Case Tested Jack part II, pics inside!

T

Tom Cruise

Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
25
Hello again everyone!

I recently acquired a Case jackknife from my father which had a broken pen blade. I posted it up here and asked for opinions. The overwhelming response was to reshape the tip of the pen blade and use it.

I did not want everyone to think I don't appreciate the advice and the information I got so I wanted to share the process with those that were interested.

I had never attempted to regrind a tip on a knife before, I may have been overthinking it a little but this is how I did it;

More photos can be seen in the original thread, but this is what I started with. I searched the internets for a photo of a Case pen blade, printed it out and cut myself a template.

DSCN0890 by laghaxx, on Flickr

Matches up pretty good.

DSCN0893 by laghaxx, on Flickr

But unfortunately this profile will almost completely remove my nail tick.

DSCN0894 by laghaxx, on Flickr

So we modify the template a little bit.

DSCN0897 by laghaxx, on Flickr

And mark out the material to be removed from the blade, as little as possible!

DSCN0898 by laghaxx, on Flickr

Sloooooowly grinding, with frequent water breaks, taped up the handle to keep grit out.

DSCN0899 by laghaxx, on Flickr

And with the blade closed the tip rests just below the liner, we will finish it up a little on the stones but I call that good.

DSCN0900 by laghaxx, on Flickr
 
Off to the stones! First we square off and profile the spine a little bit.

DSCN0907 by laghaxx, on Flickr

Working on just the tip!

DSCN0908 by laghaxx, on Flickr

Getting there...

DSCN0909 by laghaxx, on Flickr

Some edge polishing on the clip.

DSCN0910 by laghaxx, on Flickr

Looking better! I kinda messed the tip up a little, I did'nt pull the knife up enough at the end of my sharpening strokes on the pen blade it looks like but I am still learning.

DSCN0911 by laghaxx, on Flickr

Now for a silicone bath.

DSCN0913 by laghaxx, on Flickr

And I didn't have an apple handy, dang it! This will have to do.

DSCN0912 by laghaxx, on Flickr

So there you have it. I left the original patina on the blades and did not worry about cleaning them up as per advice. Once again I would like to thank everyone that responded and shared their opinions and information with me. Doing this myself I really feel like I have something special that I can carry and use, I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did!
 
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Hey, really nice job!

I'd love to see a picture of the whole knife again, closed, with the newly-shaped pen against the background of the main.

~ P.
 
Very nice job. I am about to start a similar project within week or two, I will sure learn from your experience. Thanks for sharing.
Mike
 
Now that is a great way to save a very meaningful knife and make it practical at the same time. Very nice job buddy. Those old Case Tested knives hold a special place in American knife history and it must be great to have one that has family history in it as well.

Will
 
Very nice work:thumbup:
It's great to see such a beautiful classic put back in service! Kudos to you for doing it yourself!
 
I think you've made a great job, and I'm also sure that the whole process has made this knife even more "yours", and that's why I'm sure you will carry it alot.
Thanks for sharing :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
Wow... that looks really great! Congratz on that work, though you have never reshaped a blade :)

Seems you are some kind of natural talent...

Kind regards
Andi
 
A really nice job and I'm so glad you chose not to polish the blades but leave them as-is. That'll make one heck of a user and will be a great carry knife.
 
Great work!! I like how you shaped the blade.

I was wondering how the silicone spray affected the bone. It does contain Propane and Aliphatic Petroleum solvent, which could dry it out. Let us know how things go. I only want to be helpful and question this for academic insight.
 
Nice save on the Tested Tom!! Super old knife!!

Now just stick to a little mineral oil (drug store grade), and you will preserve your great knife, without any threat to your health or the environment.
 
I have one like that in my profile pictures. I didn't know how old it was when I started, but based on the progress I can't say I would not have done it differently had I known. I wonder what you all might think, looking at the blade posted above, and the condition relative to what I think the age of mine is. With that in mind, I may be offending some people posting this. Sorry if that's the Case. If anyone can tell me what the original pen looking blade looked like on this pattern or if there were options?, or if you have one of those super cool sales ad's from ages ago to post I would greatly appreciate it.

