All About Pocket Knives

I often receive PMs and e-mails from people asking me questions about knife repairs. I thought it would be worthwhile to write a tutorial with lots of pictures to show people step-by-step how to repair a knife. From the PMs and e-mails I receive I know people are interested in repairing knives. Perhaps this little tutorial will answer some basic questions for people who are interested in knife repair but have questions regarding some of the operations and equipment involved. I have tried to keep the tools basic, though I did use my 1725 rpm buffer. I even have some of the tools available in my AAPK store. The Cutler Stiddy, spring compressor (Camillus style knife vise), small ball peen &/or jewelers hammer, and even Adrian Harris' book, Knife Repair & Restoration, are available in my AAPK store. If I am out of stock of a particular item, please feel free to PM or e-mail me and I will notify you when I have them back in stock, or check out some of the other stores here on AAPK.

The knife I am using for this project is a 3-inch Case XX jackknife that I purchased at an antique store this week. The knife had nice red bone handles but the pen blade was broken off at the tang. The main blade was approximately 1/4" short but still had plenty of life left in it. I took the knife apart, removed the broken blade and the center liner and put the knife back together. The result was a very nice small, thin single bladed knife that would fit nicely in one's pocket or purse without taking up a lot of room. The small (3") size makes this knife very sheeple friendly. If you decide to do a project such as this, please post your results in this thread.

Tools Used-

1. Spring-loaded center punch.
2. 6-inch mill bastard file.
3. 2-ounce ball peen or jewelers hammer.
4. Side cutter or end cutter.
5. Spring compressor (Camillus type knife vise).
6. Bench vice.
7. Foredom, Dremel or other rotary tool.
8. 1725 rpm buffer was Scotch Brite wheel and loose muslin buff.
9. No Scratch Pink buffing compound.
10. Drill press.
11. Drill press vice.
12. Heavy-duty lubricant such as Ultra Lube -available at http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/inde ... b18466ea14 this is the most effective lubricant I have found for spinning pins.
13. 0.008” slackner - made from feeler gauge
14. 1000, 1500, & 2000 grit sandpaper. I also recommend incremental grits from 400 to 1000 to ensure nice smooth bolsters that will polish easily with the 3M polishing paper.
15. 1 micron (8000 grit), 2 micron (6000 grit), 3 micron (4000 grit) 3M polishing paper. Available at - http://www.knifeandgun.com/ProductDetai ... Code=3MPS1


Taking Knife Apart

1- Start with the knife, file & a spring loaded center punch. Pic #1
2- File the head of the rocker pin and rear pin flat. Using the spring loaded center punch make a deep enough indentation to start a 1/16” drill in the rear pin, rocker pin & pivot pin. Drill deep enough in pivot pin to reach about the center of the pivot pin. Pic #3
3- Using a Dremel, Foredom or other rotary tool, remove most of the head of the rocker pin. Pic #4
4- Open blade(s) of the knife and place in a spring compressor (Camillus type knife vise) to compress the back springs. Using a 1/16” pin punch tap out the rocker pin, releasing the spring pressure in the knife. Pic #5
5- With a rotary tool, remove most of the head of the rear pin. Pic #6
6- On this knife the rear pin did not go through the ends of the back springs so the springs came out at this point. Most knives have a hole through the end of the back springs that the rear pin goes through. It is necessary to drive this pin out with the 1/16” pin punch, or cut it with a razor blade to remove the springs. Pic #7
7- Drive out the pivot pin with the 1/16” pin punch, or cut the pivot pin with a razor blade. On this knife the pivot pin was small enough that drilling into the pin weakened it enough that the pin broke. Pic #8
8- Using a small hammer, drive the pivot pin from the inside back out. This is necessary in most cases as the hole for the pivot pin is tapered to prevent the pin from coming out. File down about ¼” of the outside end of the pivot pin. Pic #9
9- Using the spring loaded center punch, drive the pivot pin back in the hole. You can use the 1/16" pin punch for this, but you must be careful not to mushroom the head of the pin. I find the gentle action of the spring-loaded center punch is usually more than enough to push the pin back through tapered hole. Pic #10

Cleaning Up The Parts
1- Clean the gunk off the insides of the liners & polish the liners. In this case I just buffed them with a Scotch Brite wheel. Pics #11 & #12
2- Since I am changing the knife by removing a blade from the knife, I engrave my initials and the year on the inside of the mark side liner. Pic #13
3- Clean the rust off the back spring you will use when reassembling. Pic #14
4- Clean the blade on a Scotch Brite wheel. Pic #15

Reassembly

1- 1- Make two brass pins about 1” in length to fit the rocker pin hole & the rear pin hole. On this knife they were both 0.070” brass pins. Be sure one end is flat, (I run this end on my belt sander to ever so slightly take off the sharp edge by holding the pin lightly against the belt at a 45degree angle to put a very slight shoulder on the flat end- you can do this with a file & sandpaper), and the other end is tapered. Pic #16
2- 2- Place your pin spinner in the drill press and the pin stock in the vise with about as much sticking up as the diameter of the pin stock. Pic #17
3- VERY IMPORTANT- Use a heavy lubricant on the spinner. Pic #18
4- Spin the head on the pin. Pic #19
5- Make two pins like this. Pic #20
6- Lay out the parts to be sure you have everything ready to put together. Pic #21
7- Reassemble the knife using the pivot pin & rear pins to hold everything in place. Place the assembly in the spring compressor and compress the spring so you can tap the rocker pin into place. Pic #22
8- Seat the rocker pin on the handle. Pic #23
9- Use a 0.008” slackner to prevent blade pinch when peening the pivot pin. Pic #24
10- Cut the excess pin off each side so you have about 1/4” to 5/16” of pin sticking out on each side of the bolsters. Pic #25

I have to break this post and continue it on the as I can only post 10 pics per post.

