Canoe Maintenance Question

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Peruna1998

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Sep 8, 2009
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I just bought a late '70's Case Canoe. It is in generally excellent condition. However, it feels as if the backspring is too stiff. There is no half-stop, but at what would be the half-stop on opening and closing, it feels gritty. Looking into the knife, it appears that there might be some light corrosion in the area that is causing the gritty, stiff movement on the blades.

What would be the best fix on something like this. Obviously, I could get some mineral oil in the area and lubricate the action, but I doubt that would address the corrosion issue.

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.
 
If you're very gentle and very careful, you could use a small file to brush away the corrosion. Don't use much force or you could do some damage to the action.

Some polishing compound on a q-tip could be a better idea.
 
Flitz would probably work, but you need to make sure you're only removing the corrosion and not taking any steel off the blade tang or the liners and backspring.

Go slow and flush it out and give it a try after so many passes.
 
I just restored a tarnished and rusty Case medium stockman ("stainless", ironically). I just used WD40 to flush it out and used nails and q-tips to clear out the gunk. Afterward, I used 3-in-1 oil to lube it. I admit I did use a dremel to take off the tarnish on the bolsters.
 
I use a tooth pick. I usually open the blade to about a 45 degree angle(give or take depending on the spring) and make sure I keep any fingers out of the way and then scrape just up under the front edge of the back spring.
 
In my experience, q-tips are a bit big for best results with Canoes. Pipe cleaners work a lot better.

One of the sad results of the anti-smoking campaign is the fact that good pipe cleaners tend not to be available in drug stores or supermarkets, anymore. The price of progress, I guess. Usable pipe cleaners can usually be found in craft stores but my recommndation would be to find a tobacconist and stock up on "old fashioned" pipe cleaners.

I have found that flushing out knives with rusty or dirty "innards" with Ballistol works the best for me. It has always been amazing to me just how much "gunk" Ballistol can remove without harming the knife in any way. In fact, Ballistol also works great as a lubricant, a rust preventative, and a scale preservative. Ballistol is nontoxic, too.

If you haven't had much experience with the Canoe pattern you are in for some very pleasant surprises. The pattern's slim profile lends itself to an unobtrusive "pocket signature" yet it is long and wide enough to afford an excellent grip for serious work. The pattern's upturned bolsters make it extremely "pocket-friendly, too.

The Canoe's blade selection (spearpoint and pen, usually) is "everything you need and nothing you don't". The Canoe's size, pocket-friendliness, and blade selection make it very similar to being a "SAK without the tools".
 
The canoe pattern may be my favorite. The first trad slippie that ever called my name. Strange that I've only got one.

I just ordered Ballistol. Hard to source online without getting fleeced. Even harder to find in the flesh.
 
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