All About Pocket Knives

What size pin would I need to order to repin a bolster pin on a 1976 case xx 6488?
Thanks I’m advance.

Sometimes knife manufacturers change the pin size used in a particular pattern, so you can't tell for sure just based on the pattern knife you have. When you have the knife apart (or the worn or broken pin removed) test the holes in the bolsters with pin stock or drill bits. The pin stock to use should be the largest size that fits in the holes. I'm guessing that the pin stock to use for your 6488 will be one of the standard sizes, like 5/64", or maybe 3/32", but you can't be sure without checking the size of the bolster holes as I mentioned above.

You can turn oversize stock down to size by chucking it in a drill and filing it.

Thank you all for the replies. I appreciate it.

Would something like that work for a pin if it was the correct size. Or is it just the wrong kind of steel all together?

Some knives had steel pins but many have a nickel silver pin, which is a lot easier to peen and polish. Check out Jantz Supply.

The bolsters on that knife are nickel silver. You can use steel pins if you want to, and they will function just fine, but the pin heads will show as a different color in the bolsters when you are done.

miked32 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 03, 2023 2:39 am Would something like that work for a pin if it was the correct size. Or is it just the wrong kind of steel all together?

Spring clips like that shown have to be hardened somewhat to work correctly. Probably would be too hard to peen.

OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Sat Jun 03, 2023 12:10 pm

miked32 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 03, 2023 2:39 am Would something like that work for a pin if it was the correct size. Or is it just the wrong kind of steel all together?

Spring clips like that shown have to be hardened somewhat to work correctly. Probably would be too hard to peen.

My thoughts exactly.

Also the correct size pin cant be bought for Case knives. They use gauged pins (not for sale) anywhere I could ever find. I spoke with the Model Maker at Case and he told me about the sizes.
You can get fraction sized pins that are very close to the gauged size and withh work fine. Except for the 12 gauge pins that is used on larger knives you have to turn n them down to size.