Case Peanut blade angle adjustment

[Gary W. Graley]

Well, I have done this to several of the Case Peanut knives with success, your mileage may vary so take things slow and only use hand files if you attempt to do this and remember, it'll probably void a warranty upon doing so, but then, it's not a high priced knife so...

The Case Peanuts are great little knives, very very handy little rascals to be sure! I made a grievous mistake of selling off a Damascus bladed one a few years ago, didn't really understand just what I had, things can go like that Recently had a CV model, and also what's called a Big Nut model, has 4 blades and a pair of scissors, nice but a bit thick for watch pocket carry, I had sold the CV model and missed it, so just ordered a stainless model, not a big patina fan, it arrived today and as with all that I've handled before, this one also has both blades with a marked angle when opened, meaning they are not lined up straight with the spine of the handle, at least in my eyes. NOW I know they probably designed this angle in on purpose, fine, but for me, not so fine and I'm too much of an OCD kinda guy that I couldn't live with that, so I take a jeweler's file and carefully...very carefully, file down the back springs so the blades will fall open a little wider, shown below is the knife, next to my most favourite watch, and then some before and after photos of the blade positions.

Take note that while the file will probably not fill the full width of the spring, you'll slide from side to side to get all of it, but sometimes one of the very side of the spring will have a raised ridge that I usually will try to file off with the blade partially open so the spring is up and away from the back of the frame, you may nick the bolsters but just be careful and you'll be fine, worse case, sand down any nicks you may put in the bolsters later on.

Here's the beauty;

Here you can see that the back spring ends have an angle to them, you'll be just knocking down the peaks on these to allow the blades to fall back more.

Main clip blade before filing

Maine clip blade after filing, you can see it sets closer to the deck now;

Pen blade before filing

Pen blade after filing

Now when opened, both blades, again to me, look better, straighter and that helps to keep G2 happy

Again a word of warning, do this little by little, because you can't add metal back very easily and do it by hand, no power tools on this operation!
G2

Edit to add the following warning, a fellow member posed the question "did the back springs drop down after being filed down?" I didn't know as I hadn't considered that they may do that, but here is what I posted in answer to his question and may be helpful for you folks too;

Here's a shot taken with the clip blade open, you can see the back spring is down slightly, it's also up slightly when at the half stop, but both are not too bothersome for me, custom knives would be even in all three positions but then, they are customs and you'd expect nothing less;

Again, didn't think to check what the level was before filing though, so dunno if it was brought on or made worse by the filing, but for myself, it's a non issue as I prefer that straighter looking set of blades.

And...I just had to sharpen the pen blade, that burr made it so I couldn't leave it alone and now she's razor sharp, while not as toothy but still bites well and shaves where it wouldn't consider doing it before.

Maybe a courageous soul that wants to give it a try can check the back springs prior to filing and then after filing and see if it caused them to go lower than when it originally arrived from Case.
Thanks,
G2

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Hey, good post Gary. :thumbup:

I have at least a few knives with similar issues, and have contemplated filing down either the blade tang or the spring end to tweak them into line. I'm glad to see I haven't been the only one to notice it, and wondered if it could be adjusted as you've described. I've got a '47 pattern Case stockman (more recent 3-spring version) with a clip blade that's about as 'conspicuously crooked' as any I've seen. Might try it on that one first; if it works out, I've also got a Chestnut Bone Peanut (in CV), much like the one you've shown, and it could likely use a tweak as well.

Thanks for posting that.


David

 

[J D Wijbenga]

Nice tune-up Gary! Nice way to make it your own.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Thanks and you're welcome guys.
Hmm won't let me paste in some new info, but the short story is, I checked my other Big Nut and the 4 blades on there are fine when open, didn't file the scissors, but, as I don't have images of the springs BEFORE filing, I can't say with certainty that they didn't drop after filing, but I think it's minor if it does.

G2

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Thanks and you're welcome guys.
Hmm won't let me paste in some new info, but the short story is, I checked my other Big Nut and the 4 blades on there are fine when open, didn't file the scissors, but, as I don't have images of the springs BEFORE filing, I can't say with certainty that they didn't drop after filing, but I think it's minor if it does.

G2

I just finished doing the clip blade on my Peanut. I think the spring may've dropped a little bit, when the blade is open; but, like you, I didn't take a hard look at it before I started. As opposed to filing the end of the spring, I instead filed the contact face on the blade itself. I used a wine cork, pinched between the blade and handle, to hold the blade about 1/3 open, allowing somewhat easier access to the flat contact face on the rear of the blade. Used a DMT Fine 'credit card' hone to file it down (care needs to be exercised to minimize filing marks on the bolsters, via the diamond hone's edge).

I'm still liking this method. The slight (possible) drop of the spring is a very small price to pay, for straightening the lines overall, from the handle along the spine of the blade. As a bonus, the flatter contact face at the rear of the blade seems to make much more flush contact with the spring end. I've never really liked the look of the tumbled (therefore rounded) corners on the contact face at the blade's rear, so that looks better now, butted up against the flat end of the spring.


David

 

[Gary W. Graley]

That's great David, and yep, if I had to do it again, that's what I'd still do.

Also I do what you are talking about to my Opinel's as well, since you have to file down the tang of the blade, but, you do need to go even slower with that, if you grind off too much, then the ring lock won't have any affect or at least not as much of an affect since it could twist all the way around and not bind up against the blade.

G2

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

That's great David, and yep, if I had to do it again, that's what I'd still do.

Also I do what you are talking about to my Opinel's as well, since you have to file down the tang of the blade, but, you do need to go even slower with that, if you grind off too much, then the ring lock won't have any affect or at least not as much of an affect since it could twist all the way around and not bind up against the blade.

G2

Ah, the Opi's too. I have considered this with mine as well, and did give some thought to being careful about not rendering the lock useless in the process. It's a pretty fine balance there, for sure. That may be the next 'experiment'...


David