Case 2159L Lock Back Discovery

[just bob]

Bought this Case 2159L from a junk box at a flea market recently and quickly added it to the knives I wanted to experiment with. Broke it apart this morning and low and behold the same blade that is used in these is also in the Case XX Changer knife. On the lock back they use a bushing through the hole on the top end to hold the blade securely in place. It will not come up by depressing the back spring. Very interesting and makes you wonder about the adaptability of parts from one knife to the other. BTW - have had some spalted maple laying around and was going to use that for handles on the lock back. That wood is very soft and though it looks nice seems a very poor choice for handle material.

[knifeaholic]

Interesting - most likely the same blade is used on the P197 Sharks Tooth as well.

[orvet]

That's very interesting Bob. I have not worked on one of those before.

Regarding your spalted maple, most spalted wood I have seen is soft.
I think K & G does stabilizing of wood and horn. You could contact them and see about having your spalted maple stabilized.

[just bob]

Thought I would go ahead an post this pic of the spalted maple because this may be as far as I go with it. Beautiful stuff, but soft. I have had 3 pcs on the back side and all 3 have split out at creases. Have a ways to go on the front side if I decide to use it.
I used the Minwax Wood Hardener and tried to stabilize this and it is better, but still soft. Kind of impractical to consider sending this out to be stabilized for a $20 knife. Much better just to go to plan B - whatever that is.

[orvet]

You might also try hardening it with the Zap-A-Gap thin CA glue.
I have had success using it to harden the surface of wood pieces and stabilizing cracks.
It is also good for sealing ivory so the buffing compound does not get in the ivory.

[muskrat man]

doing a hard topcoat superglue finish will make a glossy rock hard topcoat that is beautiful and will protect the wood. I used to do a lot of those types of handle finishes in my first and second year of knife mechanics

[btrwtr]

On the lock back they use a bushing through the hole on the top end to hold the blade securely in place.

Very interesting discovery. I wonder when they started doing this since the 2159 LSSP has been in production longer than the XX Changer?

Wayne