# Expert advice



## mhenry (Aug 12, 2011)

Hey Guys,
Through an unfortunate series of events (wife cutting a watermelon) my favorite Takeda got severly bent and eventually cracked by my attempts to straighten it. I actually teared up a little when I saw the break .It broke where the tang and blade come togeather. I didn't know what to do. There was no way I was going to throw a $300 plus knife in the trash. I used a band saw and cut it along the crack and TIG welded it back togeather using 316 stainless rod. I was really careful to keep the heat down. Since I have rehandled it and have been using it with no apparent side effects.
In retrospect I now realize I should have consulted you guys before I acted. I am wondering if I should have handled this different, or what other methods I could have used
Thanks Mike

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x410/mhenry5/IMG_0377.jpg


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## tk59 (Aug 12, 2011)

I have no idea but that's a great story and it looks good. Did it fall off a counter embedded in the watermelon? It seems like it would take a lot to bend a knife so it would stay bent at the handle like that.


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## mhenry (Aug 12, 2011)

tk59 said:


> I have no idea but that's a great story and it looks good. Did it fall off a counter embedded in the watermelon? It seems like it would take a lot to bend a knife so it would stay bent at the handle like that.



I was at work when it happened but apparently it did fall off the counter. I don't think I am getting the whole story (cover-up)


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## RRLOVER (Aug 12, 2011)

I would have done the same thing.


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## Dave Martell (Aug 12, 2011)

When I was reading the story I was picturing the worst and then I clicked on the picture and was surprised by a great repair. What you've done isn't all that different than what Moritaka does by welding on a stainless tang.


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## Dave Martell (Aug 12, 2011)

FWIW, I believe that this could also have been repaired by a bladesmith welding on a new tang, well assuming that you could get the handle off.


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## JohnnyChance (Aug 13, 2011)

Is this a new handle, or were you able to save the one you had on there? I think if you were able to weld it without disturbing the horn in the handle or the epoxy in the handle, the heat treat should also be fine. Did you do anything to the blade during welding to help it dissipate the heat?

Looks like you know your way around a TIG welder. I'm sure it will be fine. Nice handle too, who made it?

Any pictures before the repair?


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## mhenry (Aug 13, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


> Is this a new handle, or were you able to save the one you had on there? I think if you were able to weld it without disturbing the horn in the handle or the epoxy in the handle, the heat treat should also be fine. Did you do anything to the blade during welding to help it dissipate the heat?
> 
> Looks like you know your way around a TIG welder. I'm sure it will be fine. Nice handle too, who made it?
> 
> Any pictures before the repair?





Hey,
I kept it cool by using wet rags around the weld area and only welding in short bursts and cooling it off between tack's. There was almost no heat transfer to the blade area ..I have also been using the knife heavily and it still has that classic Takeda edge retention I dont think the heat treat got disturbed. I did not weld it with the old handle in place, removed it before doing the repair.

I made the new handle spalted maple burl/faux ivory/ironwood. I think I took a couple before pics looking for them now
Thanks Mike


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## obtuse (Aug 13, 2011)

Great job with that repair. I would have cried.


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## Eamon Burke (Aug 13, 2011)

You did good by Texas--it's broken, so you fixed it.

Couldn't expect a better job!


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## mhenry (Aug 13, 2011)

obtuse said:


> Great job with that repair. I would have cried.


I did.. like a baby


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## Mike Davis (Aug 13, 2011)

As long as the color on the edge of the blade never changed, you did not affect the HT. Looks like a great job, and with a tig repair, it will be as strong as the original steel. I will say if it welded properly(And it looks like it is) you probably will not have any issues with it. Great job and great job on the handle also!


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## mhenry (Aug 13, 2011)

Thanks everyone I am feeling alot better about my repair job


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