All About Pocket Knives

dlr110 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:09 am It looks like you did very well. On that kit I had a hard time getting a good snap on the blades. How is yours?

Nev52 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:05 pm

dlr110 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 3:09 am It looks like you did very well. On that kit I had a hard time getting a good snap on the blades. How is yours?

David,
My knife at first did not have good snap.On the numerous times I had it apart I put more arc in the spring. I also did that on the second knife before I put it together. It has good walk and talk now.

Nev 52

glennbad wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:19 am You may also be starting with too much pin prior to peening. You also don't need to flatten that pin all the way flush with the cover material. It's okay to have a prominent head and file/sand down the extra.

Nev52 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 12:25 am

glennbad wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:19 am You may also be starting with too much pin prior to peening. You also don't need to flatten that pin all the way flush with the cover material. It's okay to have a prominent head and file/sand down the extra.

Glen,
One more question. When you peen scales do you peen the out side first or the inside. I was thinking down the road if I ever try bone should I peen the inside then finish with the outside?

Thanks Nev 52

Jeffinn wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:27 am

glennbad wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:19 am You may also be starting with too much pin prior to peening. You also don't need to flatten that pin all the way flush with the cover material. It's okay to have a prominent head and file/sand down the extra.

This^
Start with less pin protruding. And peen the head much less. You only need enough of a peen to prevent the pin from pulling out. It’s a lot less peening than you would think. And as Glenn said you can always sand/file the pin flush afterwards.
Oh, and the knives you did look great!
Jeff

Nev52 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 07, 2022 8:51 pm

Jeffinn wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:27 am

glennbad wrote: ↑Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:19 am You may also be starting with too much pin prior to peening. You also don't need to flatten that pin all the way flush with the cover material. It's okay to have a prominent head and file/sand down the extra.

This^
Start with less pin protruding. And peen the head much less. You only need enough of a peen to prevent the pin from pulling out. It’s a lot less peening than you would think. And as Glenn said you can always sand/file the pin flush afterwards.
Oh, and the knives you did look great!
Jeff

Jeff,
I tried the advice Glen and you offeredon my 3rd build. I liked the oak look so I made my own scales again. This time the pins look better and the bolster pins are almost hidden. Here are some pictures.oak scale trapper l.jpg
Oak scale trapper r.jpg

Nev52 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 4:58 pm My 1st actual repairof a knife. I saw a friend over the weekend and showed him the knife kit I put together. He told me he had a knife that fell into the engine compartment of a vehicle he was working on and was going to throw out. I told him I would like to try to repair it. I started to look it over and found that not only were the scales broken the coping blade had no snap. I disassembled the knife and bent the backspring on the coping blade. Then I replaced the scales with some micarta I purchased from Jantz supply. I am gradually learning with the help of the members on this forum.
I also have a picture of a rough ryder lockback kit I just did with white micarta scales. It appears white miarta absorbs you grimy finger prints. Maybe I should have sealed the scales before working on them.

Just wanted to share with everybody.

Regards
Nev 52

broken rough ryder.jpgrescaled knives.jpg

Nev52 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:30 pm I decided to add some flash to the single blade trapper I built. I dissembled the knife and filed the back spring. Not really the look I had anticipated but the knife still works.

filed back spring.jpg

trapper filed back spring.jpg

herbva wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:55 pm Hi Nev. I use a 7mm slackener (feeler gauge) on one side and an 8mm on the other side for most 2-blade knives. That way, I can do all the peening I want, the pin heads will be expanded in the bolster as much as possible, and the blades won't be too tight. Then after I remove the slackeners, there is always just a small amount of blade wobble. Just a tiny tap or 2 without the slackeners in place should remove any wobble. If not, repeat until wobble is gone. Go slow, and don't overtighten. I use modified feeler gauges, so that I can slide them all the way in between the tang and the liner (pic attached). I use tin snips to make these and cheap feeler gauges. For larger knives, I use larger slackeners, but the same process. Sometimes, you do your best, but unexpectedly, the pin heads still show in the bolsters. Just before I assemble everything, I always ream the pin holes in the bolsters so that they are properly tapered and have clean, fresh metal exposed and I lightly sand the pin stock so that you have clean metal on clean metal. Maybe this makes a difference and maybe it doesn't. Just something that someone shared with me a long time ago.

Reverand wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 1:54 am I like the handles on this one, Nev52. Your skills are definitely improving.
The blade being off-center can be caused by the holes in the liners not lined up properly, either drilled in the wrong place, pins too small, or a pin is bent. (There may be more, but these are all things that I have done!). Everything should be drilled and sized correctly on a kit knife, but still can be off.
I HATE taking one apart that I have just finished, but I do learn from my mistakes when I do.

I look forward to seeing more of your work when you can!