Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

This forum is for those who like to repair and restore knives, and for those who would like to learn.
Post Reply
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19336
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by orvet »

This project is the restoration of a folding dirk made by J Dirlam & Sons, Solingen Germany. John Goins guesstimates the date of this company to be 1910-1930.

I had posted previously a few pictures of this knife in a topic called "Your Opinion Wanted!"
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=61121&hilit=Derlam&start=15

The topic was about dying bone handle slabs. I used the same basic method but using a light brown Febings leather dye called British Tan. I was definitely surprised by the results!

I will list a few pictures and describe the steps as I go along.

This is the before picture:
~J Dirlam before.jpg

These three pictures show the knife in pieces:
1-J Dirlam & Sons Solingen a.jpg
2- J Dirlam & Sons Solingen b.jpg
3- J Dirlam & Sons Solingen tang.jpg
These are liners I cut from .040” brass sheet. As you can see I used layout fluid to scratch the outline of the holes from the liner on to the new liners. It was a straight up tracing from the liner on to the new brass sheet. I cut the liners out with aviation snips and then clean the edges up on a 5 inch disk sander.
The second picture shows the two new liners clamped to the old liner I used as a pattern for the holes.
4a- liners traced from original liners.jpg
4b- J Dirlam & Sons.jpg
Re-creating a working mechanism – the knife is been apart for months and I wanted to set the mechanism up so I could watch it work before I assembled the knife.
5- JJ Dirlam & Sons - re-creating a solid model b.jpg
5- J Dirlam & Sons - re-creating a solid model c.jpg
Cleaning bolsters – The knife is between 89 and 109 years old, there was lots of crud in the hollow bolsters and so me I suspect was solder that has broken down over the years.
6-J Dirlam & Sons - cleaning bolsters before soldering.jpg
I learned to solder it was not electronic soldering. I was taught to get some flux hot and melted on each surface and get a little bit of the solder melted onto that flux. A little bit of that solder will adhere to the metal that is a process known is tinning. I want this tinned coat of solder very thin, so will be liner or bolster is still hot and the solder is still liquid I rap the liner on the edge of a small anvil on my workbench to knock off the excess solder. With the bolster I used an air hose to blow off the excess solder. This is not a clean soldered joint in this case because of the dirt in the old solder and bolster, nevertheless it is a thin coating of solder and it is attached to both pieces which is the major objective.
7- J Dirlam & Sons - Tinning cleaned bolster & new liner.jpg

Soldering tinned bolster to tinned liner - This is fairly easy if the solder is a very thin coat. Just like the bolster and the precise position you want it on the liner and heat the two items with a little torch. If the solder on the two items is a thin coating then they will both melt and harden in place when the heat is removed. If you have a thicker layer of solder, solder becomes liquid it tends to flow in the bolster is floating on the solder and it shifts position and you have a bolster that is not in the right place. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT grab the bolster and move it into position with your fingers. If you still have feeling left in your fingers, you will immediately know that you still have feeling there!
A thin coating on both parts, put them in the correct position, heat them up till the solder melts on both pieces, then remove the heat and they will harden into the proper position if you do not have too much solder on the parts.
8- J Dirlam & Son - soldering bolster to liner.jpg


I will have to get more pics & text ready for the next post.
I hope y'all enjoy the pictures and the description of the process.
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19336
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by orvet »

Bolsters and liners soldered together and ready to be cut down some before handles are added. You can see the scribed line around the edge of the liner, the line is the point to which I will sand the liner back using a disk sander.
9- J Dirlam & Sons – bolsters soldered and ready for handles.jpg
Bone has been dyed and is drying
10- J Dirlam & Sons -bone is finished dying & drying liners already.jpg
The liners have been cut down to about the proper size and the bone has been attached to the liners via epoxy. Liner has been stamped and dated.
11 - J Dirlam & Sons – signed & dated mark sideliner.jpg
The handles are attached to the liners, pin holes have been drilled and parts are ready for assembly.
12J Dirlam & Sons- knife parts and unhafted handles..jpg


This last section are pictures of the knife nearly finished.
I still have little bit more finish work to do on it, including my etch on the blade, but it is about 95% complete.
J Dirlam a.jpg
J Dirlam b.jpg
J Dirlam c.jpg
J Dirlam d.jpg
J Dirlam e.jpg
J Dirlam f.jpg

Correction, 80% complete. I have not put the old shield back on the new handles.
Should I put the shield back on or leave it off?
You guys, please let me know what you think.

