FAQS
Answers You Need
WHERE ARE BMC BLADES MADE?
We are proud to confirm that when possible; blade production is 100% UK based. Our final assembly and QC is performed at our base in Kent, England.
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As we expand, we look to not only produce our own designs, but work with strong partner manufacturers to develop collaboration tools. Current partnerships see us enjoy working relationships with manufacturers in Italy and Malaysia.
We have a healthy mixed supply chain incorporating a few components from Europe, the handle materials are bought locally but manufactured in the USA. We use Phenolic resin and fabric composites such as Micarta and Richlite. These are industry leaders and offer the quality we need.
Our handles are certified FSC, REACH and RoHS Compliant,
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All handle and sheath components are sourced locally to match our exacting specifications.
HOW ARE THEY MADE?
They are currently produced by laser cutting out the blanks, then stock removal using CNC machine.
All blades are heat treated to 55 to 58HRC; achieved by taking a 1190 degree centigrade Barium Chloride salt bath. Cooling in molten salt is slower and stops at lower temperature. It avoids may of the pitfalls associated with a faster quench. Salt baths also provide low surface oxidation and decarburisation. Or in other words - our blades are very tough.
They are painstakingly assembled by hand and hand polished and stropped by our in-house team.
CAN YOU RE-SHARPEN MY BMC BLADE FOR ME?
Yes! If you get the blades back to us, we can professionally sharpen them for you. The processing charge is 30GBP.
WHY DOES THE BLADE NOT STAY SHARP?
Most of our blades are a Sabre grind, which means they have a flat primary bevel and the secondary bevel (cutting edge) comes with a wickedly sharp edge.
Edge retention will fade as the steel is dulled through use. On a microscopic level, what normally happens is the edge will 'roll' or 'fold' over one side, therefore creating a less sharp edge. Removing these 'rolled edges' will return the edge back to full sharpness. Achieving this result is easy. Thankfully, we choose very easy to maintain steels for our blades, so a quick touch up on a whetstone, oilstone or diamond/carbide stone will do the trick.
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Our machetes are not designed to be surgically sharp, as most customers use them for quite hard work (limbing trees, cutting bamboo, clearing trails etc) and this requires the edge to stand up to some abuse. Therefore the edge shape is designed to have a decent 'Behind-The-Edge' thickness and geometry for effective clearance tasks, splitting and tree-limbing.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR BLADE STEELS
We use good quality carbon steels and stainless steels for our larger blades and machetes including CS80 (similar to 1075), D2 and N690. We choose these steels as they can keep a sharp edge whilst also being relatively easy to re-sharpen in the field. Keep them clean, oiled and rust free and they will last you a lifetime.
Using very high carbon, or over-hardened steels could result in an edge that'd be great for slicing paper, but could fracture or chip if it were to accidentally strike a nail, barbed-wire or a rock.
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Likewise, a soft steel would struggle to keep a sharp edge and need constant attention to maintain cutting performance.
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Future blades (especially smaller ones) may well be made of more exotic steels, if tested to be suitable for the intended application.
HOW CAN I PURCHASE FROM YOU?
Visit our Store Page Here.
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If you are 18 or over it is quite straightforward. In the UK, knife and bladed item sales are age restricted. You'll need to check the tick box prior to purchase whereby you confirm you are 18+. We work with various third parties to establish you are over the age of 18 at the time of purchase. We may request a scan of your Passport or Driving License..
We also use couriers in the UK that ensure deliveries can only be handed to people 18+ years of age otherwise orders will not be delivered.
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If the product you are interested in shows as 'Out of Stock' this may be temporary. Please reach out and inquire as they could be in production.
If the item shows as 'Pre=Order' then they are likely in production and will be ready within a matter of weeks. but Pre-Ordering gets one with your name and low production number on it (if serialised), earmarked for immediate dispatch once ready.
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If you are a business, we can discuss bulk sales by contacting our sales team HERE.
WHY IS THERE RUST ON MY BLADE?
We use only the most suitable mateials for our blades. Some blades use Stainless Steel, which are very corrosion resistant, whilst others use carbon steels. These are more prone to developing rust if not properly cared for. It is the price we must pay for toughness, edge retention and ease of sharpening.
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We do our best to ensure your blade arrives to you in rust-free 'Brand New' condition. It might be a bit oily when you unbox it, so have the supplied cloth ready to wipe!
Sweat in your hands, moisture in the air, moisture in vegetation being cut... you cannot escape the steel interacting with moisture, but you can limit the appearance of rust by wiping down the blade with a dry cloth (or oiled cloth if you can) after each use. A quick spray of 3-in-1 oil and wipe down will do the trick.
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Our Cerakote and PTFE coated blades will be much more rust resistant. Something to bear in mind if you can't stand corrosion.