All About Pocket Knives

I’m attempting a 1st time repair a HSB whittler with broken pearl scales. Knife is apart and I’m cleaning everything up. Gonna replace the pearl with faux tortoise shell. I’ll update later with better pics and progress.

Looks like a fine project in progress! Please keep us posted.

herbva wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:49 am Looks like a fine project in progress! Please keep us posted.

Thanks Herb, I am gonna give it my best shot! Got the scales glued on to the liners today. I’ll keep this post updated for sure.

Didn’t have the right size bolster pins in nickel so I drilled out bolsters and they both broke loose from the brass liners. I ordered and received a solder/flux kit and soldered them back on. That was a challenge for sure but got it done. I did this step before I fitted the scales and epoxied them on.

Both scales are epoxied on and I got 1 sanded down today close to ready. Still have to sand the other one and attempt to cut for the shield, ugh, stay tuned!!

Hooked up the foredom to inlay the shield. Got it cut out and shield in. Will post a pic tomorrow.

Looks great so far! Where did you source the faux tortoiseshell?

Dan In MI wrote: ↑Sat Apr 08, 2023 3:51 am Looks great so far! Where did you source the faux tortoiseshell?

Thank you Dan. My Dad had it in his stash and I found it when cleaning out his workbench. He probably bought it at jantz supply years ago. He rehandled a few knives he picked up at the flea market. Now that he is gone I’m gonna give it a try. I made blades for a few but never installed or rehandled a slip joint.

Got the shield in, a slight bit off but in!

Got the shield installed, a little off but it is in!

The shield inletting looks perfect, Jimbo!

Ha, not perfect Reverand but I’m pleased with my first time try with a foredom. I had to fill in some bad cuts but they don’t show too bad. Thanks for the confidence builder!
Sorry didn’t mean to post the handle pics twice.

That's some authentic looking faux tortoise. sure is coming along fine. J.O'.

Thanks j.o.! Been wanting to try this for some time. Was gonna use claro walnut but the shell does have a real appearance so used it instead.

Here is the final product. By the way I learned alot on this journey. Knife came out fair but I had to pin it over once. I’m happy with it though. A word of advice, Make sure if you have to drill for larger pins that you have everything perfectly square when you drill. I tried to turn a stainless pin down for the main and decided to drill the bolsters and liners and main for a .094 pin. Bad mistake! Drilled the rest of the pin holes for .062. I got er done but it was a major hassle for sure.

ODK,
Thanks for the showing your project. The final looks great!
Treefarmer

Thank you TF, I enjoyed it and will do more I’m sure!

Looks sweet! That faux tortoise shell looks so much like the real thing!

I like it. The faux tortoiseshell really sets it off. Great job!

Reverand wrote: ↑Sun Apr 16, 2023 1:40 am Looks sweet! That faux tortoise shell looks so much like the real thing!

Thanks reverand, I enjoyed working with it mainly because it’s not brittle like pearl would have been so I could beat on them pins! Ha! I couldn’t get the bolster pins to disappear so I’ll have to work on that in the future.

Dan In MI wrote: ↑Sun Apr 16, 2023 3:36 am I like it. The faux tortoiseshell really sets it off. Great job!

Thank you Dan, I like that shell also! It’s just different and seems to be very durable. I’ll probably do another hopefully soon.

Hopefully you're able to find that faux tortoiseshell, or something very similar. That's a material I'd like to see used more frequently!

Dan In MI wrote: ↑Sun Apr 16, 2023 4:59 pm Hopefully you're able to find that faux tortoiseshell, or something very similar. That's a material I'd like to see used more frequently!

I actually have approx. 6x6” sheet of it that I took the scales from.

I haven’t noticed faux tortoise on knives much but maybe now I’ll notice more!!

Nice job especially for your first attempt!
I have a Foredom drill press I often use when inletting a shield. It helps prevent the bur from 'walking.' I usually finish it freehand, but remove most of the material with the dill press.

Very nice work!