Modoc ED
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2010
- Messages
- 14,444
I just received the below pictured SS Case 4 5/8" Navy Blue Composite Sodbuster. A beautiful knife but WOW the blade was way off center toward the pile side (back/reverse side) of the handle. It wasn't touching/rubbing the liner but it was only a hair's breath away from doing so. It's only a $19.95 knife and a production knife at that but I was kinda miffed about it and was debating sending it back to the Dealer for another one. Then my light bulb went off and I decided to center it myself. Off to my shop/shed.
I'm in my shop now and I'm thinking I'll "krink" the blade of the knife but how to do it??? Afterall, I'm not a pro -- just a tinkerer but a tinkerer with more tools than I need. Sooooo, I broke out my knife blade krinking tools.
Tack Hammer (5oz)
Flat picece of bar stock steel 2 " wide by 1/4" thick
Piece of scrap leather & Piece of lens cleaning cloth
Cold Chisel
Next I marked the blade where I wanted to strike it with the chisel and also where I wanted to lay the blade on the edge of the bar stock so as to be consistent where I placed the blade each time I struck it.
Next I layed the scrap piece of leather on the bar stock and then placed the blade on the leather and then laid the edge of the piece of cloth just at the other blade mark.
I then placed the edge of the chisel just behind the edge of the piece of cloth and then smartly struck the chisel with the square end (heavy end) of the hammer. I took the knife up, closed it, and checked the position of the blade between the liners. It had moved a smidgen but not enough. Sooooo, I again opened the knife and placed it over the bar stock and leather and gave it another smart rap. Once again I took the knife up, closed the balde and checked the position of the blade between the liners. GREAT!!! The blade was now perfectly centered between the liners.
Here's the knife after the job. No dents, dings, marks on the blade, etc..
I've done this before and have always gotten good results. CAUTION!!! Do not strike the blade toward the tip of the blade as it could break. Always strike the blade toward the rear of the blade AND strike the blade on the side that you want the blade tip to move between the liners.
Oh, one other thing. You could do this with a 5 oz to 7 oz Tinning Hammer (one end shaped much like the cold chisel) but you can strike the blade in the same spot with more consistent results with the chisel because you can place the edge of the chisel EXACTLY where you want it for each strike.
As many pictures as I take, I'll be danged if I didn't forget to take a before shot of how bad the blade of the above knife was off center. Next time it happens I'll be sure to get the picture before I fix it.
I'm in my shop now and I'm thinking I'll "krink" the blade of the knife but how to do it??? Afterall, I'm not a pro -- just a tinkerer but a tinkerer with more tools than I need. Sooooo, I broke out my knife blade krinking tools.
Tack Hammer (5oz)
Flat picece of bar stock steel 2 " wide by 1/4" thick
Piece of scrap leather & Piece of lens cleaning cloth
Cold Chisel
Next I marked the blade where I wanted to strike it with the chisel and also where I wanted to lay the blade on the edge of the bar stock so as to be consistent where I placed the blade each time I struck it.
Next I layed the scrap piece of leather on the bar stock and then placed the blade on the leather and then laid the edge of the piece of cloth just at the other blade mark.
I then placed the edge of the chisel just behind the edge of the piece of cloth and then smartly struck the chisel with the square end (heavy end) of the hammer. I took the knife up, closed it, and checked the position of the blade between the liners. It had moved a smidgen but not enough. Sooooo, I again opened the knife and placed it over the bar stock and leather and gave it another smart rap. Once again I took the knife up, closed the balde and checked the position of the blade between the liners. GREAT!!! The blade was now perfectly centered between the liners.
Here's the knife after the job. No dents, dings, marks on the blade, etc..
I've done this before and have always gotten good results. CAUTION!!! Do not strike the blade toward the tip of the blade as it could break. Always strike the blade toward the rear of the blade AND strike the blade on the side that you want the blade tip to move between the liners.
Oh, one other thing. You could do this with a 5 oz to 7 oz Tinning Hammer (one end shaped much like the cold chisel) but you can strike the blade in the same spot with more consistent results with the chisel because you can place the edge of the chisel EXACTLY where you want it for each strike.
As many pictures as I take, I'll be danged if I didn't forget to take a before shot of how bad the blade of the above knife was off center. Next time it happens I'll be sure to get the picture before I fix it.
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