I got started on the Boker last night.

[Meridian_Mike]

Hello everyone.....
This is going to be my first REAL attempt at a restoration. I got this Boker "Improved" from a guy that didn't tell me there was a broken spring in it.

The blades are pretty full and the scales don't show a lot of wear.

Top view....

SO.... last night I got out in my shop and started dis-assembly.... here is all the parts.

I did a little clean-up and then started to study the situation.
I am thinking I might be able to duplicate the good spring. What is left of the broken spring is really close to the good one. I am sure there will need to be some adjustment. Here is a shot of the 2 blades that are on the same end of the knife. I can see from this the spring notch is a little different on the punch blade.

A'ight..... a little clean-up and now my next step is to start on making the spring.

More to come..... may be a day or 2.... gotta go see the grand babies.
I didn't want to make this knife look "new"... I am trying to preserve that "old look".
Here is what's left of the tang stamps..... They sho' aint very deep....

Mike

[Steve Warden]

Cool!
I'll be watchin'!

[orvet]

Have fun and take lots of pictures!
We will be watching the progress.

[Meridian_Mike]

Good deal..... I might have to ask some questions along the way. Glad y'all are watching!

[Tony_Wood]

Nice Mike!!
Glad you are posting pics of the process. There is always something else to learn from observation.
Tuned in, here, and awaiting updates.

[Meridian_Mike]

Hey... Let me ask y'all something..... No Boker tree anywhere.
What does that mean?

[Steve Warden]

It's a fake! Run away!!


Just kidding. I have no idea!

[Meridian_Mike]

It's a fake! Run away!!

LOL... yep.... I was thinking that. You want me to box it up and send it to you for disposal?

[XX Case XX]

I got this Boker "Improved" from a guy that didn't tell me there was a broken spring in it.

Did ya call Josey Wales? I'm sure he woulda gotten yer money back...

__________
Mike

[Meridian_Mike]

I got this Boker "Improved" from a guy that didn't tell me there was a broken spring in it.

Did ya call Josey Wales? I'm sure he woulda gotten yer money back...
__________
Mike

I did.... but Josey was busy with a bunch of Kansas Red Legs....... go figure.

Recon I'll just have to fix this knife and go on......

[glennbad]

I think that's an older tang stamp.

Ricky should be able to help narrow that down.

Looking forward to seeing your work!

[Steve Warden]

It's a fake! Run away!!

LOL... yep.... I was thinking that. You want me to box it up and send it to you for disposal?

Nah. I have neither the time nor the talent for knife repair.

[Meridian_Mike]

It's a fake! Run away!!

LOL... yep.... I was thinking that. You want me to box it up and send it to you for disposal?

Nah. I have neither the time nor the talent for knife repair.

LOL..... I was gonna tell you to go sit out by the mail box and wait for it to arrive.....LOL.

[Meridian_Mike]

I think that's an older tang stamp.

Ricky should be able to help narrow that down.

Looking forward to seeing your work!

The stamp itself was used by the American makers and the German makers.... I just figured maybe the lack of the tree would help bracket this one....

[biglmbass]

looking forward to the next set of pics..

[KleenCut61]

That's Takin the" BULL" by the Horns Mike, That's a Really Nice Boker To Start in on To , You Do The Work ! We Reap the Rewards Lots of Pictures . K.C.

[rangerbluedog]

Hey Mike,
Great project, that is an old and rare knife you're bringing back to life. I've been searching and searching for a picture of that knife in my old catalogs. I thought it might be from the 1920s, but I finally found it in a 1914 catalog! You have a "STOCKMAN'S SPECIAL". Most likely made in Solingen, and imported through H. Boker & Co. Nice pre-WW1 example!

Note on the picture from the catalog, there was a tree on the front of the sheep foot blade - probably on the rear of the other blades too. If you look under a microscope you may still see traces of the tree. However, since this was a German knife, and it was manufactured so close to WW1, someone may have intentionally sanded the marks off. I don't guess I've ever seen one on which that was done for sure, but I've heard stories of such.

Or - they could have just worn off over the past 104 years...

[Meridian_Mike]

WOW.... thanks Blue for the research!
I have been wondering if there was a way to trace it down.
VERY cool.....

Mike

[Meridian_Mike]

Hey Blue......Now that you have provided us with a pic of what the knife SHOULD look like, I am wondering if someone has been into this knife before. The blades came to me in a different order and I had to put them back that way in order to get them to fit.

I am about to post the next moves in the process below. I had to put the knife back together just like it came to me for everything to fit and work correctly.

Before....

Now....

EDIT... Now that I study the pic from the catalog.... maybe it is correct.


Mike

[Tony_Wood]

Great work Mike.
How is the snap with the new spring?

[Meridian_Mike]

NOW..... at the point I stand right now..... I am not happy with what I have.
My spring did not turn out like I wanted and the pins in the bolsters are terrible.

I plan to make myself another spring ...... but first.... how I got this far with the project.

I laid the existing good spring on a piece of stock.
I drilled the center hold to act and an indexing point.
Then I scribed around the existing spring to transfer the shape to the new stock.

During the cut-out and getting the spring to size, my wife started in on me about cooking on the grill..... LOL. SO... I got the spring too small. You can see that the 2 outer ends are thinner that the original spring.

Pushing on I started to re-assemble the knife. I needed to get the blades back like they were before so they would fold correctly.

I was wondering why the little piece that seemed like just an extra part...LOL.... was in there. Well here is why. It spaces the small blade over just enough to let the main blade close.

Back in one piece.... now for the finishing.

I am not at all happy with the spring I made. There is just not enough snap! I think it could be that I thinned it out too much where the blade makes contact with the spring. I'm not exactly sure I got it springy enough either during the heat treating process. I have more work to do on this one.

SO.... the haste made some waste! Now, I am going to have to disassemble AGAIN and make another spring.
ALSO, in my haste to get the knife back together, I think I made the pins too small where they come thru the bolsters. You can see the outline of the pins on the bolsters.

Take your time Mike.... Take your time!

[KleenCut61]

I Like It mike . One Tip If I May . Your Good Spring Is Most Likely Weakened with age and also has worn to a Few Thousands , You can regain The Ware of the old spring in the new spring By Dry Fitting for maximum thickness , With The Tangs looking good JMO K.C.

[thegreedygulo]

Nice work Mike! Here's one I have for comparison's sake.

[orvet]

Outstanding work Mike and great information!

[Meridian_Mike]

I Like It mike . One Tip If I May . Your Good Spring Is Most Likely Weakened with age and also has worn to a Few Thousands , You can regain The Ware of the old spring in the new spring By Dry Fitting for maximum thickness , With The Tangs looking good JMO K.C.

Thanks for that tip KC.... Like I said, I am still learning!
All tips and constructive criticism is welcome...and appreciated!

Mike