Attempting LB7 spring repair, need advice

[snorkel]

Hi,
I successfully removed the two rear pins and have the spring and keeper removed.
The spring in the knife was bent pretty bad.

After I get the new spring can I use any old 1/8 brass rod to replace the ones I punched out?
Also I am concerned about peening them properly, how do you get the head on one side started?

Thanks,

Snorkel

[orvet]

You want to get brass that matches the color of the bolsters & I doubt cast brass would work.
I think there is different structure to the metal when it is cast.
A 12" rod of brass pin stock is only $2-$3 from a knife makers supply house.
Pretty inexpensive IMHO.

I like to taper the holes a bit to be sure the pins stay in.
You will need a reamer with about 15% taper, especially if you got the holes out of round when you drilled the pins.

About the only way to start peening the rod before you put it in the knife is to put it in a vise and start the peen there. Be sure you don't leave too much pin sticking out of the bolsters, or they will bend over instead of flattening out.

Let us know how it comes out,
Dale

[snorkel]

Hi Dale,
amazingly I didn't damage the holes at all and I didn't use a drill press Just center punched them then drilled.
I did a pilot hole with a 1/16 bit and then a 3/32 and they came out really clean.
I can clearly see the original taper is still intact, so I don't think I will have to ream them.

Those pins are 1/8 dia correct?

Do you know what the spine pivot pin is made of? I was thinking about punching that one out as well so I could clean the inside really good.

Thanks again for the advice.

Snorkel

[orvet]

1/8" is the I.D. of the hole. There is a lot more taper to the holes in the LB7 than there is in a Buck 110.
Therefore it may be necessary to start peening one end of the pin in a vise to get a good spread on one side before pitting the pins in the handle.

I checked a pivot pin yesterday on a 6 OT that I drilled out. The shavings are magnetic, so they are not nickel silver, though I usually use nickel silver to replace the pivot pin as it is much easier to peen. The pins appear to be stainless steel.
Most of the blades on the newer LB 7 size Schrades have a bushing that goes inside the pivot hole of the blade. Wear of the pivot pin has not been an issue, though perhaps it may be after years of use in a highly abrasive environment without being cleaned or oiled.

Dale

[snorkel]

1/8" is the I.D. of the hole. There is a lot more taper to the holes in the LB7 than there is in a Buck 110.
Therefore it may be necessary to start peening one end of the pin in a vise to get a good spread on one side before pitting the pins in the handle.

I checked a pivot pin yesterday on a 6 OT that I drilled out. The shavings are magnetic, so they are not nickel silver, though I usually use nickel silver to replace the pivot pin as it is much easier to peen. The pins appear to be stainless steel.
Most of the blades on the newer LB 7 size Schrades have a bushing that goes inside the pivot hole of the blade. Wear of the pivot pin has not been an issue, though perhaps it may be after years of use in a highly abrasive environment without being cleaned or oiled.

Dale

I see a lot of newer knifes that use brass for the pivot pin as well, so it must be strong enough. I would imagine it would be a massive amount of force to even shear a brass pin when used in the lockbar/spine.

Is the main blade pivot pine 1/8 dia also? I have not pulled anyother pins but it looks like they are all 1/8?

[orvet]

Is the main blade pivot pine 1/8 dia also? I have not pulled anyother pins but it looks like they are all 1/8?

It is late, I am not sure what you are asking. "pivot pine"?

Dale

[snorkel]

ha, typing to fast should have been pin not pine

To answer my own question, at least in the LB7 I just took, apart that pin appeared to be nickel/silver as it had no magnetic attraction after I removed it.
The LB7 in question was a newer one probably between 2000 and 2004.
I replaced it with a stainless pin from knifekits.com

[Ramrod]

I thought most stainless is non magnetic. Am i wrong? Mark

[Elvis]

Try a magnet to your stainless blades (regardless of brand). I think you'll be surprised.

[orvet]

Certain stainless steels are non-magnetic, though most of them used in cutlery are still magnetic to a certain degree. If they were non-magnetic the knife magnet bars would not work to hold them.

In the 1980s, when I ran cutlery store, we used magnet bars to display our kitchen knives.
Some of the stainless knives did not stick as well as others did.
It all depends on the composition of the steel.

Dale