do with a knife edge, and a stone would be easier than a file, but it's the standard method for putting a convex edge on an axe.
just requires... technique. easy to learn on an axe. not on a knife.
basically, you have to know the curve you want, and keep the file/stone tangent at all times.
Bladite
titus010782
BANNED
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2009
- Messages
- 206
The first two pictures show rolling in areas where you can expect it. these are softer.
The M43 by Bura Kami I received recently has a temper line you can SEE with the naked eye! The differential hardening line. It also pings when plucked, like a musical instrument.
It came with a rough but sharp, filed final edge. So I am not going to sharpen or take any steel off before testing it.
I am going to do NDT checks for cracking and flaws, but I doubt I will find anything. When a piece of steel has continuity, it normally resonantes (pings) like my M43 does. Are those chips or rolls in the third picture? This 3rd area is the hardened part, about 58Rc.
Remember, its only 5160. So not indestructable.
You can test the temper by putting the blade half way into a post and putting your weight on it. I think Uncle Bill has a picture on the website demonstrating. The blade should take about 200lbs without bending. This will go a way to prove the temper. If it is too soft, it will bend. If too hard it will break or crack.
The M43 by Bura Kami I received recently has a temper line you can SEE with the naked eye! The differential hardening line. It also pings when plucked, like a musical instrument.
It came with a rough but sharp, filed final edge. So I am not going to sharpen or take any steel off before testing it.
I am going to do NDT checks for cracking and flaws, but I doubt I will find anything. When a piece of steel has continuity, it normally resonantes (pings) like my M43 does. Are those chips or rolls in the third picture? This 3rd area is the hardened part, about 58Rc.
Remember, its only 5160. So not indestructable.
You can test the temper by putting the blade half way into a post and putting your weight on it. I think Uncle Bill has a picture on the website demonstrating. The blade should take about 200lbs without bending. This will go a way to prove the temper. If it is too soft, it will bend. If too hard it will break or crack.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2003
- Messages
- 13,182
WV Hills lives about 30 min from me.
None of the pines we have around here should bend a khuk in the hardened area.
I can't see the pics but if as somebody said it's not in a sweet spot I would take a brass hammer and a hard surface and pound it back into line and re sharpen.
I personally would rather have the khuk a little soft rather than super hardened because the super hardened ones chip real bad and it is impossible to fix.
It could be that that softer area was drawn out a little thinner than it should be for the hardness if anyone knows what I'm trying to say
None of the pines we have around here should bend a khuk in the hardened area.
I can't see the pics but if as somebody said it's not in a sweet spot I would take a brass hammer and a hard surface and pound it back into line and re sharpen.
I personally would rather have the khuk a little soft rather than super hardened because the super hardened ones chip real bad and it is impossible to fix.
It could be that that softer area was drawn out a little thinner than it should be for the hardness if anyone knows what I'm trying to say