All About Pocket Knives

Thanks Jerry, I watched them all and enjoyed each of them.

Bob

wow now that educational! Thanks Jerry!

Randy

Please, everyone. Feel free to add anything to the thread you feel would have helped you during the early years of your addiction. (or at anytime)

Welcome to AAPK. If you feel you have some knowledge that will help those new to the wonderful world of knife collecting (or even those who have been around for a while or more), please, post away. That's what this thread is for.

jerryd6818 wrote:This video (5 minutes) was posted in another thread (not by me). But if this thread is to be instructional with a purpose of acquainting folks who are new to pocket knives, with the wonderful world of pocket knife collecting (or accumulation), I thought it belonged here too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-7OTcCRcjM[/youtube]

Interesting video. However there is one thing shown in it that needs clarification IMHO. About a minute into the video it shows blades, previously tempered, being placed on a rotating magnetic disk and put through an induction heat treatment "to anneal the blade ends making them more pliable and easier to place into the ends of the knife during assembly". That may be true but the primary reason for this step of the process is to remove the temper from the tang, so that tang end of the blade is less hard than the tempered cutting edge of the blade. The tang end must closely match the hardness of the backsprings. Without this being done, a hardened tang would prematurely wear down the softer metal of the backspring and cause the knife to lose its snap. You need a tempered blade but not a tempered tang. Maybe a technicality, but an important one.

Ken

Thanks Ken. Excellent catch.

Thanks Jerryd the basics video was great...now I know the difference between a thread and a flute . I'll watch the other videos tonight. I like your taste in knives.

I own dozens of knives and I like the Cold Steel knives for durability. I also use Gerber's, most of them have been gifts but the are sturdy and sharpen fairly easy.

The making of a (French) Laguiole knife. This is the top notch FONTENILLE PATAUD brand. It's a good video and the manufacturing steps are very similar for any knife.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m257I9mCTCo[/youtube]

A review of the Fontenille Pataud, Laguiole Nature, Laguiole knife.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdV7c2JLmi0[/youtube]

Good to see your name on a post, Marine.
Treefarmer

Ditto what Treefarmer said.......thanks for the video Jerry.

I loved that video! It helped me! I wasn't familiar with some of those terms...but now I know. I will try to avoid the ten pulls! I had a BUNCH of them as a young boy! It seems we recovered faster after watching your thumb nail roll back like a truck hood! Then that sucker would turn purple and black! Those were the days!!!!!

Thanks for that video AND the painful memories!
Charlie

For a definitive answer to your "what material was used for this handle", get yourself one of these little lighted 45X microscopes. They can be carried in your pocket and are available on eBay for less than $2 shipped.
Here's what the difference in bone and Delrin looks like. The spots on the bone is the haversian canals that surround blood vessels and nerve cells throughout bones.

Ebay seller doesn't mention blade snap or has no clue what your talking about if you message him/her asking about it? Here are some work arounds.

• Recommend they search on YouTube for "blade snap Jerry" (you can't post a link in eBay's message system)
• If they have the blades open and you can see the back spring, check to see if it looks like this. If it does the blade will have good snap even though it may take a good oiling of the joint to bring it back.

• 

• 

A badly worn tang is difficult and expensive to repair. Here are some pictures of what to look for.
On a different subject, see a knife on eBay you would like to have but the Delrin handles are gray and look terrible. I call it "Delrin Haze" and it's an easy fix. Rub those Delrin handles down with machine oil (3-In-One, Mill-Rose, etc). I've scored a few bargains on eBay because the handles looked like crap.

Here's a before and after picture of Meridian Mike's Delrin handled electrician's knife.

Thanks Jerry. It does help even the oldest collector can learn new stuff and Solo has a great channel.

This is posted elsewhere in a thread of it's own by Scott (TripleF). I thought it also belonged here so let me quote Scott.

"I've had a number of requests on what I do.....so before I post this to my blog (with pics) I'll post it here.....

How To Remove Rust, Clean, Polish Old Knives


SHARPEN LAST!!!!!!! (I’ve broken this rule too many times - lol)

NEVER….EVER…...EVER…….us hand-held power tools to grind…….if a slip occurs you’ll possibly hurt yourself but more importantly (because you’ll heal - lol) you can put a brutal grind scratch/mark in the blade, and there is no resurrecting that knife then!



What you’ll need:
WD-40
Fine Steel Wool
Flitz Metal Polish
Varying grits of sandpaper from 100 to 2500
Quick Release Oil
Magic Eraser ( kinda like a mild sandpaper in a block form - most of the time I forgot to use it).
HULK LOAD ELBOW GREASE


Assess the discoloration…..Try and avoid using sandpaper if at all possible to make an old knife shiny again.




BASIC 15 MINUTE KNIFE CLEAN/POLISH

The knife originally had light rust appearing. I rubbed with fine steel wool. Touched certain areas with #2 pencil lead, then hit with steel wool, then finished with a Flitz Metal Polish rub down on the knife’s blades and bolsters.

This process leaves the patina (stained steel) pretty much intact and helps the knife maintain its “aged” look. Took me all of 15 minutes to accomplish this 3-step polishing/cleaning process.

