Is this knife fixable?

[AJB Temple]

Mrs AJBT has broken this knife, using it with considerable force to cut a large block of cheese. Don't ask me why as I have no idea. It is silver handled and part of a Villeroy & Bosch set she won as a teenager so she wants me to mend it.

Is it fixable? The tang looks to me as if it might be broken, but I'm not sure and can see how she could have done that. The handle is packed with some sort of whitish material that looks a bit like wax paste but presumably isn't. Having probed it, the material is quite hard beyond the broken up bit around the tang and will her to be drilled order out.

Any thoughts? Dig out the white stuff and fill with epoxy? Weld a new bit onto the tang maybe? If it is broken, the rest of it is still in there.

 

[novocaine]

The stuff inside is most likely a urethane or polyeater resin. Fill the hole with epoxy and refit the tang.

Then ban your wife from using it.


*yes eater was intentional lm funny me.

 

[Woodbloke]

Most things can be fixed and this looks 'doable' especially as it's part of a set that 'er indoors acquired some years ago. I would be inclined to try and silver solder on a small extension to the broken part of the tang (maybe try a halving joint of sorts) and excavate all the white 'goo' and finally epoxy in the newly repaired blade.
Whether that's the right way to do it, I'm really not sure, but it's worth having a go, if only to pick up a few extra brownie points - Rob

Edit - on encase the broken stub into a snug fitting steel tube, then epoxy

 

[AJB Temple]

"Honest, yer honour, that's not what you think it is ...I dug it out of a knife handle with a nail file"

It digs out as white powder. Unfortunately the tang did break off and whatever is left is embedded within the handle. The remaining tang is only 20mm. Having exposed the broken end I doubt I will be able to drill or dig the old piece out and the resin is much harder than expected.

Thanks for the advice. I will dig as deep as I can.

In all probability it is not her fault. The tang is not bent so I suspect years of dishwashing has caused internal degradation and her abuse was just the last straw.

 

[NickM]

Was the cheese good though? That's what we really need to know...

 

[AJB Temple]

It was grate. That is what I do with it to deal with my cheese and cucumber sandwich addiction. It is dead cheap Waitrose No 4 cheddar that comes in big blocks. Microplane ribbon grater turns it into a delicacy between two slice of sourdough (home baked) and liberally applied Normandy butter. Also, Waitrose salad cream in better than Heinz, because it is thicker and only a quid a bottle. Cucumber is cut very thin with a ceramic mandolin if you must know.

 

[RogerS]

It was grate. That is what I do with it to deal with my cheese and cucumber sandwich addiction. It is dead cheap Waitrose No 4 cheddar that comes in big blocks. Microplane ribbon grater turns it into a delicacy between two slice of sourdough (home baked) and liberally applied Normandy butter. Also, Waitrose salad cream in better than Heinz, because it is thicker and only a quid a bottle. Cucumber is cut very thin with a ceramic mandolin if you must know.

Cholesterol not a problem then Lucky sod !

Do you have a Dremel tool or similar? I'd simply ream out enough to get a clean surface then use epoxy with the powder you can add to thicken it up. Certainly wouldn't be trying to fetch it all out.

 

[NickM]

It was grate. That is what I do with it to deal with my cheese and cucumber sandwich addiction. It is dead cheap Waitrose No 4 cheddar that comes in big blocks. Microplane ribbon grater turns it into a delicacy between two slice of sourdough (home baked) and liberally applied Normandy butter. Also, Waitrose salad cream in better than Heinz, because it is thicker and only a quid a bottle. Cucumber is cut very thin with a ceramic mandolin if you must know.

Sounds delicious. Proper butter is a treat. I grew up in Guernsey where the butter was very good, but Sark butter was another level up.

 

[AJB Temple]

I get cholesterol tested, but never had any issue.

I do buy Guernsey butter, but mostly I buy Normandy as I like the dark yellow colour and it's easier to get locally. Never seen Sark butter but now I will hunt it down.

