All About Pocket Knives

I got this Uncle Henry at the junk store for a buck. I figured I would try to fix the blade. Looks like some bone head grounded across a starter or something with it or something. (Tip gone and hole in the blade....LOL)
Anyway, do you repair guys know if carbon steel weld metal will fix the 2 bad spots on the blade? I have a wire welder and you can turn the heat down with small wire to where it won't totally blow up when you weld.

What do you think?

Short answer-
It would be far cheaper to find a knife with good blades and swap blades, or buy another used one on ebay. You should be able to get a decent user for $25-$30.
Both blades in that knife have been abused. The spey blade on that knife looks more like a worn down spear blade than a spey.

Long answer-
To the best of my knowledge; if you just want to fill the hole and clean it up and put it on display that would probably work but it won't work as a knife.

The crystalline structure of the blade is much different than the crystalline structure of the weld, as is the steel itself. Even if you could fill the hole & knick to make it look right with the same medal, you would need to heat treat the steel again to make it hold an edge.

There is an expensive process of laser welding where a new blade is welded onto a tang that has a broken blade to preserve the tang stamp. Heat treat is not an issue since this is usually only done high dollar antique knives to preserve a example of a brand & pattern that looks like the original. The knives are for display only, not users.

Thanks for the insight Dale.
I do want to make it a user. I suppose the search is on for a set of good blades.
I have been looking through the tutorials on dissasembly and re-assembly of pocket knives, so since this one was only a dollar....... it looks like it will be a good candidate for learning.

Mike

It will also be a simple one to replace if you can find another of the same pattern with tight blades.

Just remove the center pin (rocker pin) and give the bolsters a tweak and the knife will pretty much fall apart. Clean up the insides and the new blades and reassemble with the Swinden keys in the proper keyways. Then compress the springs to get the rocker pin back in place. Peen the rocker pin and you are all done except for any polishing you wish to do.

I have been looking a bit this morning and all the "NEW" Uncle Henry's of the same pattern are about the price you listed above. All I REALLY want is 2 new blades..... right? Would it be worth while to get a new Uncle Henry and put those blades in this older knife?
Am I missing the point??????

The "new" UH blades are much thinner then the U.S. counterparts. China made and pretty much worthless in my book.
You might consider removing the bad blade and rebuilding it as a single blade using just the spey. You'll have to drill out the pin holes, but it'll make a fine slimline trapper for totin'. I think there's a tutorial on drilling out the swinden keyed knives in the mechanics forums.

WB

I agree WB... China made is WAY inferior to the US blades.
I guess I have a choice..... Put this one away and find another just like it to carry......
OR find another with US blades and bad scales to make one good knife.

An original on the eBay for the price Dale stated.
For the price of a new China made one.
Looks in good shape too.
JW~

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schrade-285UH-K ... 4ad760da4e

Why not use it as it is-----

ezzakly!!

I think I'd sharpen that thing and put it in my pocket and be free of all the dust and noise.

There's plenty of knives out there.

PigSticker wrote:Why not use it as it is-----

Yep, I suppose I should. I originally bought the knife with a "lesson in knife repair" in mind.
Thanks for that link to the ebay knife JW. That one looks good enough to keep it "as is".
Looks like there is a fine line here between finding a knife good enough to "sacrifice it's blades" but in bad enough shape to "sacrifice it's blades".

knives-are-quiet wrote:An original on the eBay for the price Dale stated.
For the price of a new China made one.
Looks in good shape too.
JW~

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schrade-285UH-K ... 4ad760da4e

BTW... I bought that knife. Looks like a good one.
Thanks JW!!

Meridian_Mike wrote:

knives-are-quiet wrote:An original on the eBay for the price Dale stated.
For the price of a new China made one.
Looks in good shape too.
JW~

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schrade-285UH-K ... 4ad760da4e

BTW... I bought that knife. Looks like a good one.
Thanks JW!!

Sweet.................
Carry the eBay bought one and if you ever chip or crack the scales you can use the one with the hole in the blade for parts.
JW~
PS> I saw the seller on eBay accepted a best offer.
If you got it cheaper than you got a deal.
I think the knife with original box and paperwork is worth more than the seller was asking.

Meridian_Mike wrote:

PigSticker wrote:Why not use it as it is-----

Yep, I suppose I should. I originally bought the knife with a "lesson in knife repair" in mind.
Thanks for that link to the ebay knife JW. That one looks good enough to keep it "as is".
Looks like there is a fine line here between finding a knife good enough to "sacrifice it's blades" but in bad enough shape to "sacrifice it's blades".

Mark

knives-are-quiet wrote: Sweet.................
Carry the eBay bought one and if you ever chip or crack the scales you can use the one with the hole in the blade for parts.
JW~
PS> I saw the seller on eBay accepted a best offer.
If you got it cheaper than you got a deal.
I think the knife with original box and paperwork is worth more than the seller was asking.

I made the seller an offer of what amounted to $30 shipped.
It was accepted almost immediately. (Nice seller)

Yep, think I will carry the ebay knife and put the $1 special away for a parts knife.

Congrats Mike, you got a good deal on that ebay knife!

Repair is not always the answer.
I found it took years of buying parts knives and blades to have enough parts to repair even 25% of the knives people contact me about for repairs. I have hundreds of parts knives in inventory and a few hundred blades and I am always buying more.

It really is more addicting than merely collection knives.

Good philosophy Dale.

Yep, my ebay knife came in today. I am VERY pleased with it!