can this be fixed?

[MAURICE]

i bought this little folder from ag russell used.its in pretty good shape,except for a little blade play..my question is,can the blade play be fixed? the bolsters cover the pivot of the blade...lemme get a pic.

if it can be remedied,please let me know..i really like this knife,and i dont feel right taking it back after i bought it used,and used it some more myself (even with their no questions asked guarantee)

thanks,
fakin sick so i can stay home from school and learn more about knives,
MO.

 

[NickWheeler]

That's a pretty little folder.

Assuming everything is flat and parallel, then you could have either a poorly machined bushing, or somehow come across a poorly completed pivot pin itself.

I guess everyone is used to liner locks where you can take them apart and just tighten the pivot.

The only way I know how to fix a bolstered lockback like this one is to take out the pivot pin, check everything, fix the bushing or pin if needed, and put it all back together as tight as possible.

I think it's probably a bigger project than you might realize, but I could be wrong...

Nick

 

[L6steel]

Rob, that is a beautiful knife!!! Is it handmade? If you can find out if it has a bushing or not, that would help your choices. If the knife doesn't have a pivot bushing, then you'll need to peen the pivot pin some. Trouble with that is you're also gonna be hitting the bolster so you'll be cleaning it up and refinishing it. That is such a fine looking knife you might want to send it back to who ever made it and let them repair it.

------------------
Take care!! Michael

Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!

 

[MAURICE]

mike,naw,this is a production (yes,a production damascus folder,hard to believe).
there aint a WHOLE lot of play,and i still think its worth what i paid,but it does get a little annoying.
wanna see if we can work out a trade? just a thought...

 

[Andrew McLurkin]

Maurice you might start by wrapping the bolster in layers of tape. Put the bolster it in your vise and tighten the vise lightly. You can always tighten more so go slow. This technique works when the pin is slighly loose or was not set tight to start.

The complete fix involves driving out the existing pin, sighly tapering the pin holes on both sides of the bolster, cutting the replacemnt pin stock so an amount equal to the diameter of the pin is left on each side, placing very thin shim stock on both sides of the blade, and lightly peaning the pins on both sides until they fill the tapered hole. They don't have to be mashed flat until they meet the bolster. Remove the shim stock and test the action. If its too loose pean a little more. If by chance you get it too tight you can use a small wood wedge between the liners to push them apart a little. When you get it right grind the pins flush. Don't go past the taper or the pins will be free.

 

[NickWheeler]

I'm sorry, I could have been more specific. Andrew laid it out just like I would.

Stainless tool wrap (heat-treat foil) makes a good shim stock to use when peening the pivot pin. My wedge for an over-peened pin is a little micarta scrap, ground smooth.

I use a pin vise with a dremel 28 degree cutter (cone shaped cutter) to ream the pivot hole. It doesn't take much, and like Andrew said, a light touch. I smash the hell out of bolster pins on a fixed blade, but if you smashed the hell out that knife's pivot pin, you may just end up with a fixed blade

Good luck,
Nick

 

[WinDancer]

Those are GREAT folders, and they are on sale at AG Russell again right now.

I would send AG an email and I bet they would fix it for you. You can't put a price on good business, but it just makes sense that they want us buyers happy. And Damascus blade sales are for the long haul!

Give them the chance to fix or replace it, then tell us how it went.

Just my opinion

Dave Evans
Tenino, WA