All About Pocket Knives

Like some of you, OK most of you, it's in my nature to want to know what makes things "tick", just can't leave well enough alone gotta tear it apart to see what's inside! I have a few nice Case Shark Tooth's and my first choice was to have a Pro convert one to an auto but that Pro is in a battle for his health rite now, second choice Pro for a conversion only does a hand full of models and mine is not on the list, so that leaves the combined knowledge of this forum and I to make it happen if your willing. Went out and bought a beat up Case to experiment on first, when I think I have it nailed "good enough for me" I will convert a nice Stag handle one later down the road. Most have long quit reading this post but for the ones still hangin in there I have a few questions. Was hammering the pins out the best way to disassemble the knife or should I have drilled them out. Didn't really care for how brutal I was but maybe that's how it's done? Now I have it apart, cleaned up a bit for inspection and noticed the pin holes on the inside have been squared, what is this called? Do they make a special tool for this? Is it for putting tension on the pin? My next chore I guess is to see what type of mechanics to use for the button operation? Choices? Here's some pic's of the ginny pig. Thanks for any info you may have!

no dea what the square is all about. try switchbladekits.com for pre made button parts if you don't want to fabricate your own

Thanks Kaleb for the info and parts web sight!
If I read between the lines I need either a Blade Catch Sear or a Button Trigger & Catch or a Button Trigger & Catch Sear? Always like to build my own parts for "things" but being this is my first conversion (hell this is my first knife I have taken apart) think I will buy the part and learn as I go so to speak. Some people can design, engineer & build all in one, you fall under that category. Unfortunately I am a copycat, if I can hold, see, feel something I can usually copy it and make it, just can't design it. If you have any parts (already made) you would like to sell me that would be great, would rather buy from people on the forum than a stranger on the web. Thanks Again, Lon

Dale (Orvet) has an excellent tutorial on taking a knife apart with a blade and hammer in the tutorial forum. I wonder if those square indentations on your liners weren't made in the process where the liners are punched at the punch press and used for alignment on a jig to get the holes in the precise location? I think if I were going to attempt what you are doing I would buy a cheap China switchblade as close as possible to the knife I wanted to modify and use it as a guide for the project knife. I'd like to see pictures of this as you work on it. Interesting. Good luck!

Bob, I actually did that, dunno if it's a cheap China Switchblade or not. Even though it's broken I can tell that the mechanism looks like a teeter totter for lack of knowing what it's really called. Seems to be cast pot metal or Aluminum and broke at it's pivot pin hole. Interesting non the less but I am working with a pretty thin handle this particular one even in usable condition would be to high, take up to much real state under handle I would guess. Maybe a flatter version.

It's been a few years ago, but I had one like the knife pictured in your last post that had the same piece broken. I ended up making the part and after a few tries I got it working just fine. I also bought a video on making the coil spring type of auto and the tools and springs to do it with. Since I'm kept busy with repairs on older knives (slip joints), I'd sell it all for a reasonable price. Just thought I'd make the offer.

Elvis, Won't be doing this for a living and all the hand full of knives I have wouldn't benefit from a coil spring, will stick with the old school spring rods!

I totally understand. PM inbound so I can make you an offer you can't refuse.