Thanks re epoxy. I do have a dremel but I am 30mm in approx where the handle narrows, so not sure if I can get much further. Banned from workshop until tomorrow due to dodgy foot issue, but will have a go then. Worried that a large blob of epoxy within the handle will not set hard properly.

 

[AJB Temple]

Sark dairy closed in 2017 and Islanders had to get the elixir of life from Jersey. New dairy just started up apparently. No butter on-line though.

 

[novocaine]

Home made butter made from cream collected from the dairy that morning. Nothing in the butter world (and i mean nothing) will beat it. Dont do it very often though, else id be the size of a house.

 

[Woodbloke]

Worried that a large blob of epoxy within the handle will not set hard properly.

Mixed properly and well stirred, it'll go off like concrete. Even better than this modern new fangled quick setting epoxy is the proper 'old skool' slow setting stuff, which gives you ample time to do the glue up.

Another alternative is epoxy putty as there's rather a big 'ole to fill. Not used it but I've heard it's 'good stuff' - Rob

Edit - no butter here and only red topped skimmed milk (organic natch :lol: )

 

[AJB Temple]

I am jealous Dave. I know you can do it, but have never tried. Plus I do not have a source of really fresh cream (will have to look). James Martin showed on his Saturday show how to make butter a few weeks ago. But I've forgotten already.

Thanks Woodbloke. Will deal with it. Red milk is just white water by the way. Best thing to do with it is pour it down the sink.

 

[Guineafowl21]

I am jealous Dave. I know you can do it, but have never tried. Plus I do not have a source of really fresh cream (will have to look). James Martin showed on his Saturday show how to make butter a few weeks ago. But I've forgotten already.

Thanks Woodbloke. Will deal with it. Red milk is just white water by the way. Best thing to do with it is pour it down the sink.

Half fill a milk bottle and shake side-to-side rhythmically for AGES. I’ve even mixed up some whole milk, double and single cream that were all on the turn and it worked. Squish the resulting pat with tissue paper and work in some salt.

I was given a bottle of red milk once - I distributed it between the dog and cat, and felt the need to apologise to them.

 

[novocaine]

Big branston pickly jar is perfect.
600g of cream then get your shakes on. Give it a squish to get the buttermilk out and knead in some salt. Job done.

 

[NickM]

Sark dairy closed in 2017 and Islanders had to get the elixir of life from Jersey. New dairy just started up apparently. No butter on-line though.

Yes, I was reading an article on the Guernsey Press website today about the new Sark dairy which is being built. My great gran lived in Sark. She decided Guernsey was all a bit to much for her!

 

[Woodbloke]

Red milk is just white water by the way. Best thing to do with it is pour it down the sink.

When you have (or develop) high cholesterol and can't tolerate statins (as I can't>insomnia) then high fat dairy/sat fat is off the menu as diet is the only way I can control it. No cheese, no butter, no milk (apart from red topped skimmed) but plenty of bran (apparently) lots of nuts, seeds and oats. Lots of oats! Red topped milk has all the nutritional value of semi or full, just virtually none of the very nasty and very unhealthy fat - Rob

 

[AJB Temple]

Thing is Rob, I don't drink dairy milk at all. If you had met K my partner, you would have heard the cow mistreatment story many, many times. Hormones and stuff. So I drink oat milk (Barista version). I pretend I don't eat butter. Actually I mainly use OO. I've tried vegan cheese but, you know, it's not cheese. Not even a bit cheesy.

But I do understand and sympathise.

 

[sunnybob]

Regarding RED TOP milk,
There is often confusion here.

Once upon a time, RED TOP milk was NOT skimmed, it was whole milk that had been homogenised. Thats to say it was full fat milk that had been forced though a micro mesh screen to evenly distribute the fat. This meant that looking at the bottle there was no discernable cream line.
It was originally meant for very young babies to give them the benefits of vitamins but not the fat glubules that they could not process.
It is a very nice milk to drink. trust me, I know of which I speak.
Homogenised milk is still sold, and only the seller decides what colour they use.

