Even the most high-end, heavy-duty tactical knife can become
damaged at some point, especially if you’re using it often. The most commonly affected area of a tactical
knife is, unsurprisingly, the blade itself, which sees the most action and is
put under the most pressure.

If you are a serious tactical knife collector and
user, then sooner or later, you’ll likely end up with a broken blade. Now, we know that it may be tempting to throw
the whole thing out and buy a new one, but often, what can look like a
devastating bit of damage can actually be repaired with relative ease.

Why Might a Tactical Knife Blade Become Damaged?

Without a doubt, the most common reason for a tactical
knife blade to become damaged is using it improperly. Every blade has its unique limits, and it’s
not uncommon for us to get overzealous and try to cut or chop something that
the blade simply cannot handle.

Another common issue is improper storage, which
weakens the blade over time. Keeping the
blade in an environment that’s either too moist or too dry can weaken the
metal, causing erosion or making it brittle, while extreme temperatures can
destabilize the material.

Now, let’s go over the most common issues with blades,
and what you can do to fix them.

A Stuck Blade

Usually, this is due to an issue with the spring
mechanism and not the blade itself. Try
pulling the blade into the ideal position and seeing if the spring realigns
itself and continues working again. If
not, you may need to replace the spring.

A Broken Tip

A broken tip is probably the most common form of
damage you’ll experience when using a tactical knife. Sadly, this just isn’t an issue for which
there is a quick and inexpensive fix. If
you don’t want to replace the blade, you can see a blade specialist who will
form a new tip by filing down the metal, starting where the tip broke off. What this means is that your blade will be a
bit shorter than it was, but it will be functional once again.

A Chip or Dent

Blades can become chipped or dented due to a variety
of reasons, including knocking them into something, or being overambitious when
chopping or cutting. The chip or dent
can be any size and occur at any location of the blade.

To fix a chip or dent, you should have a specialist
create a new edge by filing the blade down to the deepest indentation of the
damage. The height of your blade will
end up being shorter, but it will likely not be so much shorter that it
interferes with your ability to use the blade just like you did before the
damage occurred.

A Scratch

Many people get nervous when their blade is scratched,
but the reality is that if you’re using a tactical knife frequently, you really
can’t avoid this happening sooner or later.
There are home repair kits you can purchase that may smooth out the
scratch. Bear in mind that this is an
aesthetic issue, and not one that should interfere with the functionality of
the knife.

A Tactical Knife Should Last for a Long Time

Over the course of time however, or sometimes sooner than
expected, it can accumulate damage along the way depending on how you use it
and store it. The good news is that most
blade issues can be fixed by a professional, and some smaller issues can even
be repaired at home. So, before you
throw that blade into the trash, see if it’s an issue that can reasonably be
remedied.