CPM Cruwear chipping?

[Kenneth1977]

I have had this knife for less than a year and I do not carry it every day and only open boxes or cut cardboard, I have just noticed that there is some bad chipping at the end of the blade. I really would have thought this would have stood up better. https://imgur.com/a/yrMz9hJ

[VooDooChild]

There should be no way that only cardboard did that. Maybe you got one from a bad batch?

Theres a possibility that the knife has a "burnt" edge and the problem would stop once you have sharpened through the current edge.

[Enactive]

Possibly hidden staples or similar embedded metal in the cardboard?

[steelcity16]

Yeah, either a burnt edge or maybe you hit a staple or banged it into metal or the ground or something when cutting. No way that should happen from cardboard. Cruwear is tough as nails.

[JSumm]

I don't think I have a steel that I haven't been able to chip (except maybe LC200N, that one likes to roll) hitting the wrong thing. Definitely wouldn't judge it until you get some sharpenings behind it.

[JRinFL]

Factory edge or resharpened? Could it be a burr that is crumbling off?

[awa54]

That sort of damage is not something I've experienced and I have multiple CruWear blades from Spyderco, several of which have been regularly used for far more demanding cutting chores than tape and cardboard. Even ones that have been reprofiled to 15dps haven't shown any chipping, let alone that much.

The only Spyderco steels that I've had visibly chip out in non-abusive situations are S30V and Elmax. I also own a Vtoku2 Endura that had whole sections of edge fracture off, but nobody else seems to have experienced that problem and my Vtoku2 Delica is OK, so that was a fluke.

I'd guess that you are either hitting staples in the cardboard without noticing, or got a knife that has a faulty heat treatment, or had the edge overheated in sharpening.

Either way the first step is to reprofile the edge and get rid of all the damage, then see if it shows the same issues after that. If it chips again with moderate use, then I'd snd it back for warranty, that should be possible now, since there's a regular production CruWear PM2.
(looks like I typed too slow and two five others beat me to my suggestions )

[Kenneth1977]

Yeah, either a burnt edge or maybe you hit a staple or banged it into metal or the ground or something when cutting. No way that should happen from cardboard. Cruwear is tough as nails.

No there want any staples hit or dropped on the ground. I take care of my knives. I was shocked when I went to get a splinter out of my hand and felt the rough edge.

[Kenneth1977]

Factory edge or resharpened? Could it be a burr that is crumbling off?

It’s the factory edge other than stroping it once I have not touched the edge.

[RustyIron]

It's time to sharpen that blade. I'm not trying to be critical, but there are certain truths about knives, and it doesn't matter how you use the knife or what kind of fancy steel the blade is made from.

"There are those who sharpen their knives frequently, and those who cut with dull knives."

[ykspydiefan]

I am going through a similar experience that is different in every other way possible.

We both have a blade that chipped when we really did not expect it.

Me: Out of the box.
You: Year old.

You: Cutting with a knife.
Me: Batoning with a knife.

Me: Chopping wood.
You: Cut cardboard.

I have just finished my sharpen up and retest batoning this blade again. And, on the new edge it held up great.

I will not make any judgement on your skill or experience. For me, I have knives that I can strop and keep sharp for what feels like forever, can not remember putting them to stones last. Other knives like my most recent Mule was not coming back to life with out stones. And then I have knives in between. My Tenacious is like that, I can only strop it so many times, then it needs new steel exposed and a new edge.

Anyway, I look forward to how you solve your chips. Let us know, eh!

[Evil D]

I've seen some nasty stuff embedded in low end paper that boxes are made of, and the starch that glues it all together is really hard and plenty capable of chipping an edge if it hits right. This does seem like something more due to a nasty wire edge fracturing off, I would not expect this from a clean apex unless you banged it against a hard surface or maybe caught a staple you didn't notice.

[Sharp Guy]

I have several Spydies with Cruwear and most have cut a lot of cardboard. A few have touched up factory edges and some have been reprofiled. None have any signs of chipping. So something's off with the OP's knife.

[WilliamMunny]

I also have had good luck with Cruwear and no chipping. I would recommend a good sharpening, if you still have chipping the. Sharpen to 20DPS and see how that edge holds up.

[JRinFL]

It might be worth a call to Spyderco to see what they say.

[cjk]

Stuff happens. Just sharpen and move on. The tip doesn't look pointy anymore and would appear to need some work as well. There looks like a couple of impacts to the edge. These things happen. Sometimes we don't notice. Cardboard can be pretty nasty stuff.

[The Mastiff]

I don't get this automatic default to "burnt edges" . We know the sharpening is done in a way that prevents it. I'd really like to see some proof that Spyderco has burnt edges. Sure I know in theory it can be possible with some sharpening jobs somewhere. I've seen it on one new knife in my 50 years of knife use and it was discolored and very apparent. It was an exceedingly thin knife made by a well known maker in Japan done with "R2" steel. The other knife I saw it was on was a knife that was destroyed on a bench grinder by a hack in his basement. Also discolored and obvious.

Can we think about this before defaulting to pointing the finger at Spyderco and assuming they are burning edges despite not having any proof of this happening.

[RustyIron]

What he said

[Evil D]

I don't get this automatic default to "burnt edges" . We know the sharpening is done in a way that prevents it. I'd really like to see some proof that Spyderco has burnt edges. Sure I know in theory it can be possible with some sharpening jobs somewhere. I've seen it on one new knife in my 50 years of knife use and it was discolored and very apparent. It was an exceedingly thin knife made by a well known maker in Japan done with "R2" steel. The other knife I saw it was on was a knife that was destroyed on a bench grinder by a hack in his basement. Also discolored and obvious.

Can we think about this before defaulting to pointing the finger at Spyderco and assuming they are burning edges despite not having any proof of this happening.

Fair point, but the alternative is that people jump straight to heat treat problems which seems far less likely.

[The Mastiff]

Fair point, but the alternative is that people jump straight to heat treat problems which seems far less likely.

My next choice is to think there is unreported/unknown use or cause of damage the OP didn't know about. Bad heat treats are also one of the things brought up regularly for all kinds of issues mostly caused by burrs and other sharpening related stuff but I don't recall any real proof given for it despite all the times it was suggested.