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Bringing new life to an old TL-29 using simple hand tools
- Thread starter esnyx
- Start date
I had a few second thoughts but finally went ahead and committed to it. Scariest thing I've ever done to a knife.
Anyway I needed a Slackener and came up with this idea. I used a dremel and cut a slot thru a razor blade. It's .009 thick and worked like a charm. Not to mention it was cheap.
Anyway I needed a Slackener and came up with this idea. I used a dremel and cut a slot thru a razor blade. It's .009 thick and worked like a charm. Not to mention it was cheap.
ESNYX I owe you a thanks with out your tutorial I would never have thought of, much less dared to try this.
I didn't get to use the old barn oak, a little matter of smoke coming out of the table saws motor. I did find some mystery wood in the shed that was the right thickness and hard enough to work well.
I made the normal first time mistakes, like not shaping the wood enough before pinning. The hinge pins show a little bit but not bad for a first attempt. That's all part of learning so next time I'll know better. I did get rid of the half stops so now it closes nice and smooth.
Once again Thanks Dr. Frankenstein
+36
I didn't get to use the old barn oak, a little matter of smoke coming out of the table saws motor. I did find some mystery wood in the shed that was the right thickness and hard enough to work well.
I made the normal first time mistakes, like not shaping the wood enough before pinning. The hinge pins show a little bit but not bad for a first attempt. That's all part of learning so next time I'll know better. I did get rid of the half stops so now it closes nice and smooth.
Once again Thanks Dr. Frankenstein
+36
5K Qs
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2014
- Messages
- 16,431
I had a few second thoughts but finally went ahead and committed to it. Scariest thing I've ever done to a knife.
I did find some mystery wood in the shed that was the right thickness and hard enough to work well.
I made the normal first time mistakes, like not shaping the wood enough before pinning. The hinge pins show a little bit but not bad for a first attempt. That's all part of learning so next time I'll know better. I did get rid of the half stops so now it closes nice and smooth.
Dean, that looks great! :thumbup::thumbup: I really like the "final finish" you show between these 2 pics! Did you treat the wood somehow, or is that its natural color? You must be proud of your work!!!
- GT
That is the natural color, I put one coat of Tung oil on the back side to seal it then 4 coats of Tung oil on the out side. I used automotive rubbing compound to break the shine. I spent a good while looking up wood trying to find out what kind it was but no luck. All i know is it is a fairly hard wood but I couldn't match the grain pattern and color to anything. It came from an old Missouri smoke house that was being used a storage shed. I snatched it up about 30 some odd years ago.
Pretty sure it's not cherry but I think you're on to something with the chestnut. I never thought about chestnut, because it's getting so hard to find nowadays.
Chestnut can range from Tan to red to brown, so I'm going with chestnut.
Thanks
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2013
- Messages
- 1,558
Very nice work Dean! I also respect the ingenuity in using the razor blade as a slackener. its funny I came to the same solution. Works well.
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 467
I really think it is sycamore. The freckled look is very similar to some I have seen. Take a look at this page: http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/sycamore/
Looking forward to seeing it.
I had two TL29's the one I used as my learning project had issues, one cocked bolster, the liners sat off centered and the spring was rounded a bit at the tang so it wasn't flush, one handle loose. The other one has none of those issues, so now that I've learned from my mistakes.
What do you think of figured walnut for a handle on project #2.
Some times you work with what you got, I guess great minds think alike.
Redneck belt sander
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 467
I made one out of a metal business card and my dremel, and added a handle made from a piece of oak salvaged from a trashed piece of patio furniture. The handle makes it much easier to remove from the knife.
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2014
- Messages
- 4,146
I made one out of a metal business card and my dremel, and added a handle made from a piece of oak salvaged from a trashed piece of patio furniture. The handle makes it much easier to remove from the knife.
How thick is that piece of metal?
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 467
Okay, so I have now made many mods from TL-29s, and quite a few are single blade knives. This has left me with a small collection of leftover parts, namely springs and screwdriver blades, along with a few locks. I have gotten more adventurous over the last few months and decided it was time to build a knife from the parts, which meant I needed to get a hold of some brass sheets to cut out liners, and some nickel silver bar stock to cut out bolsters (which I have been doing for a few weeks now).
Here you see my raw materials, including the spare parts:
I used the scales from another TL-29 to trace my new scales and holes on the brass. I clamped them together to precisely drill the holes (this is very critical). Being off just a hair will mess you up. I then shaped the scales by temporarily pinning them together and grinding them to shape, so they would be identical.
I cut out some bolsters from the bar stock and soldered them on, and then ground them down to shape. Again, once I got close to finished I pinned the scales together again, along with the spring and liner, and ground everything to make it all identical.
I ground the blade into a full length Wharncliffe, since that is my favorite blade shape. It is the most versatile in my opinion.
I decided to use some snakewood (which, by the way, is super expensive) for the scales, and I also did some file work on the spring to make it look like a snake.
It took me several days, but I ended up with a very nice finished product. The cool thing is that I can get two knives out of one using this long and arduous method.
It is not perfect, but I ended up with what is likely my best work yet. The rest is going to take practice. I am building up my confidence to get to the point where I start cutting my own blades and springs.
Here are some pictures of my finished product:
Notice the subtle snakehead and body theme on the spring:
I filed the end of the spring to look like a rattlesnake rattle:
I really love this knife. It is a perfect size and locks up like a vault. It works great as both a whittler and a general purpose knife.
Here you see my raw materials, including the spare parts:
I used the scales from another TL-29 to trace my new scales and holes on the brass. I clamped them together to precisely drill the holes (this is very critical). Being off just a hair will mess you up. I then shaped the scales by temporarily pinning them together and grinding them to shape, so they would be identical.
I cut out some bolsters from the bar stock and soldered them on, and then ground them down to shape. Again, once I got close to finished I pinned the scales together again, along with the spring and liner, and ground everything to make it all identical.
I ground the blade into a full length Wharncliffe, since that is my favorite blade shape. It is the most versatile in my opinion.
I decided to use some snakewood (which, by the way, is super expensive) for the scales, and I also did some file work on the spring to make it look like a snake.
It took me several days, but I ended up with a very nice finished product. The cool thing is that I can get two knives out of one using this long and arduous method.
It is not perfect, but I ended up with what is likely my best work yet. The rest is going to take practice. I am building up my confidence to get to the point where I start cutting my own blades and springs.
Here are some pictures of my finished product:
Notice the subtle snakehead and body theme on the spring:
I filed the end of the spring to look like a rattlesnake rattle:
I really love this knife. It is a perfect size and locks up like a vault. It works great as both a whittler and a general purpose knife.