Attempting to rekindle an old flame

[Mr. Chips]

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Over a year ago I bought myself my first GEC. A Northfield white owl in cocobolo with a clip main. I chose it because it looked the perfect pocket size, I like slim single spring knives and the 3.5 inch length. I am also perhaps a little superstitious (touch wood) so I wanted the cocobolo scales and I fell for the long pull.
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When it arrived I loved it (but of course had to by more GECs but they are not for this thread) although I found the bail really annoying. It gets in the way when I use the knife and it waggles about in a frustrating manner. I have considered removing it on many an occasion but then feel like I'd be doing it a dis-service and the unsightly holes left behind would also bug me. Oh why didn't I go for the Tidioute? The dealer I usually use no longer has Tidioutes with wooden scales either so that's that scrubbed.
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Frustrated, I have kind of neglected it a bit and haven't used it much, bringing it out for the odd wooden Wednesday just. However I am going to try and use it more and ignore the bail. I know that many of you love bails and this isn't an attack, I even have other knives with bails that I love which is odd. To me, it is perfect in every other respect.

How many of you have a knife that has some infinitesimally minute detail that you can't get past? I'd love to hear your stories.

Paul

I think it should not be a big deal to file off the heads of the pin, and remove the bail. Then file the pin from both sides until almost flush with the bolsters, and re peen from both sides - Carefully! You might want to take some automotive shim stock - .002 or .003 and slip it between the open blade tang and the knife frame on two sides of the pin to prevent over tightening. Anyway a tap and then check - another tap another check from both sides until its tight but not too tight. Then file the pin flush and polish with finer grades of sandpaper and then ultimately polish with the strop.

This is a bit fiddly, but not a huge job

 

[Jack Black]

I like a bail on SOME of my knives, but they don't always work or look right.

It's the bail itself that annoys me, even if it was solidly locked up it would bug me still.

I think that you have to look at either trading/selling it, or removing it Paul.

I think it should not be a big deal to file off the heads of the pin, and remove the bail. Then file the pin from both sides until almost flush with the bolsters, and re peen from both sides - Carefully! You might want to take some automotive shim stock - .002 or .003 and slip it between the open blade tang and the knife frame on two sides of the pin to prevent over tightening. Anyway a tap and then check - another tap another check from both sides until its tight but not too tight. Then file the pin flush and polish with finer grades of sandpaper and then ultimately polish with the strop.

This is a bit fiddly, but not a huge job

Sounds good Mr Chips :thumbup:

 

[pmew]

Process started...

... The strip lights in my garage do not lend themselves to photography. Especially not camera-phone photography.