Dulling a blade?

[tatsujin]

OK...I think this is the best place to post this since it is "weapons related".

I have to make an admission here that some may think should end up in the revocation of my "man card"....I am capable at many things, but working with tools? Not so much?

I have found an EDC knife (folder) that I absolutely love. So, for training purposes, I am going to buy another one and then dull the blade. The point and the single edge.

So, here is the question...how would I go about doing this? Meaning, is there a single decent priced tool that I can use to do this? Like a Dremel (sp?) or something like that? Any specific "tip" or attachment?

Since this will be a single one time use for the tool, I am trying to keep the cost down.

Any and all suggestions are welcome. Hopefully I come out of this with all of my fingers! LOL!

Thanks!

[sensei8]

According to my dad, whose 90 years old, and is very experienced in many things has told my brother and me that you can dull a knife with a sander, sandpaper, concrete, and a sharpening stone. These ways do seem to fit the bill as far as costs are concerned.

[Miick 11]

OK...I think this is the best place to post this since it is "weapons related".

I have to make an admission here that some may think should end up in the revocation of my "man card"....I am capable at many things, but working with tools? Not so much?

I have found an EDC knife (folder) that I absolutely love. So, for training purposes, I am going to buy another one and then dull the blade. The point and the single edge.

So, here is the question...how would I go about doing this? Meaning, is there a single decent priced tool that I can use to do this? Like a Dremel (sp?) or something like that? Any specific "tip" or attachment?

Since this will be a single one time use for the tool, I am trying to keep the cost down.

Any and all suggestions are welcome. Hopefully I come out of this with all of my fingers! LOL!

Thanks!

- by repeatedly hacking into opponents with them ?

Seriously though .... be a shame to blunt a good knife . We have 3 'Soken Sai' and 3 ' Soken Gamma' katas , so I used to two weapon wielding . I realized I can do most of these moves with a machete ( one of the most common assault weapons here ) but people didnt like that , they really backed off ! I didnt think blunting them would work as its hard to tell from distance , people still worried about the crazy guy in the park twirling and slashing with 2 machetes - so I got a wooden pair made , I luv em ! Custom made , can still deliver a clout or stab and even from a distance people can see they are wood and assume ; 'martial arts practice ' instead of potential danger .

I usually blunt stuff on a grinding wheel , or angle grinder but I guess you dont have one .

[tatsujin]

Seriously though .... be a shame to blunt a good knife .

True, but I am a firm believer that if you are going to carry a knife, you should train with that knife. So, when I find something that is going to become an EDC knife, I want to use it in my training. While I have done live blade training, I am too old and too slow to consider it now! LOL! But, I want the carry, draw, open, etc. to all be the same. Your mileage may vary...

I usually blunt stuff on a grinding wheel , or angle grinder but I guess you dont have one .

Nope...and I think at least two states have outlawed me owning any kind of powerful tools!

[Miick 11]

" I think at least two states have outlawed me owning any kind of powerful tools! "

???

In my state, MA training weapons are legal , except for nunchuks and tonfa , but we dont do them , but in the next state south , you need a license to have a bo and supposed to keep it locked up in a gun safe - weird !

[Wado Heretic]

If one has access to the tools it is fairly easy to grind the edge off, and then sand down into a smooth, round surface.

The other option is to hot cut off the edges and tip, and then sand down the edges, but that requires some knowledge of blade smithing, and having the right tools.

A pair of steel scissors of the correct hardness can immediately take the edge off of most EDC. Run the between the fold of the scissors where the two blades are connected a few times, and it'll take the edge right off. But that will just take off the sharpness and won't achieve what I think you are after.

As Bob mentioned prior as well you can use various tools and just run the blade down with repetition. As long as the counter surface is of higher grit.

[crash]

"

but in the next state south , you need a license to have a bo and supposed to keep it locked up in a gun safe - weird !

seriously, a bo has to be licensed????? does no one there have walking sticks for hiking?

[crash]

dont really have anything to add that hasnt been already stated, to get it actually dull enough to be 100% safe would require the edge to be completely flattened or rounded off and the point to be flattened, even then it could still stab and puncture the body, due to the small size of the blade. if you take this much off the blade it will no longer actually be identical the active carry one though. (sounds like you want an exact copy for practice) but the now, practice knife will be minutely less in weight and size due to blade loss....sure, probably not noticeable but still...... practicing with a similar practice knife is probably the best route imo, but that is just me, i couldnt bring myself to ruin a good blade...lol

[Miick 11]

Crash :

" seriously, a bo has to be licensed????? does no one there have walking sticks for hiking? "

Yes . They also have broom and tool handles for sale .... but they are not considered a bo .

Crazy huh ?

The law here (NSW ) can be just as silly ; someone breaks into your house, you clout them, that's assault .

I also teach some SD 'legalities' . If it ever comes to it do not tell the police ; " Well, he broke into my house, my wife and kids where home , he seemed crazy like he was on something , so I grabbed my bo and smashed him over the head . "

No no no .

" Well, he broke into my house, my wife and kids where home , he seemed crazy like he was on something , he advanced towards me and I backed up but the wall was behind me and he had me up against it . He grabbed me so I fumbled behind myself and my hand came upon the broom, so I took that up and used it to push him away from me . Then we started wrestling with the broom , I was able to subdue him . The head of the broom must have come off at some stage . "

- yeah , my brooms do seem to have thicker handles than usual .... I get tired of them breaking all the time .

[Miick 11]

dont really have anything to add that hasnt been already stated, to get it actually dull enough to be 100% safe would require the edge to be completely flattened or rounded off and the point to be flattened, even then it could still stab and puncture the body, due to the small size of the blade. if you take this much off the blade it will no longer actually be identical the active carry one though. (sounds like you want an exact copy for practice) but the now, practice knife will be minutely less in weight and size due to blade loss....sure, probably not noticeable but still...... practicing with a similar practice knife is probably the best route imo, but that is just me, i couldnt bring myself to ruin a good blade...lol

Different than using a blade but similar , the best thing about it is , 'keeping track of what happened ' (afterwards ) during the more realistic knife drills ;

- large red texta pen -

{ One time a mate wanted a go , he is pretty rough and crazy but not a martial artist . For some reason he became fixated with trying to stab me in the groin . Anyway at the end he was boasting ; ' Martial arts .... HA ! Look at his arms ! He got red marks all over them ! "

Me ; " Well, it is a 'knife' fight , both are sure to be cut at some stage . "

Him ; " I wasn't ! "

Me : " Come with me . " I took him into the bathroom and got him to look in the mirror ;

" What ? "

Me ; " Lift your chin up . "

He did ... and then saw a thick red line going from near one ear under the chin, across the throat and over to the other ear .

" Whan did you do THAT ! ? "

- and no one got hurt .