In addition I force a rag between the liners to clean the inner parts of the knife, then add a drop of Quick Release Oil to each blade tang.

DONE. Not shiny, but restored to solid working condition. (Most knife collectors who use their knives prefer patina.)


SHINY SELLS!! (If you resell, shiny always drives a better price)

SHINY RESTORED KNIFE - HOW TO

If the knife cleaning/polishing/restoring is ok with what’s above, then read no more…...if not however, you’ll need some sandpaper (wet or dry) and Hulk loads of elbow grease to bring your vintage knife to an epic shine!

Couple things to remember before you get too deep in the restoring process….

1). Sand tang areas first. Why? Because, if you’ve finished polishing the blade then still have to polish the tang, you’ll end up with scratch marks on the blade you just finished.

2). Work on a flat surface (That way you can see the imperfections in the blade as you sand - I was amazed how many knife blades are not perfectly even).


SHINING THE POCKET KNIFE:
Clean inner with cloth and Dawn soap. If rust and stains remain use light grit (200 or 300) to clean the liners and springs. I take a pair of tweezers
and manipulate the sandpaper back and forth till all rust is removed.

POLISHING KNIFE BLADES:
Start at heavy grit 100 and work your way up to 2500. Each time you move to another sandpaper grit try and obtain a reflection in the blade so you can see yourself…..kind of hard to do with 100 grit.

This the the ELBOW GREASE SECTION!!!

Using the sandpaper remember- Up, down. Left, Right. Mostly I go left, right strokes a few dozen times, then up/down strokes a few dozen times. What you want to try and avoid is making deep groves by stroking the knife blade ONLY left and right vigorously on the sand paper. Mix it up. Left right…...up, down. Do each way 20 times, then repeat until you're beginning to see a shine!


After you begin to see a reflection, move to the next grit. From 100 grit to 200, then to 300, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500. Repeat the above sanding steps until you can see what color your eyeballs are!

BOLSTERS:
Same process as polishing the blades, but usually (not always) the bolsters are not as bad, but if they are…...just repeat above.
SPRINGS, LINERS:
Same process as above.

FINALLY:
When polishing/restoring shine to your old vintage knife, polish with Flitz Metal Polish and a polishing cloth. Then oil your blades with mineral oil, and drop a drop of Quick Release Oil into each blade at the joint (tang/bolser area).

Keep in mind, this is not thee “:WORD” on obtaining a perfect mirror finish. Practice on a crap knife….and get a feel for what you’re into. Experiment.
I’m just sharing what I’ve done.

P.S. - I am trying rouge as a polishing step at the end and it seems to work well on the bolsters especially. (I have a green rouge and a burgundy).

NOW, Sharpen your knife. Trust me, I’ve sharpened too many blades early only to cut myself while polishing!!


_________________
SCOTT"

jerryd6818 wrote:This video is a 19 minute introduction to pocket knives and the terminology you will see folks on the forum using when talking about their pocket knives.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keuRiJrNqGI[/youtube]

to jerryd6818 Im new to this site just learning how to use it. But I'm in a rush for an answer to this one so I hope I'm not braking any rules trying to ask you a question. I just got a 1974 elephant toe in excellent condition. It has the elephant etched on the blade.I seen many on e bay the ones with no elephant seemed to be called sunfish. Can you tell me if that's correct and which is the more desirable knife.I tried to go to the video but couldn't find it an I have to get to work.melton714

Thank goodness for the edit feature.

From what I understand they are one in the same. Welcome to the site melton714!!

Gary, watch the video and you'll discover the difference is the profile of the frame (Shades of Wharncliffe).

melton714 -- I think I'd be safe in saying any preference of one over the other is simply personal. I know they can be expensive buggers.

jerryd6818 wrote:Gary, watch the video and you'll discover the difference is the profile of the frame (Shades of Wharncliffe).

melton714 -- I think I'd be safe in saying any preference of one over the other is simply personal. I know they can be expensive buggers.

I'm trying to go to the video for beginners but I have to go to work,. My elephant toe is a 1974 case and I didn't see any like you had . does the elephant etched on the blade mean anything special?

Nah, the etch is just decoration.

I only have one I bought by accident. I don't know where my head was because I'm not a fan of either of the patterns. It's a Schatt & Morgan Baby Sunfish. I decided to keep it to scratch my one of everything itch. The shield is inlaid pearl. Very well done.

I'm hesitant to believe all of that gentleman's video,not saying he's wrong,but I'll wait to ask Roger(peanut). He's a collector of this pattern one of the knowledgeable members here on the subject.

But Lyle. It's on the internet and you know you can't lie on the internet.

Edit: What is it that you find questionable?

Jerry,I'm still lear'n, but I never heard before any difference in name or frame recognition. I'm not saying that there isn't,as apparently there now is to at least one guy,but traditionally I haven't heard it.

It could be a new way to differentiate, as me and you have both coined our own nomenclature. 1st generations , farmers whittlers, and rooster combs( to differentiate farmers jacks from the ones with flat blades and the secondary with the modified blade having a small spud. Although rooster combs was a readily accepted name for farmers jacks altogether before.). But we allowed we made these up,not as if they were traditionally known nomenclature.

We're in deep ,aint we.