Schrade SC503

[Meridian_Mike]

I am just now getting into a few swinden knives. As an observation....... I think if the swinden key is still intact, then the wobble would come from a stretched out swinden key, or either a liner that has stretched at the key hole.

That would definitely mean a disassembly for a repair.

Dale or Kaleb can weight in on that.

[orvet]

Wow, a true work of beauty Jeff! I love the smooth red bone as well. I have a 294 that I think has the Swinden key assembly as well, and of course it has some blade wobble. I am wondering if there is any way to tighten it up without disassembling and converting to a conventional pinned knife?

I have tried to tighten a wobbly Swinden knife by taking it apart and compressing the Swinden rivet a few thousands in an arbor press or a vise but no luck. I have even hit it with a hammer to compress it but I have never been successful, as far as I can tell I have not compressed it at all or else it was too much.

Personally I think the length of the pin is so precision that without a Swinden machine I don't believe it is possible to install a Swinden rivet. I believe they are solid, not hollow like a cutler's so I have come to the conclusion that adjusting the rivet is not possible once it has been installed.

I would love to be proven wrong, but I don't know how a person could adjust one with enough precision to remove the slop once blade wobble develops unless you convert it to through pin construction.

[Meridian_Mike]

I would love to be proven wrong, but I don't know how a person could adjust one with enough precision to remove the slop once blade wobble develops unless you convert it to through pin construction.

Yep, I agree Dale. I have been just tinkering around with some of my swinden rivet knives. I can't seem to take one apart and get it back together without wobble increasing. If I try to peen the head down a little to try to tighten it, I can't get the key to engage the key hole again. And, I have just about decided that the liner with the key hole could be stretched out some too. Just too much trouble for little ole me. I just about decided I will just go back with a thru pin.

Maybe I'm being lazy....
In too big of a hurry....

I can see where the swinden system would be fine (and maybe time saving) for manufacturer assembly. BUT... for me... I don't like it when I am trying to do a repair.

Just My $.02 about that.