- Joined
- Dec 3, 2015
- Messages
- 4,622
Not every knife I buy is mine - meaning that when I hold it, use it, etc., it just doesn't always feel like it belongs to me. Those usually get sold or traded. I had that experience with a TC Barlow recently; for it was absolutely wonderful, but it just wasn't my knife. Still on the hunt for my new Barlow, I decided to give Northwoods a shot, asked Tyler to hand-pick one for me. Well, I received the knife today, and this is what happened...
The blade was centered, and it didn't play. But it opened and closed very grit-ily. VERY grit-ily. I gave it 8 baths in RemOil, each time removing a shocking amount of filth and metal shavings from the pivot and back spring. We're talking sledge and brass hairs. By the time I got all of that junk out, there was significant, audible blade play. For a moment I thought I would return the knife. And then, something possessed me to try modifying it - something I've done with other slipjoints. An easy enough fix, but the kind of work I'd never done before wanting to remove blade play from knives like these (GEC, Canal Street, those come with it, too).
So I cranked down the bolsters with a c-clamp. I peened the pivot. I sanded the bolsters smooth, and then buffed them back to polish. By the time I was done, I had a knife with zero blade play when open, that looked factory new, without gritty opening but with outstanding snap, and a remarkable presence.
But, what's more - I had a knife that belongs to me! Something happened while I was doing that work, and this thing became mine. It most definitely feels like it's for me, when just 30 minutes prior to that, I was close to dismissing it. And I have the satisfaction of impressing myself with being able to do this kind of handiwork, which I don't usually otherwise get to do, as most of my occupational tinkering is digital.
So. Have you ever had an experience like this? Have you had a knife that, maybe you loved, maybe you despised, or toward which you were just indifferent, but after a little bit of work with your hands, it emerged as something for you to fall in love with, for the first time or anew?
Or... Have you ever had a knife with which you weren't especially enamored, but after a particular occasion of use or carry, was beholden to you as a new favorite?
Let's avoid mechanics and how-to details of modifications, as there's another forum for that - and, rather, enjoy each other's stories of bonding with knives.
Evie, the Everyday Barlow
The blade was centered, and it didn't play. But it opened and closed very grit-ily. VERY grit-ily. I gave it 8 baths in RemOil, each time removing a shocking amount of filth and metal shavings from the pivot and back spring. We're talking sledge and brass hairs. By the time I got all of that junk out, there was significant, audible blade play. For a moment I thought I would return the knife. And then, something possessed me to try modifying it - something I've done with other slipjoints. An easy enough fix, but the kind of work I'd never done before wanting to remove blade play from knives like these (GEC, Canal Street, those come with it, too).
So I cranked down the bolsters with a c-clamp. I peened the pivot. I sanded the bolsters smooth, and then buffed them back to polish. By the time I was done, I had a knife with zero blade play when open, that looked factory new, without gritty opening but with outstanding snap, and a remarkable presence.
But, what's more - I had a knife that belongs to me! Something happened while I was doing that work, and this thing became mine. It most definitely feels like it's for me, when just 30 minutes prior to that, I was close to dismissing it. And I have the satisfaction of impressing myself with being able to do this kind of handiwork, which I don't usually otherwise get to do, as most of my occupational tinkering is digital.
So. Have you ever had an experience like this? Have you had a knife that, maybe you loved, maybe you despised, or toward which you were just indifferent, but after a little bit of work with your hands, it emerged as something for you to fall in love with, for the first time or anew?
Or... Have you ever had a knife with which you weren't especially enamored, but after a particular occasion of use or carry, was beholden to you as a new favorite?
Let's avoid mechanics and how-to details of modifications, as there's another forum for that - and, rather, enjoy each other's stories of bonding with knives.
Evie, the Everyday Barlow
