All About Pocket Knives

ok I didn't like the fit in my hand or pocket not to mention it just didn't walk and talk the way I wanted it to. so I took it apart and redid it. lost the screwdriver blade and sanded the bone down some after the debacle with my Barlow I left the file on the table. I like her much better this way she snaps like a trap now and feels good in my hand. a bit more polish on the bolster and I just might be happy. Please tell me what you guys think as I have come to value your opinions and always Thank you for all your help. Robert (sandmak) p.s. put the right size pins in this time

I like what you did with it. Are those fiber spacers?

If you want some more advice, I'd like to offer a couple tips.

I can't tell from the pics, but to me it doesn't look like a clean transition between the bone and the bolsters. If I am wrong, I apologize. Anyway, do your best to clean up those joints. Sometimes, I have to file the bolster edge to square it up.

The other recommendation I have is to use a small pin up by where the bone meets the bolsters, usually about a 1/4 inch away. The epoxy is probably strong enough, but opening and closing a knife puts stress on that area.

Regardless, I would be glad to own that knife. Great job!

Glenn

yes sir those are fiber spacers and I am not completely happy with the fit to the bolsters I need to get a dental pick to clean that up any ideas on how to fill that gap without starting completely over and the pin up toward the bolster is a great idea it has already come loose a tiny bit. woke up early with this stuck in my head will need to go back to work soon if not just to get away from this obsession and pay for new knife stuff. Thanks so much Robert (sandmak)

I'm not entirely sure it would work, but you may be able to mix some suler glue or epoxy with some of the green bone dust, if you have some around, and work that into the gap. If the gap is big enough, you could fit a fiber spacer in there.

That is looking good, much more finished than before!
I like it!

I see both pivot pins have sunken a bit.
What type reamer did you use to taper the holes?

If that continues to be a problem even when using a tapered reamer, then after you peen the pins and before cleaning up the pins on the bolsters; use am old brass liner without the bolster on the end and open the blade to half, wedge the liner between the tang and the liner and close the blade.
That works to great to get the pins to pull in if they are going to. Then you can clean up the excess pin and polish the bolsters.

That works if the blade is too tight, it will usually loosen it enough to get good walk and talk.


If you don’t have a buffer to polish the bolsters, I recommend 3M’s Polishing Paper. It comes in 400, 600, 1200, 4000, 6000 & 8000 grit. The abrasive seems to work differently than sandpaper and by the time you have polished it out to 8000 you nearly have as good a polish as many guys get with a buffer.

You can get it from Jantz Supply or from Otto Frei, a jewelers Supply in San Francisco.

Thanks for the tips on the pivot pins to be honest I didn't ream the holes at all ,I think I will use it for a bit until I feel like doing it right lots of learning going on and I really appreciate all the help. also seems that the pin color doesn't match the bolster the pin is nickel silver I suppose the bolster must be steel. polished her up a bit more and it made the sunken pins even more noticeable I can see there will be some money spent on tools. as always Thanks so much Robert (sandmak)

Robert,
If you think the bolsters are steel, check them with a magnet.
Nickel silver is not magnetic, although there is sometimes be a weak attraction because of the steel beneath the nickel silver.

Also, often the modern nickel silver is slightly different than the older nickel silver so there can be a slight difference in color from the pin to the bolster. Nickel silver is an alloy of copper, nickel & usually zinc, but not always. A common formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel & 20% zinc; but if whoever makes it changes the formula a few percentage points or does not use zinc, it will look different.

I usually notice the new nickel silver pins not matching nickel silver bolsters on knives that are pre-WW II, especially in the 1920 or older.

Hope this helps.
Dale

Looks good. love that green bone, did you jig it or did you buy it already jigged? either way I like that knife.

Dale

I really like those spacers you used. For your second try it looks pretty darn good to me.

You also mentioned using the right size pins this time. Quite often, that can make a big difference in the snap. If you don't have to compress the springs very much to get that last pin in, your snap will be weak. The guys here have given you some great advice and it's good to see you've taken it to heart. I wish I'd had that much help when I started out. Also on the bone to bolster fit, that's the first thing I make sure it nice and tight. Once the handles are shaped you can't go back to change it. Some bolsters are straight while others are sloped inward or outward. Once that fit is made, it's hard to go wrong. For try #2, I'd say she's looking really good.