All About Pocket Knives

Someone didn't get the message about oiling the joints...or any other part, for that matter.
Recently TPK, AAPK's own poet...gave away several knives. Given, postage rates from Germany...his offer was extra generous. He offered up this Purina, if anyone thought they could do anything with it. I told him, my hallucination was I might be able to improve on it; but, I'd send it back to him. Tom has a special connection to the Purina knives, because his grandfather carried them. I set a personal record, for number of pieces, that a handle came off in... The corrosion was so extensive, the liners cracked and broke...almost by looking at them..
Sometimes I hallucinate a little too much. Stayed tuned.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCc-RWIp7XU

Ahhh, you tease! You are gonna make us wait to see how this turns out?

You're a brave man Gunga Din. That's a formidable task you've taken on. Blessings on you little man. Barefoot boy with cheeks of tan.

OUCH.... looks like couple of new liners is in the offing.....



That right there is a TRUE labor of love.
(It can be done....so don't despair)

Go for it Doc!

So...I got wondering...if I could solder a piece of old liner, across the cracks. Guess I lost the pictures of that failure. The soldered piece, across the crack seemed to work...but the soldered piece across the entire broken component, near the bolsters, didn't have any strength. I think it was good it failed, because it would have been a serious pain to retrofit the handle, over the raised patch.
I had no brass material for fabricating new liners...so I got to digging around some old boxes.
Came up with this worn-out Boker, blades mostly used up and wobbly. It looked pretty close in size... Got things all pulled apart , cleaned up. Blades had some deep pitting in ares. I selectively sanded...but removing all of the darkness, on the blades, would have entailed removing a lot of metal. I mocked things up, with several different combinations, of blades, springs, etc.
I ended up using the liners and springs from the Boker. One of the initial problems of the Purina, was a poor snap. I found by using the Boker springs and making some minor modifications, It made the snap, better than it had been originally.
Thought I'd go with a "Red" micarta...staying with some original color, in the Purina. Then I thought about making a shield...that would give a nod to the old checkerboard pattern...
Initially sawing on a piece of nickle silver, with a thin jeweler's saw.. More to come.

Scribed with saw and rounded... Reducing every other square... I oxidized the entire thing, with gun bluing...then polished off the high points. Finished it out...and Mama (the sew-a-holic) wanted to make a checkerboard slip. I enjoyed working on it...and thinking about our Grandfather's and their knives. Hope it reminds you of your granddad, Tom.

This is gettin' good! What did they used to say, "Stay tuned, same time, same station!"
Treefarmer
Well shoot Doc, I though you was going to be a day or so. That's is quite a makeover.

Doc that's a great rehab, and nice work-in-progress posts too! I really like the idea of that shield, it came out great!

Eric

A real pleasure to watch Doc, thanks.

You did not disappoint!
I would not have thought of using the Boker frame. Good save!
If you need brass for future use, I found some brass sheets at Hobby Lobby that work well for making liners. I also got some 1/16 brass rod for pinning handles, but it is really too soft.
And I am not the first to say it, but that shield was a great idea, well executed!

I knew how the story ends cause it came in the mail yesterday. What I didn't know was how much work was behind it all.
As you all can see by those pictures, it turned out very nice and I am totally stoked!!! I sat on the couch yesterday evening handling & admiring it for well over an hour. Felt like I was some kind of "Knife-Pervert" or something.
The Böker springs or Boker springs turned out to be just what she needed. It has great snap on all three blades now.
Plus, the thought of having Tree Brand parts or shell (with their strong ties to Germany) mixed together with blades from a N.Y. knife (with me being an American with strong ties to Germany) is kind of a cool thing for me as well. Great idea, and a good thing you had that Boker. That worked out perfect! It's definitly a one of a kind now...
A BOKER/KUTMASTER HYBRID!!! Awesome!!!

And the shield is the hit!!! I thought he took something like a zipper or a filed off chain but WOW that's hand made. It's so darn cool you should give those a name Jim. I'm gonna call it a...... "Jim-Zip-Shield".
Thanks for all the hard work Jim! It's a very beautiful knife now that will remind me of both my Grandfather and a great man from Texas who rebuilt it for me. Thanks to your wife as well for the awesome little pouch she made for it! The checker pattern in it and the "Jim-Zip-Shield" relate back to the original Purina checkerboard pattern.
Plus, the Slip is in Red-White-&-Blue. It's the "Cherry on Top"! If I could sew, I'd make myself a few more of those. They are cool and protective as well.

I also understand the meaning of the abbreviation "HOK" now because I own one.

Take care & have a nice weekend everbody,
Tom
.

.
And, I almost forgot, the Main blade is stamped:

KUTMASTER
UTICA.N.Y.
MADE IN U.S.A.
V

Can anyone guess a production timeframe on the Kutmaster/Purina blades for me? I have 2 Purina knives stamped "JAPAN" that were probably produced latter than this KUTMASTER. I'd really love to put an approximate date on this knife just for me. I guess the blades are older than me, 1972??? Maybe??? An approximate date on the Boker knife would be nice to know too. If anyone knows that I'd appreciate it.

I wouldn't mind having a few more "Purina" knives if anyone has one they would consider tradeing something with me, please let me know. Maybe we can make a deal? (different brands & patterns of "Purina" knives are welcome as well.)

Thanks,
Tom
.

Here are more ideas if you want to keep things more original on your next project. I can send you the paper inserts. I have never been able to get the color just right on these. That was a genius idea on the shield and pouch. Nice work.

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... na#p418681

Awesome, great creativity!

Now that’s a save and a half! Fantastic!

Thanks guys, for the kind remarks.
Reverend, I immediately ordered (and have received) brass sheeting, for my next liner encounter. I had time to kill, looking for a donor knife...and in this case it saved me from fabricating 3 liners and two bolsters...a ton of work. Additionally, the old Boker bolsters are lined, with associated wear. I think that looks better than a new bolster.
Just bob...that is a very cool way to approach the handle replacement!
Tom...glad you liked it! I've given knives, to people, that you know... will just end up putting it in a drawer. Sadly, we here, are in the minority...when it comes to appreciation of a slip-joint. I'm stoked, it went to a good home!

Awesome job Doc!
Good thinking to use the Boker liners!
There is a HUGE amount of satisfaction when you complete a project of that caliber!

Congrats on a great save!

Mike