Broken tip on Maxamet Para 3

[ZeroRange]

So I have no idea how this happened but I broke the tip of my Maxamet Para 3. I've only cut through some tape on cardboard today and somehow my tip is broken. The knife didn't penetrate the cardboard fully and there was no metal in it at all. The box was tiny and just held a plastic wireless 10 key numpad. There's absolutely no evidence of the knife even penetrating the box, let alone hitting the plastic.

I used to read these posts not believing the OP because I've absolutely abused my PM2 in s30v with no issues but somehow my Maxamet got damaged within a week for no good reason.

I'm going to try to sharpen it out but I'm not sure about carrying the knife now. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[shunsui]

That will never be right again.

I'll be happy to dispose of it for you in accordance with the EPA rules.

[Evil D]

I would very lightly blend that in with the spine and roll with it.

[steelcity16]

Oh man, you broke the tip of the tip of the tip! Better send to me for proper disposal. PM me for my address. :)

[bearfacedkiller]

That is definitely a bummer and should not have happened that easily. I would grind the spine down to fix it and just keep using it and see if you have any more trouble.


I have stabbed my ManixLW in Maxamet through a tin can. I have also used it to cut up a few empty soda cans without any damage. I made an alcohol stove out of soda cans with mine including drilling the little holes through the bottom of the can where it is thicker.

[Bloke]

I'm going to try to sharpen it out but I'm not sure about carrying the knife now. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

It’s annoying when things like that happen particularly to new knives. I somehow snapped about the same amount, maybe slightly less off my Sprig’s tip when I first bought it.

As annoying as it is I haven’t fixed it and over a couple of sharpenings it’s barely noticeable. I wouldn’t suggest you sharpen the knife unless it’s blunt of coarse. The easiest and less intrusive way to fix it is to grind down the spine to meet the tip. Done carefully you’d never know you’d done it. :)

[attila]

If done well, the repair isn't terrible or difficult.

I broke my Cruwear's tip as illustrated crudely below:


I gently and slowly ground the tip similarly to how Delica tips are, but on a smaller scale:


It's not needle-pointy anymore, but it's plenty acute for my uses.

Good luck with whatever method you choose.

[TomAiello]

The real question is: where did you pick up a new Maxamet Para 3?

[ZeroRange]

Thanks everyone. I did what you guys recommended after seeing Atilla's pictures and reground the spine. I now have a semi sharp tip again.

I also put it on the Sharpmaker to check the angles and the 15 dps was only scratching the very edge on the left side. Turns out my right edge is 15dps but the left side is about 12dps. I think I'm going to turn it into a project knife at this point.

[ZeroRange]

The real question is: where did you pick up a new Maxamet Para 3?

eBay. Got it with the 15% off coupon for $225. One reason why this hurts a little.

[jpm2]

I think I'm going to turn it into a project knife at this point.

All my knives are projects. Just got through de-horning the para3 rex45 sprint. Did scale swapping and a lot of grinding on my BHQ native5 M4. You might not recognize my GB1, it's been ground from head to toe and shortened overall about an inch. Chopped the back side off my BHQ jade M4 military.... and there's many more. Make it like you want it and use it any way you wish.

I severly chipped my n5 maxamet cutting the top out of a tin can. Redid it at 35 degrees inclusive and cut another identical can, in the same way. The edge was just like it was before I cut it, like I never cut a thing. Thinking it might have been weak steel the 1st time, I went back to 30 degrees inclusive and tried again and heard the familiar "pop". I stopped at that point and went back to 35 incl.

I've also chipped out 3v, says some, the toughest folding knife steel you can have. I've done the same stuff 100's of times with steels not known for their toughness and same edge geometry with zero effect on the edge. And as you saw above, cruwear fracture/chip, another highly regarded "tough" steel, right next to 3v according to some.

[attila]

I think I'm going to turn it into a project knife at this point.

I've also chipped out 3v, says some, the toughest folding knife steel you can have. I've done the same stuff 100's of times with steels not known for their toughness and same edge geometry with zero effect on the edge. And as you saw above, cruwear fracture/chip, another highly regarded "tough" steel, right next to 3v according to some.

In my Cruwear's chipped tip example, it was more of a strength failure than a toughness failure, since there was no impact force.

I was working on freeing an embedded object from a tree by poking it into the wood and cutting the wood fibers by rocking the tip in small slicing motions. There was intentionally little or no sideways force and no impact force on the blade. It broke off as illustrated in my drawing; note the trailing angle of the break along the spine. The force was directed only at the cutting edge of the tip, but the tip wasn't strong enough for that motion and fractured off. I hope this description makes sense. Here's the drawing again.



It was a fascinating learning experience for me. I thought the steel was strong enough for such a task, but the torque I applied, despite not feeling like a lot, was sufficient to cause a small, interesting failure.

[jpm2]

I think I'm going to turn it into a project knife at this point.

I've also chipped out 3v, says some, the toughest folding knife steel you can have. I've done the same stuff 100's of times with steels not known for their toughness and same edge geometry with zero effect on the edge. And as you saw above, cruwear fracture/chip, another highly regarded "tough" steel, right next to 3v according to some.

In my Cruwear's chipped tip example, it was more of a strength failure than a toughness failure, since there was no impact force.

My understanding of the terms,
Tough is resistance to fracture/chipping/breakage regardless if it occurs from impact or static/dynamic force from any direction.
Strength is resistance to deformation.

Maybe that's incorrect?

[GarageBoy]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjUFw-LAD_4 ... 0ajhh5tqqj

Edgesupply on Instagram had the same issues

[jpm2]

I've not had any problems with maxamet at 30 degrees per side other than the tin can episode. Part of it is due to the height of the leaf shape blade, resulting in a lot of side force on the edge while cutting a circle. I've found very few blade steels that will do this without excess damage.
I may just be lucky, but feel I have an excellent specimen of maxamet.

[ferider]

I'm going to try to sharpen it out but I'm not sure about carrying the knife now. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Yes. My pm2 also had a .5mm chip in the beginning, for no reason that i could remember. I sharpened it out, and the edge has held up ever since, through heavy use.

By now i have a pm2, 2 mules and a “Franken” Manix 2 with full steel liners in Maxamet. Love that stuff among others because sharpening is easy (easier than - say - m390). Note that I’m not as scientific in sharpening as many here, I just use a Japanese wet-stone free hand, as my dad taught me 40+ years ago.

Roland.