Veritable Journaix Restoration Project (French Saw Blade Knife)

[herbva]

So, my friend John (1967redrider) asked me to see what I could do with this old knife. I was going to make up a story about John finding it when he was rummaging around in the ruins of an ancient castle in France, but the truth is that all he told me was "it spent a lot of time in a tool box in Florida". I believe that "Veritable" means "guaranteed" in French and I'm guessing that "Journaix" may be the name of the maker. I think the handle scales were thick horn slabs that some little critters has a good time munching on. Once I had time to examine it I was afraid that the parts looked so rusted that they were going to fall apart when I started to disassemble the knife. But the sturdy, all steel parts held up pretty well. (The bolsters might actually be cast iron.) I was also afraid that the bent tip of the punch (4th picture) was going to break off when I tried to straighten it, but it also held up pretty well. The new scales are Gabon ebony and both the blade and saw blade have good, hard snap now.

[1967redrider]

WOW, Herb!!! Can't wait to see it up close and in person, it turned out perfect!!! I think it's about 6" or so closed, excellent snap, will try to find out more info from my bud in Florida about its travels.

[glennbad]

Wow, amazing save! Looks great!

[1967redrider]

A little more info-


*Edit- It was Eureux, France.

[Jeffinn]

That one looked destined for the scrap pile!
Nice save and excellent work!

[1967redrider]

That one looked destined for the scrap pile!
Nice save and excellent work!

I was shocked at the snap it still had, Jeff. All I did to it before passing it off to Herb was a #2 pencil treatment.

[Rdubya21]

Wow , that came out nice ! It sure was rough looking before . Nice job !

[Jeffinn]

That one looked destined for the scrap pile!
Nice save and excellent work!

I was shocked at the snap it still had, Jeff. All I did to it before passing it off to Herb was a #2 pencil treatment.

Amazing!

[Madmarco]

Spectacular save Herb! Viewing your 2nd picture I though this one is beyond redemption, but you pulled it back from the junk pile into a perfectly good user, very nice, congratulations! I particularly like the rivet at the bottom, is that what's called a "bird's-eye" rivet? Thx!

[herbva]

Spectacular save Herb! Viewing your 2nd picture I though this one is beyond redemption, but you pulled it back from the junk pile into a perfectly good user, very nice, congratulations! I particularly like the rivet at the bottom, is that what's called a "bird's-eye" rivet? Thx!

Hi Mark. That's actually just a very small washer. If you look carefully at the picture of this knife before I disassembled it, you can just make out a washer on the "barehead" end (without a metal bolster). I like to use them on larger knives like this one and think they may help prevent pin cracks from developing. You also see them on old rigging knives.

[rustyoldknife]

Spectacular save Herb! Viewing your 2nd picture I though this one is beyond redemption, but you pulled it back from the junk pile into a perfectly good user, very nice, congratulations! I particularly like the rivet at the bottom, is that what's called a "bird's-eye" rivet? Thx!

Hi Mark. That's actually just a very small washer. If you look carefully at the picture of this knife before I disassembled it, you can just make out a washer on the "barehead" end (without a metal bolster). I like to use them on larger knives like this one and think they may help prevent pin cracks from developing. You also see them on old rigging knives.

It is a fantastic save and now a very hansom knife

[Madmarco]

Spectacular save Herb! Viewing your 2nd picture I though this one is beyond redemption, but you pulled it back from the junk pile into a perfectly good user, very nice, congratulations! I particularly like the rivet at the bottom, is that what's called a "bird's-eye" rivet? Thx!

Hi Mark. That's actually just a very small washer. If you look carefully at the picture of this knife before I disassembled it, you can just make out a washer on the "barehead" end (without a metal bolster). I like to use them on larger knives like this one and think they may help prevent pin cracks from developing. You also see them on old rigging knives.

Thanks Herb! I kindda figured it was there for stability as well as how it's assembled, and I do remember seeing them on old rigging knives, but I'm sure I had read here somewhere, that a rivet that looks like that is referred to as a "bird's-eye" rivet, so I guess I was just asking you if that term is correct for a rivet with that appearance? Perhaps you've not heard that term?

[herbva]

Spectacular save Herb! Viewing your 2nd picture I though this one is beyond redemption, but you pulled it back from the junk pile into a perfectly good user, very nice, congratulations! I particularly like the rivet at the bottom, is that what's called a "bird's-eye" rivet? Thx!

Hi Mark. That's actually just a very small washer. If you look carefully at the picture of this knife before I disassembled it, you can just make out a washer on the "barehead" end (without a metal bolster). I like to use them on larger knives like this one and think they may help prevent pin cracks from developing. You also see them on old rigging knives.

Thanks Herb! I kindda figured it was there for stability as well as how it's assembled, and I do remember seeing them on old rigging knives, but I'm sure I had read here somewhere, that a rivet that looks like that is referred to as a "bird's-eye" rivet, so I guess I was just asking you if that term is correct for a rivet with that appearance? Perhaps you've not heard that term?
[/quote

Hey Mark. I guess that you could call it a "bird's eye" , but I think of the pin head known as a "bird's eye" as the ones I see that are totally flat, like on some of the Case sodbusters. On John's knife, I hand peened the steel pins the same way I do most pins, leaving a round pin head flush with the scale. I slipped that small steel washer in first on the "bare head" end - 1. because the original had small washers on that end and, 2. as I mentioned above, I hope it spreads out the stress on the end of the scale a bit and perhaps helps prevent pin cracks, although that may just be wishful thinking.

[Madmarco]

Naw, your physics make perfect sense Herb, I'm sure the pins will keep the handle stable. Thanks for your interpretation of what a bird's-eye looks like, I pictured a sodbuster and recalled the look!

[Nev52]

Herb, Great Job and Great workmanship You saved that knife.

Nev

[Meridian_Mike]

VERY NICE save Herb!
Great job!

[dlr110]

I'm totally amazed at the transformation. Great work Herb.