Reassembly Continued

11- Use a jewelers hammer or the ball of a ball peen hammer to spread the top of the pin. Remember, you are trying to spread the pin and work the metal down into the taper of the pin hole. When finished remove the slackner and check that the blade walks & talks. Pic #26
12- When finished peening both sides of the bolsters should look something like this. Pic #27
13- Cut off the excess length of the rocker & rear pins. File the pins down to where you have about the diameter of the pin sticking out above the handle. Pic #28
14- Repeat the process for spinning heads on both pins, except instead of putting the knife in a vise; use a rest that will support the back end of the pin that already has a head on it. Pic #29
15- Now the knife is together and you just need to do some finish work. Pic #30
16- Using your file (sometimes I cheat and use a belt sander but CAREFULLY), file down the gob of pin that is mashed on the sides of your bolsters. Pic #31
17- Here it is after I have filed down the excess pin. Pic #32
18- Using sandpaper, sand the bolster smooth. I use fine sandpaper. As you can see, I am using 1000 grit sandpaper. I start with about 400 grit & work my way up to 2000 grit on the bolsters. Pic #33
19- Now you are ready to finish off the knife. Pic #34

Finishing Touches

20- I use micron paper in 4000 grit (3 micron), 6000 grit (2 micron) & 8000 grit (1 micron) paper on the bolsters and the handles to give the knife a nice smooth finish. Pic #35
21- I finish off by buffing the handles & bolsters with No Scratch Pink compound on a loose muslin wheel. Pic #36
22- The finished product. Pic #37

I hope this tutorial will be helpful to those of you who want to work on your own knives. It is a basic tutorial and does not deal with every surprise you may encounter when repairing a knife, but I think it covers the fundamentals.

If you use this tutorial and repair or customize a knife, please post pictures of your work. We love to see pictures here on AAPK!

One word of caution; you thought knife collecting was addictive? Just wait until you start repairing & customizing them!

Enjoy repairing your own knives!
Dale

Great work, Dale!

I had some of that down, but the pics and the descriptions really helped with other steps.

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

Glenn

Dale,
Great job in making and posting that tutorial !!
I can only imagine how much time it took to do that!
Your cutlery skills have sure multiplied in the last couple years since we visited you.At that time,you produced excellent fixed blades and were just getting into working on folders.
Ron

Hey Ron,
Good to see you in the forum again.
I hope the two of you can make it back out to the West Coast again this summer or next.
I have added a lot of new equipment in the shop and actually put up a wall for a laundry room to seperate it from the shop. I had the shop wired with 220v as well.

Take care & stop in more often,
Dale

AWESOME turorial, will have to get that copied down soon

Great tutorial, I really needed to see a couple of the steps you take. Thanks for your help! By the way, the Cutler's Stiddy I got from you works great and is a huge timesaver.

Glad this helps and glad the stiddy is working out so well.
If you have any questions I can help you with, please shoot me an email.

Dale

Very nice job and detailed explanation.

What kind of pin do you use for the bolster?

Jeffrey wrote:What kind of pin do you use for the bolster?

Nickel silver, the same as was used on the knife originally.

Thanks Dale,very nice of you to share your knowledge. ~Jason

You better watch out......
I see you read & commenting on knife repair threads.
Knife repair & restoration is FAR MORE ADDICTING than just knife collecting!
You will stop buying new knives and just buy parts knives in hopes that you can repair them.

Seriously, repair is more enjoyable to me than just collecting.

Dale, When I read these threads I get the same buz i have when Im buying that next pocket knife for my collection.I had a couple of tools you mentioned .I went into the garage and took apart an old knife. now to put it back togather .where do I get that material for the pins ? Thanks ,Jason

Most Ace & True Value Hardware stores in my area carry brass pin stock.
Hardware stores, craft & model building stores would be the first places I would check.

Have fun & be sure to post pictures of your finished work.

orvet wrote:You better watch out......
I see you read & commenting on knife repair threads.
Knife repair & restoration is FAR MORE ADDICTING than just knife collecting!
You will stop buying new knives and just buy parts knives in hopes that you can repair them.

Seriously, repair is more enjoyable to me than jus collecting.

Me too! My money now goes for pin stock, belts for the grinder, handle material, assorted tools (power and hand tools), and a lot of time is spent making my own special purpose tools for knife repair. Every knife is different and presents it's own challenges and that is just repair. Embellishment requires file-work, liner-work, bolster-work when called for and patience. Lots and lots of patience. Drilling a hole in Mother-of-Pearl is a whole lot different than drilling into wood or bone. While there's nothing easy about it, its addictive and every bit as enjoyable as Dale makes it sound. Come to think of it, I can't think of any logic as to why its as enjoyable as it is. It just is. I've still got a decent collection...it just doesn't get the attention it used to, or added to nearly as often.

ENJOY!

Elvis wrote: Come to think of it, I can't think of any logic as to why its as enjoyable as it is. It just is. I've still got a decent collection...it just doesn't get the attention it used to, or added to nearly as often.

ENJOY!

That is so true.
I have even been known to take knives from my collection to embelish.
I may even have sold a knife or two from my collection so I could buy pin stock and sanding belts.

" Hi, my name is Mike, and I'm a knife repair addict"...........

Seriously, I don't think I've bought a new knife in months. Everytime I see one I like, I start thinking of how I can replicate it. I think I spend more money on scale materials and pin stock than I do new knives. But the wife figures it's better (cheaper) than guitars and drums !

Say, anyone need a nice electric guitar,....... I need more project knives.

What kind of guitar?

What Would Gerald Ford Do?

So Jerry, you're just gonna push Granny Farquhar to the side??

Ha ha ha!