Filling in a bone chip?

[Old Hunter]

I bought this 1998 Case 6347SS (NOS) a few years ago and recently started carrying it. Evidently there was a small flaw in the bone around the center pin on the mark side. Case had put some material around the pin to fill it (you can see the residue on the edge of pin); in using the knife it seems the filler has fallen out. I want to fill this small hole with an appropriate filler, mostly I want to stabilize the area so it doesn't crack anymore - any recommendations? Thanks, OH

[djknife13]

I've used slow cure 2 part epoxy to stablize cracks in old dry stag on a few of my hawkbills that were cracking right before my eyes and that worked, I've heard guys putting a little bone shavings in epoxy to color it too. Dave

[glennbad]

^^^^ This.

It helps if you have some similar or the same bone color. Then make some fine sandings from it, and mix it with some clear epoxy. When dry, take some very fine grit papers and shape it to finished.

Doesn't always work well, but sometimes it ends up looking great.

[313 Mike]

Love that pocket worn (olive green?) bone on that knife OH, very handsome and classic looking. Sorry I don't have any suggestions for you but am interested to see how it turns out.

[orvet]

Bruce, I wouldn't worry too much about it cracking, though I would stabilize the crack (just in cast) and polish around the pin with 3M Polishing paper.

The reason I would not be terribly concerned with it being cracked is that it appears to me the chip was caused by the pin spinner. It looks as if the ridge of bone formed by the jigging and the bevel down toward the springs was knocked off by the pin spinner. It is a pretty common occurrence on bone with heavy/deep jigging.

If I were wanting to be sure of addressing any crack there, I would first use Zap-A-Gap Thin (pink bottle). It is the only glue I am aware of that will penetrate around the pin and into any microscopic crack that might be there. It is great stuff and excels in such an application as that.

After 2 or 3 applications of the pink Zap (let it dry between applications) I would then use Glenn's suggestion for filling the hole. I prefer to use a fine file for making he bone dust to mix with the epoxy. I have had some sandpaper leave abrasive particles in the bone dust; a light colored abrasive with dark bone (or vice versa) can show up in the bone dust and make the patch more noticeable.

Please show us how it comes out.

[Colonel26]

Fine looking knife, and one of my favorite Case patterns. Hard to beat.

I can't help with the chip, and the experts have spoken. But I do want to second what Orvet says about the pink Zap a gap. I'd read where he talked about it before, and I bought a bottle to try it on a couple old knives with hair line cracks. The cracks were so small that you really had to look hard to find them.

I dipped a sewing needle in some of the glue and just dabbed it along the crack. It filled right in, and now you'd never see the crack unless I pointed it out to you. Now that one be the case for your chip, but if ant cracks are there that pink label zap a gap really works.

[muskrat man]

i'd use a good quality CA glue like zap a gap and apply with a very precise applicator (think needle), apply on 3-6 layers depending on what your comfortable with. let it dry thoroughly between coats, superglue generally cures from compression, there is no compression here so it could take 12 or more hours to cure. fill in everything until it is proud of the handle then work it down and blend it with fine files, sand and buff. generally a small surface chip like that won't even be noticeable after a treatment like this. I've used it numerous times on vintage restores with minor handle damage whether it be bone, stag, horn or synthetics.

[Old Hunter]

Thanks for the advice and detailed instructions gents - going to get some Zap a Gap thin and make the repair. OH

[wlf]

Sounds like a Case Mfg problem,let them fix it.