Silver solder

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Nov 28, 2005
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So the black pin holes that develop on some or most knives hilt solder... Is this just cosmetic or is it because of an air gap within the material. I know I've used knives pretty hard, one knife looked as it had a less than hairline crack or mark on it but it never got worse or changed.
 
I use my Randall Made knives hard as you will be able to see on my prior posts. The soldered hilts never failed. The reason you see natural deviations from the soldering process on the surface is because the area is too small to file. Hairlines on the surface seem to be normal as my knives have them as well. Just use and enjoy the knives and don’t worry about the solder.
 
So the black pin holes that develop on some or most knives hilt solder... Is this just cosmetic or is it because of an air gap within the material. I know I've used knives pretty hard, one knife looked as it had a less than hairline crack or mark on it but it never got worse or changed.
The best term is "silver brazed" soldering is ~500°F , brazing is anything above that.
Everybody says silver solder but it is not accurate.

  • If there is a really good fit up, as well there should be (using silver brazing on a poor fit up is begging for failure)
  • and if the metal is properly clean
  • and if the right flux is used and there is enough of it.
  • and the heat is applied evenly so all parts get hot enough but not too hot.
then
the silver filler will flow in there and all around the joint quick and it will be a flawless joint.
There shouldn't be pin holes and voids and dark spots. Let alone cracks.:eek:

Here is one I did but my camera is so bad (0ld iPod)
See the very root of those two tubes not the rust on the tubes further out.
It should look like that after the flux is removed before any real filing or clean up.
IMG_5359.jpg
here are some photos I pulled off the internet.
images-2.jpeg

images-4.jpeg
images-3.jpeg
 
PS: soldering , the 500°F stuff, is just not strong enough for this purpose . . . it needs to be brazed.
 
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The first photo yes
The others I pulled off the internet as I said but yes they are to.
Yup, they're a whole extra way to spend some money. I have one in titanium, like a Sebenza. Of course the 2.6 oz 940-2 pushes out the 5 oz Sebe while biking. Those were some neat "welds" looked good as the hilt seams on a Randall.
 
2j2j990.jpg
 
Ben, you've been warned to stop bashing RMK's on other forums or face being banned. I welcomed you back with apprehension. Your ongoing hatred of Randall Made knives has been duly noted; we get it. That said, get this - if you keep it up, this is your only warning to knock it off before I kick you to the curb. Clear?
 
Ben, you've been warned to stop bashing RMK's on other forums or face being banned. I welcomed you back with apprehension. Your ongoing hatred of Randall Made knives has been duly noted; we get it. That said, get this - if you keep it up, this is your only warning to knock it off before I kick you to the curb. Clear?

I most certainly do not hate Randall Made Knives! I have been using them since I was 18 years old.




 
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Wowbagger is technically correct, I did not think there would be a fillet brazer in the group when I first answered this post. I also feel the original post by SubaruSTI brought up a valid concern one might have. I banged off and on rocks with a fillet brazed Steve Potts stock trials bicycle for many years and it never broke. I am positive a mere schmear of brazing material to keep air and water out of any possible crevices that may fall between the tightly pressure fitted hilt to the tang and ricasso does serve the purpose regardless if pin spots or hairlines are visible. I beat on my knives plenty with no hilt failure. The quality of the braze is fine for the intended purpose. Randalls are reasonably price (not moderately priced like a machine made Busse) high end handmade factory made knives designed to be used, not festered over. Use the knife for for the rest of your life and worry about something else. The best part is, unlike virtually every other brand of knive made, Randall will most likely be in business in 50 years to repair an unlikely hilt issue. The below link is one of my old test reviews of a Randal Made and the brazing with pinholes and hairlines survived issueless. It is posted on blade forums but the pic disappeared when the new platform was launched.

http://www.knifetalkforums.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=132139&page=all
 
Thanks for that info. BTW I'm a fellow cyclist myself not a Danny McCaskill like yourself but more into XC
 
I just found this thread. I can see how 80 years of world class knife making can be called in to question. It would make sense that a pattern of failures with a process would raise questions. If that had happened.......
 
After some use the soldering has changed to what I remember. Perhaps just another way to tell if a knife was used.

 
Same exact knife. The Mark's are on the spine and bottom too. Again this has happened on all of the Randall knives after a short while. I don't think it's a major defect as it's just a water proofer and its assuredly still water tight.
 
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