The orange color was totally unexpected coming from a light tan leather dye that had seemingly little if any red in it.
Must experiment more! ::nod::

Thanks for your opinion and thanks for looking! ::tu::
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
User avatar
rangerbluedog
Posts: 3589
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 7:42 pm
Contact:

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by rangerbluedog »

I vote YES on the shield. Looks good Dale!
-Blue
Click the link below to order your copy of the Boker book!
https://TheBokerBook.com
User avatar
btrwtr
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5061
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 11:53 am

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by btrwtr »

Great job Dale!
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

Wayne

Please visit My AAPK store https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/btrwtr
User avatar
djknife13
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 6737
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 6:28 pm
Location: Northern Minnesota

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by djknife13 »

Really nice work Dale. I'd like it even better with the shield. ____Dave
User avatar
Steve Warden
Posts: 6320
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 4:18 pm
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by Steve Warden »

Always fun to watch an artist work.
Looks great. ::tu:: ::tu:: Yes on the shield.
Take care and God bless,

Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000

But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
User avatar
glennbad
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 7354
Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 11:13 am
Location: NH

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by glennbad »

Cool! I say yes to the shield, due to the length of the knife
User avatar
Meridian_Mike
Posts: 4981
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:36 pm
Location: Mississippi

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by Meridian_Mike »

Beautiful job Dale.... Thanks so much for doing a start to finish photo session. And thanks for posting a mock-up of a lock mechanism like the one I just finished in my scratch-build. I can see that the best design for the spring is to have a pivot point farther away than my original design. VERY informative!!

ALSO, I really like the leather dye idea for the scales. It does look like the dye penetrated into the canals and colored very nicely.

I will have to re-read your thread BUT.... did you paint the dye on or soak the scales in the dye for a period of time to get that result?

Great thread and beautiful restoration Dale!

Mike
::tu::
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne
User avatar
Jeffinn
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 2002
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2017 3:16 am
Location: Roseville, Mi
Contact:

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by Jeffinn »

That turned out great Dale! I’m in the minority but I like it without the shield.
Hey … it’s a pocketknife for gosh sakes. I’m not selling the Mona Lisa….Bullitt4001
https://www.jfinamoreknives.com
http://www.secondlifeknives.com
User avatar
Doc B
Posts: 3700
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:57 pm
Location: San Antonio

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by Doc B »

That's awesome! I love that mechanism! I'm torn...on the shield. The bone looks really good in the blown up pictures. I bet it it looks really good in hand. The shield certainly won't hurt it. A very cool old knife, feeling the love again!!! ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::
Heretical Refurb / Mods of cheap old folders, since late 2018
User avatar
Beavertail
Posts: 1195
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:47 pm
Location: Way down south in Dixie

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by Beavertail »

Yes to the shield!
I can't wait to see the finished product. ::tu::
Tim
knife-nut
Posts: 1427
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:09 am
Location: Wichita, Kansas

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by knife-nut »

Very good step by step pictures. Beautiful work. I vote for installing the shield. It will add a little class to it.
User avatar
edge213
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 7765
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:48 am
Location: The Crossroads of America

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by edge213 »

Shield ::tu::
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19336
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by orvet »

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all your replies and all the input on the shield. It was pretty lopsided in favor of the shield and I agree I think the shield adds a great deal on that knife because of the length. That long thin bar shield flows nicely with the lines of the knife.

I will try to get started on that tomorrow and post pictures when I'm done.
Thanks again for all your awesome input it really is helpful!
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
Reverand
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 2984
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:45 pm
Location: Pisgah, AL
Contact:

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by Reverand »

Though the polls are closed, I still vote "yes" to the shield. And I LOVE the way the bone dyed! It has such a beautiful color, and I love the uneven, almost 'Apaloosa' look on the mark-side scale.
And, thank you for the tips on soldering. I see that I have been using too much solder on mine.
Jesus is life.
Everything else is just a hobby.

~Reverand
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19336
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: Restoration of a German Folding Dirk circa 1910-1930

Post by orvet »

Don't feel bad Rev I learned the hard way. It's like a lot of stuff relating to the knife repair, you learn from your mistakes!
After all these years I'm still learning something new on almost every knife I work on. ::nod::
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
Post Reply

Return to “Knife Repair and Restoration”