Mr. Dale Vincent of ORVET CUSTOMS
AAPK Administrator
orvet@comcast.net
Pocket Knife Repair Tutorial
Acknowledgement to:
Mr. Dale Vincent
of ORVET CUSTOMS
AAPK
Administrator
orvet@comcast.net
Tools Used-
1. Spring-loaded center punch.
2. 6-inch
mill bastard file.
3. 2-ounce ball peen or jewelers hammer.
4.
Side cutter or end cutter.
5. Spring compressor (Camillus type
knife vise).
6. Bench vice.
7. Foredom, Dremel or other
rotary tool.
8. 1725 rpm buffer was Scotch Brite wheel and loose
muslin buff.
9. No Scratch Pink buffing compound.
10. Drill
press.
11. Drill press vice.
12. Heavy-duty lubricant such
as Ultra Lube -available at http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/inde
... b18466ea14 this is the most effective lubricant I have found
for spinning pins.
13. 0.008” slackner - made from feeler
gauge
14. 1000, 1500, & 2000 grit sandpaper. I also
recommend incremental grits from 400 to 1000 to ensure nice smooth
bolsters that will polish easily with the 3M polishing paper.
15.
1 micron (8000 grit), 2 micron (6000 grit), 3 micron (4000 grit) 3M
polishing paper. Available at -
http://www.knifeandgun.com/ProductDetai
... Code=3MPS1
Taking Knife Apart
1-
Start with the knife, file & a spring loaded center punch. Pic
#1
2- File the head of the rocker pin and rear pin flat. Using
the spring loaded center punch make a deep enough indentation to
start a 1/16” drill in the rear pin, rocker pin & pivot pin.
Drill deep enough in pivot pin to reach about the center of the pivot
pin. Pic #3
3- Using a Dremel, Foredom or other rotary tool,
remove most of the head of the rocker pin. Pic #4
4- Open
blade(s) of the knife and place in a spring compressor (Camillus type
knife vise) to compress the back springs. Using a 1/16” pin punch
tap out the rocker pin, releasing the spring pressure in the knife.
Pic #5
5- With a rotary tool, remove most of the head of the
rear pin. Pic #6
6- On this knife the rear pin did not go
through the ends of the back springs so the springs came out at this
point. Most knives have a hole through the end of the back springs
that the rear pin goes through. It is necessary to drive this pin out
with the 1/16” pin punch, or cut it with a razor blade to remove
the springs. Pic #7
7- Drive out the pivot pin with the 1/16”
pin punch, or cut the pivot pin with a razor blade. On this knife the
pivot pin was small enough that drilling into the pin weakened it
enough that the pin broke. Pic #8
8- Using a small hammer, drive
the pivot pin from the inside back out. This is necessary in most
cases as the hole for the pivot pin is tapered to prevent the pin
from coming out. File down about ¼” of the outside end of the
pivot pin. Pic #9
9- Using the spring loaded center punch, drive
the pivot pin back in the hole. You can use the 1/16" pin punch
for this, but you must be careful not to mushroom the head of the
pin. I find the gentle action of the spring-loaded center punch is
usually more than enough to push the pin back through tapered hole.
Pic #10
Cleaning Up The Parts
1- Clean the gunk
off the insides of the liners & polish the liners. In this
case I just buffed them with a Scotch Brite wheel. Pics #11 &
#12
2- Since I am changing the knife by removing a blade
from the knife, I engrave my initials and the year on the inside
of the mark side liner. Pic #13
3- Clean the rust off the
back spring you will use when reassembling. Pic #14
4- Clean
the blade on a Scotch Brite wheel. Pic #15
Reassembly
1- 1- Make two brass
pins about 1” in length to fit the rocker pin hole & the
rear pin hole. On this knife they were both 0.070” brass pins.
Be sure one end is flat, (I run this end on my belt sander to
ever so slightly take off the sharp edge by holding the pin
lightly against the belt at a 45degree angle to put a very slight
shoulder on the flat end- you can do this with a file &
sandpaper), and the other end is tapered. Pic #16
2- 2-
Place your pin spinner in the drill press and the pin stock in
the vise with about as much sticking up as the diameter of the
pin stock. Pic #17
3- VERY IMPORTANT- Use a heavy lubricant
on the spinner. Pic #18
4- Spin the head on the pin. Pic
#19
5- Make two pins like this. Pic #20
6- Lay out the
parts to be sure you have everything ready to put together. Pic
#21
7- Reassemble the knife using the pivot pin & rear
pins to hold everything in place. Place the assembly in the
spring compressor and compress the spring so you can tap the
rocker pin into place. Pic #22
8- Seat the rocker pin on the
handle. Pic #23
9- Use a 0.008” slackner to prevent blade
pinch when peening the pivot pin. Pic #24
10- Cut the excess
pin off each side so you have about 1/4” to 5/16” of pin
sticking out on each side of the bolsters. Pic #25
I
have to break this post and continue it on the as I can only post
10 pics per post.
Reassembly Continued
11- Use a
jewelers hammer or the ball of a ball peen hammer to spread the
top of the pin. Remember, you are trying to spread the pin and
work the metal down into the taper of the pin hole. When finished
remove the slackner and check that the blade walks & talks.
Pic #26
12- When finished peening both sides of the bolsters
should look something like this. Pic #27
13- Cut off the
excess length of the rocker & rear pins. File the pins down
to where you have about the diameter of the pin sticking out
above the handle. Pic #28
14- Repeat the process for
spinning heads on both pins, except instead of putting the knife
in a vise; use a rest that will support the back end of the pin
that already has a head on it. Pic #29
15- Now the knife is
together and you just need to do some finish work. Pic #30
16-
Using your file (sometimes I cheat and use a belt sander but
CAREFULLY), file down the gob of pin that is mashed on the sides
of your bolsters. Pic #31
17- Here it is after I have filed
down the excess pin. Pic #32
18- Using sandpaper, sand the
bolster smooth. I use fine sandpaper. As you can see, I am using
1000 grit sandpaper. I start with about 400 grit & work my
way up to 2000 grit on the bolsters. Pic #33
19- Now you are
ready to finish off the knife. Pic #34
Finishing Touches
20- I use
micron paper in 4000 grit (3 micron), 6000 grit (2 micron) &
8000 grit (1 micron) paper on the bolsters and the handles to
give the knife a nice smooth finish. Pic #35
21- I finish
off by buffing the handles & bolsters with No Scratch Pink
compound on a loose muslin wheel. Pic #36
22- The finished
product. Pic #37
I hope this tutorial will be helpful to those of you who
want to work on your own knives. It is a basic tutorial and does
not deal with every surprise you may encounter when repairing a
knife, but I think it covers the fundamentals.
If you
use this tutorial and repair or customize a knife, please post
pictures of your work. We love to see pictures here on AAPK!
One
word of caution; you thought knife collecting was addictive? Just
wait until you start repairing & customizing them!
Enjoy repairing your own knives!
Dale
Mr. Dale
Vincent of ORVET CUSTOMS
AAPK
Administrator
orvet@comcast.net