Spreader and Slacking Tool

[WVDAVE]

I'm looking for tutorials on making a Spreader and Slacking Tool or a place to purchase them. Any ideas?

Thanks,

[muskrat man]

slackeners are easy, I and most others I know of just use a feeler gauge (or gauges). Do a search for "slackener" in this forum and you'll get plenty of info. I like a .007 for most knives, just snip a little "V" shape out with aviation snips. I use a combination of thicknesses sometimes to get a blade to lay a certain direction if need be. For spreading a knife that's peened too tight (JFYI most knives peened too tight suffer from a pin that has spread in the pivot hole too much, not that the liners are pulled against the blade too much, about 50/50 chance) I use a couple screwdriver type tools I made with an extra wide bit with rounded edges so it doesn't marr things up. I have them made in a couple different thicknesses to match the thickness of the blade stock so it's a good tight fit. I learned very early on in my career that a screwdriver works but it sure leaves a lot of marks afterwards. I have also heard of people using an abrupt wedge/chisel type tool to tap down between the bolsters to spread things apart but I have never used anything like that so I cannot vouch for it's effectiveness.

[WVDAVE]

Thanks Muskrat Man I'll pick up some feeler gauges at the flea market this weekend. I search for tutorials for slacking tool not just the word slackener. I guess I have a lot to learn about knives and the search function LOL.

[orvet]

Try searching the term slackner.

[WVDAVE]

Thanks Dale that show a wealth of information. I think this site and it's members are the best.

[Elvis]

While I noticed your post when you first put it up, there must be a serious lag time developing in the old thought process because it took me this long to remember that I've seen a spreader tool before. The place that used to carry them doesn't any longer and I've got a message in to them asking how to acquire them. As soon as I get a response I post the info here. Sometimes the prying methods I use seem like all I need, yet other times a spreader would save so many headaches. It seems that no one method is perfect for every knife and we just have to roll with the punches. BTW, those spreader tools were around $75.00 or so, if memory serves me correctly. It seemed like a lot at the time for such a small hand tool, but it did look to be made for the job and a simple turn of a screw would pull the knife apart for you once you drive out the center pin. I can picture a lot of man-hours saved over time. Again, once I hear back about who carries them now, I'll let it be known here.

[WVDAVE]

Thanks Elvis.

[knives-are-quiet]

Here is an easy and less costly way to make both of these tools.
I got this out of an old knife repair book I thought I threw away but luckily found it stashed away in my closet.
I myself don’t use anything like these anymore.
I use old razor blades “of coarse dulled down” that I cut a notch in as a slacking tool.
For the spreader tool I found out using lengths of hardwood such as oak cut to different thicknesses for different knives works better as the wood does not leave much of a mark on the metal surfaces.
I also have some small wood wedges I made which work well also with less gouging to the metal.

Hope these two easily made tools will help.

J W