Tippit Test Blade

[tippit]

Here's a small blade test knife that I wanted to destroy to see a couple of things.

1) What the texture and grain size of the edge looked like up to the quench line.

2) Since I tend to temper a slightly harder edge on my small blades, when would it crack. If it bends too much then the edge holding quality will also suffer some being soft.

3) When would my spine break.

So I destroyed this 5160 2 1/2 test blade, differentially quenched, tempered at 375F twice for 1 1/2 hours each time. That temper tends to give me a harder edge then when tempering to 400 or 425F.
 

   


This is where by spine broke at a little over 90 degrees. The quenched edge cracked around 40 degrees.  No I did not break it with my fingers...just showing how it came apart!


 


I cracked the edge again by the recaso a second time with out totally breaking the blade to get a good idea where the edge broke.

   

What I liked was was how small my grain size was on the quenched edge and the demarcation from quench line to softer spine which I think you can make out in the picture. Any comments and critiques are appreciated..tippit

 

 

[Lin Rhea]

Perfect. It sounds like you already had in mind what this blade would do. That is the control you need to have over your heat treatment. That is what make the knife a custom knife. You imparted the qualities you wanted into this blade.

Jeff, you knew if you bumped the draw temps up a little that it would bend and probably not crack. But, this is what you wanted in a small blade. I like it!! That is control. Lin

[d. ward]

nice work Doc I never thought I would say that about a broken knife.bd

[Steve Nuckels]

Very Cool Stuff!!!

Doc, did you get your power hammer!  And do you love it?


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IN GOD WE TRUST

[Kevin Evans]

Just starting to learn about the steel.
This stuff really helps Thanks

[Doug Campbell]

Yep, if you never test em you'll never know what they'll take. Good post Jeff  

[prarieboy]

That Helps Thanks for sharing!

[tippit]

Rooster, I got my power hammer...But been so busy with Bear Q, getting my tracking dog Tilly bred, 4th of July, etc.  I haven't even used it yet    Really not a bad thing cause it sure ain't going anywhere  

[Nosight]

Great post on the blade..

The nice thing about the new toy is its not going anywhere....

The bad thing all you want to do is play with the new toy and nobody leaves you alone long enought to play.(lol)

Post some pics of the setup and let us know how it works.....

Later.......Buzz

[L. E. Carroll]

Jeff,
The next time you want one tested, send it my way      

[d. ward]

I've been on about every research team for team Tippit knives so far.I had the pleasure of using his large bladed(I think around 7" blade)osage handled kitchen knife for two weeks while we were on BQ-3 together in june.Plus I had the pleasure of using the small blade cord handled knife he left behind for the winner of the big bear contest we have every year on BQ.Jeff builds a fine knife for that person who arrows and recovers the heaviest weight bear for the two week hunt.Which just happen to be none other then the doc himself this year won his own knife back thats weird but as always being the good hearted guy he is doc left the knife behind in case someone shot a bigger bear then his.I gotta tell ya I used the small blade why more then the big one and it was sweet.
I've put lots of miles on Jeff's blades over the years and as mentioned a full two weeks of using two of them was truly a pleasure.They are outstanding working knives in the skinning shed or kitchen.Here's the good Doctor himself giving the boy's some school time in the shed.bd