All About Pocket Knives

Bought in Canada about forty years ago.
A beautiful, razor sharp trapper with " stainless steel japan" on the clip tang. No other markings at all. Length 4".
Steel liners with a blank shield pinned with two pins. Shield and bolsters are a different metal.
Bolster pins also visible. However both springs broke soon after purchase, at the same point, exactly one centimeter in front of the center pin, with no undue pressure at all, simply by opening the knife, as if the steel is very hard and brittle, with no bend at all.
I can't tell if the scales are bone or plastic, but they are not quite flush with the bolsters.
Any comments at all on this knife? It just seems too well made to be a no-name knife. Or is it an example of a Japanese cheapo knock off. My god mother bought it for me as a gift so it can't be that cheap.
Do you think it's worth having the springs changed or just leave it in a drawer? Thanks for looking. Sorry about the iPad pictures.

I wouldn't invest any money in it......I'd throw it out....

Are the handles bone? Under magnification, look for the spots that tell you there are haversian canals (see below). If they are present it's bone, if not present then the handles are synthetic.

The knife has minimal monetary value so as for getting it fixed, that depends on the sentimental value the knife has for you. Since it was given to you by your God Mother, only you can make that decision.

What Jerry said. It will probably cost you around $40 to have a new spring put in it. If it was mine , I probably wouldn't do it but that's up to you, if it means anything to you, by all means have it fixed, it's not much good the way it is. Terry

Knife looks like an ATCO Japan knife to me. Decent looking knife but bad tempering on the spring for sure. I wonder if the blades are any better.

Knives can last a long time, but yours did not. It died an early death. Dispose of it respectfully and then buy yourself a new Trapper in honor of your godmother.
Wayne's point that the blades might also be improperly tempered is most significant. You cannot easily test the edge with broken springs but there is no point in having springs replaced if blades won't cut well. For a low end knife it is not worth taking a chance that blades are going to take & hold a sharp edge. This is why i suggest you 'bury' this knife which died a long time ago, and replace it with a Trapper you will use & enjoy.
kj

Thanks everyone, that's all I need to know.
The scales are definitely delrin because when I blew up Jerry's delrin picture I could see the same fine lines along the scale edge as on my knife.
I can also get another very nice knife for the cost of a repair ($40) and kj, I already have a queen trapper in D2.
I dont think I'll throw it out because it's a Japanese knife and that's not the Japanese thing to do.

Edgewise I would never throw out a knife given to me by a relative so I am glad you are keeping it

Also I am certain the handles are genuine bone the Japanese used a lot of it during the period your knife was made.

Miller Bro's wrote:Edgewise I would never throw out a knife given to me by a relative so I am glad you are keeping it

Also I am certain the handles are genuine bone the Japanese used a lot of it during the period your knife was made.

I agree. Also, wikipedia Wabi Sabi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi

I'm the child of depression era parents - we never throw out ANYTHING - you can't tell when you might need it for a part or something else

bestgear wrote:I'm the child of depression era parents - we never throw out ANYTHING - you can't tell when you might need it for a part or something else

Exactly. Linnea is a pitcher. I learned early on to not leave her alone in my house. That ain't the way we do things there honey bunch.

TripleF wrote:I wouldn't invest any money in it......I'd throw it out....

Could you stop beating around the bush there, TripleF, and just tell us what you're really thinking!?!

SolWarrior wrote:

TripleF wrote:I wouldn't invest any money in it......I'd throw it out....

Could you stop beating around the bush there, TripleF, and just tell us what you're really thinking!?!

uh huh!!!

The scales are bone in Japanese typical style. They're plastic is cheap looking and really looks like plastic. The knife isn't worth fixing unless your Godmother's relationship with you makes it worth fixing. If it was mine, given to me 40 years ago by my Godmother, I would definitely have it fixed and maybe even have some nicer bone put on it. Then I would put it in a drawer because I doubt the metal in the blades is much better than the springs were. I have a whole room full of things people that I cherish from my past have given me that has little or no value beyond my feelings for those people.____Dave

djknife13 wrote: If it was mine, given to me 40 years ago by my Godmother, I would definitely have it fixed and maybe even have some nicer bone put on it. Dave

"This is my grandfather's axe. My dad replaced the bit, I replaced the handle."

If for you there is sentiment attached to it, keep it and leave it as it is so it really is the knife given to you by your godmother. (Another opinion. Pick your favorite or make up one of your own.)

Many thanks for all your sensible suggestions, and now analysis paralysis has set in again , so I'll leave the knife as is for the time being and use it for opening letters and cutting string until I decide what to do (may be in a few years)
It's nice knowing it's bone though.

bestgear wrote:I'm the child of depression era parents - we never throw out ANYTHING - you can't tell when you might need it for a part or something else

My dad is the same way, and his dad made more things than he bought, including a fully enclosed camping trailer! It's harder to do that now since most things are made to throw out in a few years time

Miller Bro's wrote:Also I am certain the handles are genuine bone the Japanese used a lot of it during the period your knife was made.

Agreed with this 100%. Japanese knives could sport some really nice bone, although the oversized non-flush "slab" construction was pretty popular. It comes down to aesthetics for me. I've always liked those big slabs of Japanese handle bone, especially on Barlows and other jacks.

djknife13 wrote:The scales are bone in Japanese typical style. They're plastic is cheap looking and really looks like plastic. The knife isn't worth fixing unless your Godmother's relationship with you makes it worth fixing. If it was mine, given to me 40 years ago by my Godmother, I would definitely have it fixed and maybe even have some nicer bone put on it. Then I would put it in a drawer because I doubt the metal in the blades is much better than the springs were. I have a whole room full of things people that I cherish from my past have given me that has little or no value beyond my feelings for those people.____Dave

I'd maybe go in a different direction, given that this was your Godmother's knife. I would take the nicest part, the bone handles, and see if they can be successfully separated from the liners without damage. If so, you may want to have one of our amazing knife mechanics/artistes take those slabs and work them onto a well-built knife, perhaps filing and polishing it down to more of a "pocket worn" jigging or even a smooth bone finish. Nice knife, memorable handles, best of both words?