A Quick & Dirty Tutorial on the 3OT

[orvet]

OK guys, here are some lousy pics of me taking apart a Schrade 3OT.
Sorry for the pic quality, but it is hard to hold the camera with one hand and the work with the other & still get good pics.

I have labeled them step 1 through step 7. I hope they come out in order when I post them.

Step 1-
Slide a razor blade in between the liner & backspring. You may have to tap it in. Notice that I broke the corner off the blade when doing it.

Step 2-
Position the knife over the open jaws of a vise so each end of the razor blade is supported. Tap with soft face hammer until the rocker pin is cut.

Step 3-
Reverse the direction of the razor blade and tap the end of the knife until it cuts the spring pins at the end of the knife.

Step 4-
Here you see the the springs are free. The knife is still held together by the pivot pin.

Step 4 b-
Here are the parts laid out at this point. Pivot pin still intact.

Step 5-
Repeat the process on the pivot pin, tapping with the soft face hammer until the pivot pin is cut.
CAUTION: Hold a box or something under the vise to catch the small pieces, as some versions of this have a small bushing inside the blade pivot hole(explained later in step 7)

Step 6-
Knife is now in pieces. Note that the springs in this one were broken.

Step 7-
Here are the blades of two different 3OT's.
Note that the blade on the right has a larger Pivot pin hole. Note the little bushing on the bench below this blade. You want to be sure you do not loose this piece in step 5.
The new springs are laid out for this pic.

Reassembly is just the reverse, though the easiest way I found was

1- Put the front & rear pins in, to hold the springs & blade in place. Remember the blade spacer if your model has it.

2- Hold the knife together with a strong rubber band wrapped several times around the knife, very tightly.

3- Slip the lock bar under the rubber band and put it into position. Be sure the springs do not stick up between the liners and lock bar. Opening the blade so the lock bar engages in the lock notch at the base of the blade will assist in this process and help to line up the pin holes.

4- Push down on the lock bar & compress the springs (You can use your fingers or a soft faced pair of pliers). Insert rocker pin.

5- Spin, peen or what ever you do to tighten your pins. Be sure to use a slackner when tightening the pivot pin.

This is a quick & dirty tutorial on the 3OT.

I hope this is helpful,
Dale

2/7/09
It looks like we lost the pics off this tutorial. I have added them back on.

[El Lobo]

Thanks for sharing your work step by step...nicely done, Dale.

Bill

[nmikash]

Nice looking result. Thanks for the step by step and good job documenting it all with photos. Wonder what's with the spacer?

Nick

[muskrat man]

nice tutorial dale, I like how you shear the pins, I'll have to try that method.

[Bryan]

Very Nice Dale.

I really enjoy seeing knives taken apart to get a look at the parts that make them work.

Of course I also enjoy seeing them put back together nicely as you do so well

Very enjoyable

Bryan

[W5RWU]

Dale I understand now!!!
Thanks you ole knife maker
Randy

[4ever3]

Nice step by step Dale, thanks! Nice work too

[redferd]

Good tutorial. I like the way you used the utility knife blade. The finished knife looks great. Nice work.

[dewman]

Dale....how is the etching done on the finished blade? A very nice touch and a very nice finished knife, indeed. Thanks for the show and tell. Would this be somewhat the same procedure for converting an electricians knife into a single blade jack?

Dewman

[Hukk]

Nice work Dale. Seeing all this fine work is getting me itching to get back in the shop. Keep up the good work!

[orvet]

Dale....how is the etching done on the finished blade? A very nice touch and a very nice finished knife, indeed. Thanks for the show and tell. Would this be somewhat the same procedure for converting an electricians knife into a single blade jack?

Dewman

Sorry Dewman that I missed your post.
The etch is done by electro-chem etch process. You can buy the machines from most knife supply companies such as Jantz supply.

The process is the same for an electricians knife. Most slip joints are put together basically the same. But the TL-29 won't have end springs. They have a backspring. Put the 2 end pins in first then compress the backspring & put in the rocker pin.

PM me if you have any questions.

Let us know how it comes out,
Dale