A couple of quick questions

[just bob]

Before you take a knife apart what is the best way to mark it to make sure it all goes back together just as it came apart? I have tried markers and they wear off. I hate to put scratches on parts and think there must be a better way. What I'm talking about is like on a 3-bladed knife you can mix up which blade goes where. You can also turn back springs and liners end for end. I'm new at this so am just learning.

Also if you have a knife with broken scales you want to repair and have a suitable knife in your junk box with good scales. Is it a good idea to plan and use the other scales or should you only replace with new ones? I have read a lot on here about how easy the bone scales are to break, so are you just spending a lot of time with taking another knife apart when it isn't going to work anyway?

Thanks

[jerryd6818]

Red fingernail polish works for marking metal, stag or bone. I wouldn't use it on synthetic materials such as celluloid, etc. When you're ready to remove it, wash it off with acetone. I wouldn't use it on the face of stag or bone since it could be difficult to get out of the grooves and tiny natural fissures.

[knives-are-quiet]

LOTS and LOTS of picture taking is how I do it.
I also use blue painters tape to mark some things.
Also having a sharp memory doesn't hurt either.

Give it a go at taking the junk box knife apart.
Can't hurt to try. It will also save you $$$.
If you brake them then get the new ones.
Use a dremmel with a ball grinding bit to grind down all the pins on the old knife with the good scales. You may need to punch the pins through after grinding.
Hold the tool steady so not to slip and scratch the scales.
You can try covering the scales with blue tape all except the pins.
This will help you in not scratching the surface of the scales.
Hopefully the scales aren't glued and they should come off easily.
Also hopefully everything will line up correctly from one knife to the other.
Are both these knives in question the exact brand and model?
If not the pin holes will probably not line up correctly.
Posting pictures of both of them would help you get a better answer to whether or not to try this.


J W

[just bob]

Thanks for the info. Right now I'm just experimenting with some junk and trying to see what will work. I hope to get the point where I can improve the knives I collect. There is a lot of good information on this web site!

[orvet]

Before you take a knife apart what is the best way to mark it to make sure it all goes back together just as it came apart? I have tried markers and they wear off. I hate to put scratches on parts and think there must be a better way.

I mark the spring on the sides where the scratch won't show.

Lots of pics or even drawings before disassembling the knife helps also.
Tape helps also. I have even put tags on parts (the small kind on a loop of string used at garage sales) so I know what model it goes to. Be sure to mark the sides so you know which is the mark side and which is the pile side. Some times it can be hard to tell if you aren’t paying close attention.

[gary]

One of my first redos was this knife, a $ 1.00 investment form a garage sale. When I took it apart I laid the pieces in order on a board and photograph them. I should of taken more. These guys are right, lots of pictures sure help. Pics should enlarge.

Gary

[knives-are-quiet]

One of my first redos was this knife, a $ 1.00 investment form a garage sale. When I took it apart I laid the pieces in order on a board and photograph them. I should of taken more. These guys are right, lots of pictures sure help. Pics should enlarge.

Gary

Gotta' be worth more than a dollar now.
Boy that first one of yours turned out well.
nice scales.....

J W

[gringo]

beautiful job gary...

[trey]

Awesome job, Gary.

[Knife Nut]

Great job, Gary.
One of these days I'm going to get brave enough to take apart one of my clunkers.

Paul