All About Pocket Knives

After hours of work,measuring,drilling,blowing dust out of my hair and other places,I was ready to put it together. This scale was so thick,sanded easier it did not cross my mind it might be prone to cracking. Peening pins is an art I guess. Booooo Hooooooo.

ouch! Don't think that will buff out.

Now that’s funny! Crazy glue went through my head for an instant but I’m sanding another one now. I’ll be more GENTLE this time! I got this handle material in a knife making lot. I don’t know what it is made of,but I’ll be glad when it’s gone. My wife said she liked it so here I am.

Super Glue might turn it into a sticky gooey mess.
Making another piece probably a good idea.

Have fun!

Yes Bill, I complain about every knife I operate on. I guess when I’m finished it’s a joy. Sometimes I think it would be easier to do my own dental work.

Just one of the reasons I use screws.

The bottom knife in the first picture below was my very first switchblade project. It started out just like the knife above it, a Frank Beltrame 9" swivel bolster "Classic" model. The only original parts in the bottom knife are the blade and spring/lock.

The second pic shows a close-up on the top fasteners for the handle scale. Typically with my builds I run flat-head/V-shaped screws out from the inside surface of the liner, with the heads of the screws countersunk into the liner (requires a special bit). I also typically countersink the nuts to secure the screws in the handle scale and the bolsters, but in this case there wasn't a lot of room around the handle screw holes above the button, so I rounded out (and over) two hex nuts and tightened them down on top of the handle scale, then sanded them smooth.

It's not the "traditional" method, but it saves me from hammering on a knife, and screws allow me to assemble and disassemble a knife as many times as I need, either during fabrication, or to work the bugs out after all the fabrication is done.

jw517 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 8:54 pm Yes Bill, I complain about every knife I operate on. I guess when I’m finished it’s a joy. Sometimes I think it would be easier to do my own dental work.

Like I always say, especially about working on switchblades- Every passion involves a certain level of madness.

I think of you and your screws EVERYTIME I’m peening a pin! Really! I just can’t do the screws though. You are doing great work!

jw517 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:14 pm I think of you and your screws EVERYTIME I’m peening a pin! Really! I just can’t do the screws though. You are doing great work!

Thanks buddy .

Have you ever tried or considered "spinning" your pins instead of peening? It's a method for securing pins without hammering. Here's a video, the guy starts out describing a method of "spinning" that refers to giving peened pins a finished look, but then he goes on to explain the non-peening method of spinning pins- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHYW0K-1w6Q

Just thought I'd mention it in case you might be interested and didn't know about it.

My hat is off to you guys who have the skill to do repairing. Doing repairs can be a real peen in the butt

Killgar wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:41 pm

jw517 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 9:14 pm I think of you and your screws EVERYTIME I’m peening a pin! Really! I just can’t do the screws though. You are doing great work!

Thanks buddy .

Have you ever tried or considered "spinning" your pins instead of peening? It's a method for securing pins without hammering. Here's a video, the guy starts out describing a method of "spinning" that refers to giving peened pins a finished look, but then he goes on to explain the non-peening method of spinning pins- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHYW0K-1w6Q

Just thought I'd mention it in case you might be interested and didn't know about it.

Yes,I saw that on YouTube . He was making a ax I think. With brass it would work well.

QGofLake wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:05 pm My hat is off to you guys who have the skill to do repairing. Doing repairs can be a real peen in the butt

Humor is good. I am still working on this. It’s a bit tight by the swivel bolster. Lucky I peened my pins without checking that. I really wanted to take the pins out and repeen the part I broke before. I’d better take a time out.

With the gray in that scale I might try JB Weld. And of course I have the expert opinion here as I have never once operated on a knife. Ever.

I did fill my own tooth once.

I had a lower filling come out. There was no decay, the filling just came out and the hole had no exposed nerve.

I had silver dental amalgam. I called a friend who was a dentist. His first question was, "How are you going to mix the amalgam without a treacherator? (Mini paint shaker.)

I said, "I have a jig saw and some duct tape." Him- should work.

Him- You have to keep the tooth dry while you are working on it. Me- I'll stuff my wifes's tampons in my mouth.

Him- You gotta come see me. I gotta see this!

I did not have the little metal band they put around your tooth when the cavity runs out the back of the tooth, so I just stuck a piece of thin plastic between the teeth. This was my undoing, as I could not pack the amalgam sufficiently in the cavity and the filling crumbled in a few days-so I let my fiend fill it.

I don’t know what to say about that.

Necessity is the mother of invention. You will learn the tricks of the trade.

Bill DeShivs wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 5:24 am I did fill my own tooth once.

I had a lower filling come out. There was no decay, the filling just came out and the hole had no exposed nerve.

I had silver dental amalgam. I called a friend who was a dentist. His first question was, "How are you going to mix the amalgam without a treacherator? (Mini paint shaker.)

I said, "I have a jig saw and some duct tape." Him- should work.

Him- You have to keep the tooth dry while you are working on it. Me- I'll stuff my wifes's tampons in my mouth.

Him- You gotta come see me. I gotta see this!

I did not have the little metal band they put around your tooth when the cavity runs out the back of the tooth, so I just stuck a piece of thin plastic between the teeth. This was my undoing, as I could not pack the amalgam sufficiently in the cavity and the filling crumbled in a few days-so I let my fiend fill it.

My goodness Bill! Do you also set broken bones and stitch up cuts? Amazing.

I chipped a tooth a few years ago on the weekend and it was scraping on my tongue. I put a fine stone in my dremmel and tried to smooth it out but the vibration on the tooth was TOO much to handle.

I need to replace one pin with a longer one but it’s for the most part done.( I think) . It had one cracked plastic scale when I got it. Now it’s got some weight and thick scales. And yes! It works great!

Looks good. Well done.

Nice job!

I like that scale more than the one that broke, more contrast and variety in the pattern, but that's me. It looks like the surface of another planet.

That's quite a story, Bill, I imagine it took a lot of nerve, no pun intended, to even attempt to work on your own teeth, but with what it costs to visit a dentist nowadays it wouldn't really surprise me to hear more folks at least try a home-fix before shelling out the big bucks.


Your knife came out very well, Smitty, nice job!
I see the big removeable pin that holds the spring in and is right below where the safety usually is, is your knife a copy of the Edge Co. "kit" knives from the 1980's that were sent without the spring installed and the customer installed it upon arrival? That big pin is usually an indication it's one of those.

Killgar wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 5:34 pm Nice job!

I like that scale more than the one that broke, more contrast and variety in the pattern, but that's me. It looks like the surface of another planet.

Yes,I agree. The other side is mostly red. The pin that holds down the kick is a tad too short because I refused to sand more off the scales. I’ve got longer pins on th way and will replace it.

Madmarco wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 5:43 pm That's quite a story, Bill, I imagine it took a lot of nerve, no pun intended, to even attempt to work on your own teeth, but with what it costs to visit a dentist nowadays it wouldn't really surprise me to hear more folks at least try a home-fix before shelling out the big bucks.


Your knife came out very well, Smitty, nice job!
I see the big removeable pin that holds the spring in and is right below where the safety usually is, is your knife a copy of the Edge Co. "kit" knives from the 1980's that were sent without the spring installed and the customer installed it upon arrival? That big pin is usually an indication it's one of those.

It might be? It had bushings through the scales but I thought,”why”. I replaced them with a 2.8 mm brass pin straight through. It fit perfect. The safety would not work with my thick scales so I tossed it. It’s fine now,no hair trigger or anything like that ..