It's not often that we post our failures here but I thought I would do it this time to give you an idea of just exactly how disheartening it can be.
I have been buying and collecting Schrade parts for almost as long as I have been buying and collecting Schrades. Over the years I have accumulated some handles for the 8OT and some new blades as well. I decided to put them together with some Amber MBC jigged bone that Culpepper did in a very limited run several years ago. I like it because it looks a lot like worn Rogers bone. It's not something I have seen more than once or twice from Culpepper's and I think the last set I got was about 8 years ago.
So I'm starting out putting together a brand-new 8OT made brand-new parts, with the exception of the secondary blades spring; that I had to rob from a donor knife, and I have several of them. I got the new bone on the handle assemblies and I put the new Swinden assembly, (center liner/master blade spring/& blades) between the two handle assemblies and fitted together. It went together more easily than I expected. I did some rough shaping on the handle and test fit it several times, up to and including installing the rocker pin and checking the walk and talk; it was all a go, everything was working great.
If you haven't worked with new Schrade parts, they are oversized from what you find in a finished knife. You have to grind down the extra handle material and the new backsprings so everything fits properly. I did that and was really getting excited. Everything was great, I spun the rocker pin and my spinner kicked off of the pin and "walked" on the handle leaving definite markings that were deep enough I couldn't sand them out.
I thought "oh well, it still looks really good!" I made one last pass over the backsprings with a 220 belt and walked to my bench to admire it in better light. I was quite pleased with the results until I happen to rotate it just perfectly under the 15 power lighted magnifying glass and I saw "IT!" There is a very tiny and tight crack right through the rocker pin about half the width of a human hair. If you didn't know it was there you wouldn't be able to find it unless you were inspecting it closely for flaws, as I was.
I put the knife back in the little plastic tray that I keep works in progress (WIPs) in and took a break.
I came back to the workbench after my break picked up a little Westaco jack that I was using is a very simple canvas for a bone dying experiment. I had put the knife together without putting any handle pins in aside from the front and the rear, it's a bare head jack, and of course after carrying it and using it for a couple of days the front of one handle began to lift a little bit. I thought no problem; I will cut the head of the rear pin down with a ball bur and tap the pin out. So that is what I did and I broke a chunk of my beautiful handle right at the rear pin.
From ruining such a great "new" (at least the parts were new) 8OT and then breaking another knife within 30 minutes of each other, I cleaned up my workbench and left the shop for the day!
Here are some pictures of the 8OT and one picture that even as the crack circled and highlighted so you can find it. I have begun to repair the West to go, replacing the bone that I dyed. Fortunately I had a piece large enough to replace that handle. I’ll have to get some pictures of it when I’m done. I don’t think it can eat before pictures.
I hope you are not bored by my story, I know there are some of you who like to read our posts to learn how to repair knives in your own shop, and some of you may think that we never make mistakes. To that I say
I hope you enjoy the pictures and the story. When I get the little Westaco finished I will post it in here also.