If you want or need skimmed (which is just chalky water), check the writing on the bottle, not the colour of the top. :shock:

 

[Woodbloke]

Regarding RED TOP milk,
There is often confusion here.

Once upon a time, RED TOP milk was NOT skimmed, it was whole milk that had been homogenised. Thats to say it was full fat milk that had been forced though a micro mesh screen to evenly distribute the fat. This meant that looking at the bottle there was no discernable cream line.
It was originally meant for very young babies to give them the benefits of vitamins but not the fat glubules that they could not process.
It is a very nice milk to drink. trust me, I know of which I speak.
Homogenised milk is still sold, and only the seller decides what colour they use.

If you want or need skimmed (which is just chalky water), check the writing on the bottle, not the colour of the top. :shock:

I've no doubt what you say is true SB, but I've just checked my organic red top skimmed milk from Waitrose and per 100ml, the total fat is <0.5grm and sat fat is 0.1g. I agree that drinking it as a nice cold glass, straight from the fridge is an unenviable experience and one that needs some getting used to as it's thin and watery. That said, it took me about three days to get used to it on my bucket of cereal (muesli, bran and extra oats) each morning. I expect if I tried semi-skimmed (green top) now it would taste too rich.
Red top though, is great in tea (I drink a pint of builder's, Standard Nato Strength each morning) and it makes a rather good cappuccino from the Gaggia; SWIMBO has no complaints provided she gets a goodly sprinkling of home ground Green & Backs 85% plain choc on the top :lol: - Rob

 

[RogerS]

......
....
Red top though, is great in tea (I drink a pint of builder's, Standard Nato Strength each morning) and it makes a rather good cappuccino from the Gaggia; SWIMBO has no complaints provided she gets a goodly sprinkling of home ground Green & Backs 85% plain choc on the top :lol: - Rob

LOL...how the mind plays tricks. Skimming quickly down this post (and probably because I can't stand tea) my brain took in...

Pint of builder's ....makes .me...gag :lol:

 

[AJB Temple]

One of the best things about this forum, apart from civility, is its randomness. I post about a broken knife repair and in short order we are discussing milk. :lol:

 

[sunnybob]

I dont often get a chance to display my knowledge on this forum so I takes it where I finds it :eusa-dance:

10 years delivering 6000 pints a week definitely qualifies me.

(Have you ever seen green and silver striped top?)

 

[AndyP]

One of the best things about this forum, apart from civility, is its randomness. I post about a broken knife repair and in short order we are discussing milk. :lol:

Just make sure you don't fill the knife with butter and spread epoxy on your toast

 

[Lons]

One of the best things about this forum, apart from civility, is its randomness. I post about a broken knife repair and in short order we are discussing milk. :lol:

Just make sure you don't fill the knife with butter and spread epoxy on your toast

That would fix any broken teeth though and no need for dental fillings for a few years.

 

[NickM]

One of the best things about this forum, apart from civility, is its randomness. I post about a broken knife repair and in short order we are discussing milk. :lol:

Just make sure you don't fill the knife with butter and spread epoxy on your toast

That would be a terrible waste of butter and toast (I wouldn't lose too much sleep about wasting epoxy)!

 

[Alf]

I dont often get a chance to display my knowledge on this forum so I takes it where I finds it :eusa-dance:

10 years delivering 6000 pints a week definitely qualifies me.

(Have you ever seen green and silver striped top?)

Should we call you Ernie? I recall seeing some unusual colour combos in my yoof, but green and silver eludes me. Do tell.

The old man gets through about 4 litres of whole and 4 of semi a week, milk making up a hefty proportion of his diet. We've just had an enforced change of milkman, and the sunlit uplands of Un-homogenised Gold Top are suddenly spread before him. Negotiations are ongoing about 1l of whole becoming 1pt of Channel Island milk, subject to waistline.

That said, it took me about three days to get used to it on my bucket of cereal (muesli, bran and extra oats) each morning.

Ooo, Rob, have you tried your muesli (with added cardboard) in the "original", as it were? Soaked in fruit juice with grated apple. No milk involved at all, and quite different.

