All About Pocket Knives

Posted: **Fri Nov 14, 2025 12:02 am**

Got an older picklock Latama with dark buffalo scale from a friend which isn't in the best condition. The lock doesn't engage when closing it. Wondering if it's even worth fixing it? I have a few Frank B, Campolina and a newer Latama and just wanted to add it to the collection since it's a picklock style.

Posted: **Fri Nov 14, 2025 7:10 am**

It's absolutely worth fixing!
Send me a PM and I'll tell you about it.

Posted: **Fri Nov 14, 2025 8:07 am**

That is a fantastic old Latama! Congrats.

Posted: **Fri Nov 14, 2025 2:26 pm**

it is a Latama and quite valuable , looks to have been sharpened alot and has crack on top handle which can be fixed without replacing entire handle, also small dent on top front bolster can be repaired very easy, you stated it will not close or stay closed ? it most likely just needs a new rocker/sear or just a return button spring , wont really know the problem until its apart,the knife will have to be dis-assembled to fix it . anyways very cheap easy fix

Posted: **Fri Nov 14, 2025 3:04 pm**

Yes...wasn't taken care of very well before. Blade will not stay closed. Looks like the plunger pin inside the handle that keeps the blade closed isn't working anymore. If I can just get into working condition, it'd be great!

Posted: **Sat Nov 15, 2025 2:10 am**

like i stated in earlier post its most likely the sear/rocker or just the button return spring, button return spring is small leaf spring that goes under button to push it back up , if that is wore out or broke the button will not hold blade shut , if the sear/rocker is broke then you will have to make new sear/rocker . if you like to try tackle it yourself im sure many here at AAPK could help you in restoring the function , you only have to remove 2 pins and knife will come apart (backspring pin and bottom bolster pin) pivot pin on top bolster does not need to be removed , so once you have backspring removed from knife you can swivel the liners around so you have access to top handle pins , use a smal diamond grinding stone in Dremel tool to grind down pins on inside of liners being very carefull not to make grind marks on liners , after grinding down pins use a automatic punch to push pins out being sure to place liners on flat piece of metal or wood so you dont warp or bend liners, after you get pins pushed out youhave total access to button assembly/sear and return spring , simply make new part that is bad and re-assemble knife. cracked handle can be fixed with super-glue , with handle off knife simply fill crack wait day or 2 to dry sand down glue and rest of handle then polish on buffer and it will look like new again but now you will have to do the back handle to match front . all other metal can be cleaned up with sand paper just start at 320 and work up to 1000 grit and all should look nice . well hope this info helps you understand what needs to be done . alot of times sending a vintage knife to a repair person just isnt your best option as it may cost you more to repair then knife is worth its really up to you what you want to do with it

Posted: **Sat Nov 15, 2025 2:31 am**

The knife has value. I strongly recommend that you NOT attempt to fix it yourself. One wrong move and you can ruin the knife or greatly reduce it's value.

I also strongly recommend that you employ the services of Bill DeShivs if you want the knife repaired and restored properly. Bill is a professional at this with a great reputation over several knife forums and throughout the knife community.

But you don't need to take my word for that Monkman. Just start a thread on ANY knife forum asking if people would recommend Bill DeShivs to repair and restore a vintage switchblade and see what they say.

.

Posted: **Sat Nov 15, 2025 5:48 am**

Folgore1 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 2:10 am like i stated in earlier post its most likely the sear/rocker or just the button return spring, button return spring is small leaf spring that goes under button to push it back up , if that is wore out or broke the button will not hold blade shut , if the sear/rocker is broke then you will have to make new sear/rocker . if you like to try tackle it yourself im sure many here at AAPK could help you in restoring the function , you only have to remove 2 pins and knife will come apart (backspring pin and bottom bolster pin) pivot pin on top bolster does not need to be removed , so once you have backspring removed from knife you can swivel the liners around so you have access to top handle pins , use a smal diamond grinding stone in Dremel tool to grind down pins on inside of liners being very carefull not to make grind marks on liners , after grinding down pins use a automatic punch to push pins out being sure to place liners on flat piece of metal or wood so you dont warp or bend liners, after you get pins pushed out youhave total access to button assembly/sear and return spring , simply make new part that is bad and re-assemble knife. cracked handle can be fixed with super-glue , with handle off knife simply fill crack wait day or 2 to dry sand down glue and rest of handle then polish on buffer and it will look like new again but now you will have to do the back handle to match front . all other metal can be cleaned up with sand paper just start at 320 and work up to 1000 grit and all should look nice . well hope this info helps you understand what needs to be done . alot of times sending a vintage knife to a repair person just isnt your best option as it may cost you more to repair then knife is worth its really up to you what you want to do with it

I have seen some where the button looks sunken into the handle because of a broken button spring. This one seems okay. Looks like the button is up.

Maybe the pin needs to be adjusted for wear. Might be an easy fix and not expensive.

Posted: **Sat Nov 15, 2025 7:51 am**

It is a desirable knife. Even though it has seen some sharpening its well worth repairing. I fully agree with Kilgar. Without experience, it is very easy to damage the knife. BillDeShivs has done great work for me every time I sent a knife to him. His pricing is well worth it and very reasonable. On a rare knife, the value exceeds the repair the cost. Yours is one of those.

Posted: **Sat Nov 15, 2025 2:10 pm**

Thanks for the infos...gonna send it to Bill to clean up and fix the lock issue.

Posted: **Sun Nov 16, 2025 3:29 am**

Thank you, gentlemen.

