All About Pocket Knives

I was cleaning out the desk last night, and ran across an inexpensive, recent production Sabre pocket knife. It's one of those that sells for $10 at flea markets, has plastic handles, and one stainless blade. Overall, it's about 3 1/2" long, closed.

Did I mention this is a cheap knife? Not only are the handles plastic, the bolsters are chromed plastic, and glued on.

I got this as a door prize somewhere, and the plastic handle on one side, as well as the plastic bolster, fell off about the second week I had it.

The rest of the knife is okay, and I thought I'd play with it, and try putting some new scales on it. From reading these forums, I know how to pop off the other scale. I know the pin needs to be ground down, new scales fitted, sanded, and glued on. So far, so good.

My question is this:

Since this is a throw away knife to start with, and I just want serviceable handles when I'm done, not show-room handles, what would be a good material to use for my first try? I'm assuming some sort of wood would be the most fool-proof, but that's a guess on my part.

Would someone suggest a commonly available material to try with? (FWIW, I do not live anywhere near a knife shop, or anything like that, so "try your local knife supplier" isn't a good option here. We're in rural Mississippi, where every town has a Wal-Mart, eight churches, two schools, and a feed store.)

I have basic hand tools, a bench vise, a drill press, a small arbor press, etc. I don't have a belt sander, lathe, or forge. I've got a half century (plus) of knowledge about all sorts of things, but not this. And and all help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

you can use almost any type wood. something locally available or you can buy online. good luck.

You can use any kind of dry wood and a good finish, but with plastic bolsters it will be a weak point and to switch to metal bolsters you may need to make new liners. I don't know how far you want to go with your knife - but you may end up with a new hobby. A few good files and some various grits of sandpaper is all you really need for this.

Hukk wrote:You can use any kind of dry wood and a good finish, but with plastic bolsters it will be a weak point and to switch to metal bolsters you may need to make new liners. I don't know how far you want to go with your knife - but you may end up with a new hobby. A few good files and some various grits of sandpaper is all you really need for this.

The bolsters were more for decoration than anything, I believe.

I thought it would be better to place some handles on it and use it or keep it, rather than toss it. The ninth point is 'thrifty", so I thought I'd try it.

Any woods to avoid?

Anything hardwood should be acceptable. If these guys have taught me anything, it's that just about anything can be made serviceable as a handle (teeth, bones, horns, jeans, canvas, paper, plastics, rocks, mollusks, extinct animal parts...oh, and wood too)

You may want to check around at any of those bathroom/kitchen design places that are everywhere. Two words: Corian scrap

You could always experiment with wooden paint stir sticks....they are maple, and might make a nice set of thin scales. Plus, if you break the third set trying to install them, then you won't be out of pocket very much

If you wanted to mix it up a bit, why don't you use two stacked pennies for bolsters (suitably ground flat) with nice stir stick scales....

Seriously, if you can cut it, drill it and shape it - you can use it for scales.

Have fun, and be sure to show us what you create!

Jaye

Diligence wrote:You could always experiment with wooden paint stir sticks....they are maple, and might make a nice set of thin scales. Plus, if you break the third set trying to install them, then you won't be out of pocket very much
Have fun, and be sure to show us what you create!
Jaye

Thanks, I appreciate the levity! I'll being taking a photo of the sad beginnings. If the end result isn't too embarrassing, I'll get a photo o that, too.

Now, back to the RNC on Fox.

Diligence wrote: Have fun, and be sure to show us what you create!

Here's what I started with, a cheap, $10 Sabre lockback with plastic scales.







And after adding oak scales, shaping them, inserting new, made from scratch brass pins, staining the scales, I ended up with something better than what I started with, but it won't win any awards.





In any case, it was a lot of fun getting the oak slick, polishing the brass, and adding the two ivory dots to each side.

For a first attempt, that is just super. Good job!

Now, wasn't that fun? Go out and do it again....and again..and before long, all your best friends will have new (old) pocket knives with new scales.

J

Nice job Allen!
Beware:
Tinkering with knives is perhaps even more addicting than just collecting them!
By the time you do a second & third knife you will be hopelessly addicted.

Keep up the good work.
Dale

orvet wrote: Tinkering with knives is perhaps even more addicting than just collecting them!

Must be. I found a real junker at a flea market. The handles were falling off (held only by the center pin), blades rusted solid, gave $5 for it and another junker.

Took #1 home, reattached the scales with 50 min. epoxy, drove the pins back in, soaked the blades in 3-in-1, got it all working and looking okay, put new edges on the blades, gave it all a final polish, and now a have a nice to look at, carbon steel two-blade and awl pocket knife.



The other one is an Imperial Ranger three blade, and it's missing two bolsters. Not sure what to do on that one yet.

AllenMcB wrote: The other one is an Imperial Ranger three blade, and it's missing two bolsters. Not sure what to do on that one yet.

Order some nickel silver bar stock (or brass) from a knife supply co & replace the bolsters.
You can pin the bolsters to the liner in most cases with some nickel silver pin stock.
Just drill through the liner & about half way into the bolster & stick 2 or 3 short pins in the there & pound them down. Shape the new bolster with a file or sander, smooth it out & polish it. The hardest part is pinning the new bolster on. I have even pinned the knife to the whole bar or sheet of nickel silver & then cut it out after pinning it. That is sometimes easier than working with a tiny bolster.

Keep it up,
Dale

Oh no Allen --- can you smell that? I can, and it smells like another addiction in development

Good job on the junker.

Orvet speaks the truth about working with small bolsters...can be a real pain.

You might also be able to scavenge parts from other knives.....I've done that a lot.

J