What To Do With A Bent Knife?

A well-used knife is basically a god send.  It shows that it’s there when you need it, always reliable and handy in most situations.  But, after a while, a knife can start to get worn down, beat up and bent.  So what do you do when you are staring down the blade of a bent knife?  Like any metal, the more it’s bent, the more fragile it becomes.  To attempt to “bend” it back into shape can be foolhardy and potentially dangerous to both you and your pocket knife.  You risk breaking the blade entirely, and no one wants that.
You can take absolute immaculate care of your knife, but if you are regularly using it, eventually you will face the problem of the knife bending.  But, if that happens, don’t panic.  There are always different techniques to safely get your knife back to working order.
Depending on the severity of the bend, you have a few different options.  First off, if the bend is only small, hardly noticeable, you may be able to repair the knife using any old knife sharpener.  Running your knife down these tools will assist in straightening out any imperfections, while simultaneously sharpening your knife.  Killing 2 birds with one stone.  But if the bend in your knife is more severe, this technique will obviously not work for you, and you run the risk of causing even more damage to your knife, and even your knife sharpening system.
If the bend in your knife is even worse, you are going to need to take even more drastic steps.  Let me preface this by saying, please don’t just grab the blade and attempt to bend it back.  I know it sounds ridiculous, but inevitably there will be someone who tries it.  By doing this, you will only hurt yourself and your knife.  Don’t be stupid.  Don’t do it.
Ok, now that that’s out of the way.  How are we going to fix that blade?  One of the most popular ways I have found is to take a block of wood or 2X4, cut some deep, straight notches into the wood.  Then you would proceed to place your knife inside these notches, and use them to SLOWLY and CAREFULLY (yes those words are capitalized on purpose) bend your knife back into its original shape.  Slowly, with small “bounces” you should be able to get your knife back into its original shape.  Take your time, regularly removing your knife to check on your progress.  This is your knife, there is no need to rush.  Take your time, and after a while you will have your knife back into tip top shape.
Do keep in mind however that once your knife has been bent, that area of the steel has become weaker than it was before.  Your knife may still be prone to bends or breaks in that area in the future.
If the bend in your knife is even more sever, I suggest checking your warranty.  Some knife companies have warranties that protect you against bends and breaks.  So always be sure to check it out.  Or, unfortunately, you may just need to treat yourself to a new knife.
Have you fixed a bend before?   How do you go about fixing your knife?  Any tips or tricks you would like to share?  Let us know in the comments below.