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 3:54 pm**

Monkman775 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 2:10 pm Thanks for the infos...gonna send it to Bill to clean up and fix the lock issue.

not a problem

providing you with info on what has to be done to fix it , alot of people think these knives are hard or difficult to fix but they are not that hard at all ,there are 16 year old kids out there that make full custom Stilettos so something like a simple button return spring i would have fixed it for you for FREE

anyways post pics when you get it back love to see a before and after .

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 4:04 pm**

Killgar wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 2:31 am The knife has value. I strongly recommend that you NOT attempt to fix it yourself. One wrong move and you can ruin the knife or greatly reduce it's value.

I also strongly recommend that you employ the services of Bill DeShivs if you want the knife repaired and restored properly. Bill is a professional at this with a great reputation over several knife forums and throughout the knife community.

But you don't need to take my word for that Monkman. Just start a thread on ANY knife forum asking if people would recommend Bill DeShivs to repair and restore a vintage switchblade and see what they say.

.

if your not too mechanically inclined or you never worked with metal before then yes dont try messing with it but really they are super easy to fix , ive repaired and fixed lots over the 40+ years ive been working on them, every part can be replaced except the blade once blade is beyond repair the knife is now a parts knife.

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 4:14 pm**

QGofLake wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 7:51 am It is a desirable knife. Even though it has seen some sharpening its well worth repairing. I fully agree with Kilgar. Without experience, it is very easy to damage the knife. BillDeShivs has done great work for me every time I sent a knife to him. His pricing is well worth it and very reasonable. On a rare knife, the value exceeds the repair the cost. Yours is one of those.

not really any different then working on any other pocket knife , all parts (except blade) can be replaced or repaired . also most collectors know a repaired knife is not worth as much as a mint knife so this is why i stated sometimes its just not worth it to send it to a repair person and most of the stuff that goes wrong with Italian stilettos can be fixed pretty easily , its not rocket science

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 4:19 pm**

Bill DeShivs wrote: ↑Fri Nov 14, 2025 7:10 am It's absolutely worth fixing!
Send me a PM and I'll tell you about it.

curious what would you charge to fix a broken sear/rocker or just a button return spring ?

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 7:49 pm**

Folgore-

You're talking to yourself. It's painfully obvious all your remarks are directed at me.

I don't discuss business on forums.
I will say that I have been professionally repairing knives for 50+ years. I have a complete shop properly equipped and dedicated to it. I pride myself in my work. I'm expensive, but I'm worth it.

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 8:37 pm**

Maybe a new blade could be welded on? The rest looks fixable, no??

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 9:03 pm**

Bill DeShivs wrote: ↑Mon Nov 17, 2025 7:49 pm Folgore-

You're talking to yourself. It's painfully obvious all your remarks are directed at me.
I don't discuss business on forums.
I will say that I have been professionally repairing knives for 50+ years. I have a complete shop properly equipped and dedicated to it. I pride myself in my work. I'm expensive, but I'm worth it.

i dont want to argue with you bill and not sure why you think all the responses i made are directed at you cause they are not

anyways was just curious what you would charge for a repair it was a very simple question, why are knife repair prices so secret ? i can go to any car forum and talk about what someone might charge for whatever i need done to my car but seems every time i ask a simple question to you you want to argue with me bro, if someone wanted info on what such and such would cost to get repaired on their pocket knife they could look it up here at AAPK and find out asap , is there something illegal about talking prices on forums ? maybe im missing something ?

Posted: **Mon Nov 17, 2025 9:05 pm**

BestVintageKnives wrote: ↑Mon Nov 17, 2025 8:37 pm Maybe a new blade could be welded on? The rest looks fixable, no??

i think the blade is fine just needs cleaned up , it will look good after he gets it back from bill , all the other parts look ok you really will not know about the inside stuff like rocker/ safety and button spring until you get it open .

Posted: **Tue Nov 18, 2025 12:47 am**

Looks like it was on the titanic. And the top false edge is really sharpened a ton. So is the bottom edge.

Can that be fixed?

Posted: **Tue Nov 18, 2025 3:49 pm**

hard to tell from pictures but yes it does look like its been sharpened on both sides , it will look ok once the blade is sanded down a bit , it will not look like a mint factory blade and you will be able to tell it was restored but it should look ok

Posted: **Tue Nov 18, 2025 4:12 pm**

Folgore1 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 3:49 pm hard to tell from pictures but yes it does look like its been sharpened on both sides , it will look ok once the blade is sanded down a bit , it will not look like a mint factory blade and you will be able to tell it was restored but it should look ok

Okay. Thanks. I trust your opinion.

Posted: **Tue Nov 18, 2025 4:17 pm**

Guys, I only paid $25.00 for the knife from a friend. If I can get it to close, lock and function, I'm a happy camper.

Posted: **Tue Nov 18, 2025 10:45 pm**

Monkman775 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 4:17 pm Guys, I only paid $25.00 for the knife from a friend. If I can get it to close, lock and function, I'm a happy camper.

Nice score!! You have to show it off once it’s all repaired. Are you going to have it fixed like a Rat Rod and only have it fixed or will you have the entire knife shined to the gills?

Posted: **Tue Nov 18, 2025 11:30 pm**

BestVintageKnives wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 10:45 pm
Monkman775 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 18, 2025 4:17 pm Guys, I only paid $25.00 for the knife from a friend. If I can get it to close, lock and function, I'm a happy camper.

Nice score!! You have to show it off once it’s all repaired. Are you going to have it fixed like a Rat Rod and only have it fixed or will you have the entire knife shined to the gills?

Just want it to be functional and clean up some of the dark spots on the blade. It's a pretty old latama picklock so it'll go in the collection once it's been cleaned and serviced. Everyone seems to be backed up with work so that'll be a while.

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