Helle Viking Fail
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I have sent a message to Helle, let's see what happens. The knife is worth nothing now, so trying @Stew recommendation is a winning idea to me.
That fits what one sees, the bright area goes through the whole thickness which high probability means that the low carbon outer layers are totally missing there and the high carbon core has been 2/3 broken possible from the beginning.
That is a starting material defect, the plate from which the blank was cut was defective. The all brittle failure in the core material might also be an indication that tempering did not go quite right.
They may ask you to send it in to them, so I'd suggest holding off on changing it just yet
If helle don't want it back, let me know and I'll sort you a handle.
Do you see that Reddish/Burgundy type colouration near what i assume is the bottom part of the tang?... That shows its cracked during hardening. The colour suggests a tempering temp of around 260c. That colour wouldn't be there (as per the rest of the cross section), without a stress fracture being there before the tempering cycle. When i mentioned a yellowish/straw type colour, i was a assuming a typical high carbon steel heat treat. I didn't consider the lamination, so that makes sense. In short, the blade was cracked before you bought it. Manufacturing defect.
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Yes, that does look like something which shouldnt be there. Like a chip of metal got between the outer cladding and the core steel before it was heated and pressed... Potentially the cause of the stress fracture given its location to the burgundy colouration below it.
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Its not great. I have seen worse. Laminated blades will never have the finer grain structure that a mono steel blade will. Same with pattern welded steels... 2 steels need 2 different heat treatments to be optimal, and thats just not possible to achieve.
As i said above, It was tempered at a higher than optimal temp for the carbon steel, due to the material used in the lamination. You can see the red/burgundy colour at what would have been the bottom of the tang, which indicated a crack there, before tempering, and a tempering temp in the 250/260c area.
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Given the location of the fracture, and the cleaner break to the lower part of the tang, i'm guessing that you were pushing down on it making some feathers when it snapped? It was always going to happen at some point. These things happen.
I once made 2 blades out of RWL-34... I had made loads with this steel previously, i had the heat treatment nailed down... And both, from the same batch got a fracture and snapped. Literally the only 2 that's ever happened to in 17 years and a thousand blades. The grain was like porcelain... so fine you couldn't really see individual grains... But there was a small yellowish patch going from some Jimping i'd done, to my stamp. And one snapped when i was finishing the blade by hand, so i checked the other out and noticed the same defect. MY fault entirely. I'd either gone too deep with the jimping, or too high with the stamp and it created a perfect storm of F//k youery. Cost me £60 and a days work to remake them.. Haven't done it since. You either learn quick or you quit in this game. Mistakes can often be very expensive. Better to not make each one more than once... but you will, guaranteed, make every mistake, once.
Hope Helle see you right mate. They should. Despite the 7 years you've had it... At least if they've got any pride in their product and name.
Glad to be of help.
I once made 2 blades out of RWL-34... I had made loads with this steel previously, i had the heat treatment nailed down... And both, from the same batch got a fracture and snapped. Literally the only 2 that's ever happened to in 17 years and a thousand blades. The grain was like porcelain... so fine you couldn't really see individual grains... But there was a small yellowish patch going from some Jimping i'd done, to my stamp. And one snapped when i was finishing the blade by hand, so i checked the other out and noticed the same defect. MY fault entirely. I'd either gone too deep with the jimping, or too high with the stamp and it created a perfect storm of F//k youery. Cost me £60 and a days work to remake them.. Haven't done it since. You either learn quick or you quit in this game. Mistakes can often be very expensive. Better to not make each one more than once... but you will, guaranteed, make every mistake, once.
Hope Helle see you right mate. They should. Despite the 7 years you've had it... At least if they've got any pride in their product and name.
Glad to be of help.
I really didNice one Stew, he coveted the Stu M #2 you did for me.
@Stew I might send another with it.
I would expect that to be a rare thing, I have never had a blade failure like that as I can recall. I have broken the tips of knives using them as a prybar but that is another thing it is abuse. I have had spades break in normal use but then they are made out of Chinesium these days aren't they.
Thanks Mark.
To be honest this has all been quite interesting topic, and glad I posted this. Thanks to all that have commented.... I'll see what Helle say, and get back to everyone.
Look forward to it mate. They are not known to be a shabby outfit. I would expect they'll see you right.
Well, nearly 4 months later....two failed not even bothered to deliver deliveries, one lost knife, and about 40 emails.... today the replacement Helle is here
Whitby have been brilliant, and they have been just as surprised as me with the turn of events.
The sad part is, that financial issues means that I have to free up more funds than are available...so looks like I'll be selling my toys
Whitby have been brilliant, and they have been just as surprised as me with the turn of events.
The sad part is, that financial issues means that I have to free up more funds than are available...so looks like I'll be selling my toys
I have found Helle handles to be too small. That looks like a nice knife though ... not quite a temptation, but nice enough.
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