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I really don't want to use the blades again, though I would like to hear feedback on that. The steel has character, it is hard for me to put it in words, and impossible for me to say technically. I dropped the main blade on the floor and it rung out with a distinct ting much louder than you would expect from a blade it's size. The blades steel has character.

I am thinking to rebuild the knife as close to original as possible, using as close to original parts, and materials as possible. Then make a felt lined box for the whole deal, the two original blades to the side in a fit pocket with the springs, if they don't clean up well, and the newer knife assembled using as many of the old parts as possible to the side of the original parts.

I would hope the blades are the only thing off to the side, but I am thinking the liners and bolster should go there as well. I think that to rebuild with original bone and shield, possibly the springs as well will give the best respect to the original, putting properly crafted parts back in service, so to say. And keeping the provenance of the original parts close at hand to the new knife. I think that is the best way to fix what I already disassembled. :D :(

-Ron

That is great looking bone on your knife by the way.
 
Thanks again to everybody for the kind words! I really do feel like I have something special now and I am glad I took you alls' advice.

Gevonovich said:
Great work!! I like how you shaped the blade.

I was wondering how the silicone spray affected the bone. It does contain Propane and Aliphatic Petroleum solvent, which could dry it out. Let us know how things go. I only want to be helpful and question this for academic insight.
Click to expand...

Eeek! I did not eventhink about that when I plopped the knife in there. When everyone was telling me "oil bath" I didn't know they ment mineral oil. So far the everything seems ok, I really hope I did no damage that will show up later. This is my first experience with a "traditional" knife, everything up to this point has been more modern outdoors type cutlery.

ron_m80 said:
I have one like that in my profile pictures. I didn't know how old it was when I started, but based on the progress I can't say I would not have done it differently had I known. I wonder what you all might think, looking at the blade posted above, and the condition relative to what I think the age of mine is. With that in mind, I may be offending some people posting this. Sorry if that's the Case. If anyone can tell me what the original pen looking blade looked like on this pattern or if there were options?, or if you have one of those super cool sales ad's from ages ago to post I would greatly appreciate it.

I really don't want to use the blades again, though I would like to hear feedback on that. The steel has character, it is hard for me to put it in words, and impossible for me to say technically. I dropped the main blade on the floor and it rung out with a distinct ting much louder than you would expect from a blade it's size. The blades steel has character.

I am thinking to rebuild the knife as close to original as possible, using as close to original parts, and materials as possible. Then make a felt lined box for the whole deal, the two original blades to the side in a fit pocket with the springs, if they don't clean up well, and the newer knife assembled using as many of the old parts as possible to the side of the original parts.

I would hope the blades are the only thing off to the side, but I am thinking the liners and bolster should go there as well. I think that to rebuild with original bone and shield, possibly the springs as well will give the best respect to the original, putting properly crafted parts back in service, so to say. And keeping the provenance of the original parts close at hand to the new knife. I think that is the best way to fix what I already disassembled. :D :(

-Ron

That is great looking bone on your knife by the way.
Click to expand...

Thank you Ron. I was ready to do exactly the same thing to my knife when I posted in my first thread, which is what makes me so grateful now. I did contact Case and they informed me that they no longer make blades to fit this pattern knife and would be unable to replace them. I got an excellent suggestion though to search Ebay for a doner knife if I really wanted an original blade to replace mine.
 
Tom Cruise said:
Thank you Ron. I was ready to do exactly the same thing to my knife when I posted in my first thread, which is what makes me so grateful now.
Click to expand...

I'm am happy you like your results. I don't regret a thing though (yet! knock on wood.), I have been lucky since Christmas despite some set backs, I should have all the tools I need to manufacture by hand the same blade as the original pretty soon. I have been buying the tools to set up my garage, and quite a few people came through for me with great bargains, and high quality equipment. I will forge the new blades, and attempt to determine the steel they are made from.
 
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