As to the knife handle (remember that?) it's a pity it's not cutler's cement/resin, as I believe that would have been an easier repair and potentially a lot more fun (for us, anyway)! As 'tis, it's a bit of a Hail Mary and some fountain pen thinking may be creeping in here, but have you tried contacting Villeroy & Boch to see if they might be able to help with a new blade?

 

[sunnybob]

Green and silver stripes is an occasional thing, and depends entirely on the area.
Its milk that has been blessed by a Rabbi, therefore making it acceptable for people of jewish faith to drink it during their holy period, the name of which I can no longer remember.

Express dairies in London had to pay a rabbi to stand next to the bottling line saying continuous prayers in order for the striped top to be fitted. The customers had to order it three days in advance and I think it cost a penny a pint extra, at a time when the normal pint cost 7NP
There, that would have won me a million on the telly, wouldnt it? :lol: :lol:

Back to the knife.....
I dont recall seeing the metal named. Is it stainless, EPNS, or chromed iron?
As the dishwasher was mentioned I think we can assume its stainless?
i would spend time digging out the remaining powder and the rest of the tang (very time consuming though) then get a new tang welded on and replace with epoxy.

If its special to her, treat it like Triggers broom. :lol:

 

[AJB Temple]

We have no milkman or woman or milk they. I've just discovered that the Guardian has renamed fishermen "fishers".

Have not seen bottles with foil tops since I stopped seeing milk churns at the side of the road.

Shall investigate cutler's cement. The blade itself is fine (stainless) just the tang has divided. The handle is probably silver plated.

Just did a big shop and bought some Guernsey butter to check it out.

 

[droogs]

Isn't Green/Silver stripe unpasturised whole milk direct from the cow to the bottle

 

[Mike G]

We have no milkman or woman or milk they. ....

If you decide to go looking, I can thoroughly recommend you completely ignore Milk 'n More. Go for a local dairy instead. M 'n M are consuming local dairies, then forcing everything online and degrading the service.

 

[Woodbloke]

That said, it took me about three days to get used to it on my bucket of cereal (muesli, bran and extra oats) each morning.

Ooo, Rob, have you tried your muesli (with added cardboard) in the "original", as it were? Soaked in fruit juice with grated apple. No milk involved at all, and quite different.

No tuity-fruity juice Alf, but I always have a grated apple on top (even better in Sept when I can scrump the neighbour's ) and a chopped up Kiwi fruit. Apple with muesli is apparently the Swiss way to chomp through it (according to Mr Oliver) - Rob

 

[Alf]

Green and silver stripes...

Kosher, eh? Huh, I was thinking it was going to be a complicated combi of organic sterilised homogenised skimmed or summat. Learn something new every day, if you're lucky.

The blade itself is fine (stainless) just the tang has divided.

The tang was why I was thinking new blade, but hadn't thought of welding. Not something that comes natural to me, like.

Apple with muesli is apparently the Swiss way to chomp through it (according to Mr Oliver) - Rob

S'right. According to fact even- "Apfeldiätspeise" is one tongue-twisting term for it. Muesli being a Swiss invention it seems the way to go.

 

[sunnybob]

Isn't Green/Silver stripe unpasturised whole milk direct from the cow to the bottle

There are regional variations of colours, as I mentioned, and its now been 35 years since I last delivered a pint to a doorstep (thank the lord) so modern trends might have changed that.
not counting of course that you live in a foreign country anyway :shock: :eusa-doh:


You shouldnt put silver anything in a dishwasher you know. If its had umpteen cycles without tarnshing I suspect its pure stainless.

 

[AJB Temple]

They are not my knives.
I agree with dishwasher point but the knife owner doesn't.
I just have to fix stuff that other persons break.
We do have proper silver flatware (inherited). Never used. Along with fine lead crystal glasses and fine china, no one uses these things anymore. Dishwasher proof is the way to go.

 

[sunnybob]

:text-+1:
Good grief Adrian, thats 2 posts in 5 minutes that we agree on. We must stop meeting this way. :eusa-naughty:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: