Help restoring this old lockblade please

[Dr Denby]

Hi everyone,

I have been searching like crazy for some diy help for this old knife and came across this forum.

It is at least 35 years old as that is when it was given to me and it was not new (if I am remembering right). I thought I had lost it during moves many years ago and as might can see from the picture it has suffered a great deal from the neglect. It doesn't have any name on it. I am sure it has no monetary value.

But, it has a lot of sentimental value for me.

I would love to take it apart, clean it up, and get it as good as can be, but I am at loss how to proceed.

There are no screws, just these rivets or pins or whatever.

I found some very good videos of how to take apart regular folding ones, but cannot find any for a lockblade and can't find any for knives without screws.

Please help me with detailed instructions for disassembly/reasssembly preferably with video and/or diagrams

Thanks,

Doc

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Dis/re assembly is best left to an expert. The knife has a painted handle and blade and the finish would be damaged removing and replacing the pins.
If the knife works, disassembly is not necessary or recommended. Just clean it out and oil it. You could repaint the blade if you want.

 

[Dr Denby]

Hi, Bill

I appreciate the caution, but maybe the picture isn't clear enough. There is rust in the pivot, rust in the handle, has to be rust in the lock release (or what it's called).

I don't see not taking it down as an option.

As for expert, well, I have been stripping and cleaning guns since I was 9 , Dad said, "you shoot it, you clean it" and that went for gun and game. and well, I don't have the money to pay an expert.

I am ready and willing to do the work myself and take my chances, I just don't want to do it blind.

Someone please help me with detailed instructions for disassembly/reasssembly preferably with video and/or diagrams of a lockblade with no screws, just pins

Thanks,

Doc

 

[killgar]

Either use a dremel with a grinding attachment to grind down the heads of the pins on one side of the knife, or drill the ends/heads of the pins off using a drill press (punch a starting divot in the center of the pins, clamp the knife under the drill), then use a pin punch to knock the pins out (place the knife on a piece of wood with a hole drilled into it, place the remaining head of the pin you want to punch out into/over the hole in the wood so that the pin will have somewhere to go when you punch it through).

Then clean the knife up/remove the rust using rust remover (like naval jelly). Maybe sand the blade down.

Then replace the pins using pin stock or stainless steel or brass brads/nails of identical diameter. Cut the pin material to required length, insert the pin/nail through knife, place one end of pin onto a hard steel surface, then peen the other end with a ball peen hammer.

Personally, I prefer to replace the pins of folders with screws, done it several times (doing one right now) but that's a more complicated procedure.

All of the screws in this knife were originally pins before I modified it and changed the pins to screws (among other mods). It no longer has any pins. Now I can completely disassemble the knife, and adjust the pivot.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Killgar is correct on disassembly-mostly. You don't have to remove all the pins.
Stripping and cleaning guns is quite unlike working on folding knives-and I don't think you'll like the end result. There really is nothing to be gained by you taking the knife apart. I can guarantee it will look much worse if you do. If the knife meant nothing to you, then I would advise otherwise. Something you care about is not good learning material.
A little WD 40 flushing and working the pivot and lock will remove most of the rust. It will just take a while. You could submerge the entire knife in Evaporust for a day or so, but I'm not sure what it will do to the paint.

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

Soak all parts with WD 40 and work it. It should get rid of loose rust & the remaining would have the water replaced with oil.
It is the same as Victorinox recommendation.

Doing a re-pinning for a back lock will be a pain. Doing so on screwed construction is already difficult.

If you insist, check out Stefan Schmalhaus channel on YouTube. He has one short footage of lockback being assembled to give you some pinning ideas. The footage was from the company making the knife: Le Camarguais.

Good luck!

 

[Dr Denby]

Either use a dremel with a grinding attachment to grind down the heads of the pins on one side of the knife, or drill the ends/heads of the pins off using a drill press (punch a starting divot in the center of the pins, clamp the knife under the drill), then use a pin punch to knock the pins out (place the knife on a piece of wood with a hole drilled into it, place the remaining head of the pin you want to punch out into/over the hole in the wood so that the pin will have somewhere to go when you punch it through).

Then clean the knife up/remove the rust using rust remover (like naval jelly). Maybe sand the blade down.

Then replace the pins using pin stock or stainless steel or brass brads/nails of identical diameter. Cut the pin material to required length, insert the pin/nail through knife, place one end of pin onto a hard steel surface, then peen the other end with a ball peen hammer.

Personally, I prefer to replace the pins of folders with screws, done it several times (doing one right now) but that's a more complicated procedure.

All of the screws in this knife were originally pins before I modified it and changed the pins to screws (among other mods). It no longer has any pins. Now I can completely disassemble the knife, and adjust the pivot.

Killgar thanks, LOVE the idea of replacing the pins with screws.

Did you you use self tapping with loctite (or similar) ? Did you use pin rods to hold the rest in place while tapping each? What was your procedure?

Also, what other mods did you do?

And, is there anything inside the lockblade I need to watch for or take special care on once I have it taken down?

Thanks,

Doc

 

[not2sharp]

....
I would love to take it apart, clean it up, and get it as good as can be, but I am at loss how to proceed....
Doc

It is never possible to restore an old knife to new or like-new. You can clean it, remove the rust and protect it, or you can scrap it and use the parts to build a new knife project; but, it is what it is. I would lightly clean it and leave it alone. Everything that is wrong with that knife is evidence of its time with you. If you want to show how the knife looked when new than buy another example of the knife in better condition.

n2s

ps. There are several on ebay right now: (not my auction)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-3-Po...713?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a254a311
http://www.ebay.com/itm/China-1-Bla...747?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e9e79a39b

 

[Dr Denby]

not2sharp, apparently even though you quoted the line, you didn't read it.

I specifically said "as good as can be" . I did not say new, did not say like new..

As for it reflecting its time with me, you didn't read that either. I thought it was lost, gone, hence it was of course neglected! It would never get to even close to this stage had I known I still had it. It is evidence of its time "without me" . and no where did I say I want a new one. I want to repair/restore what I have... which is the title of the thread!


----------

Chris, thanks for that video.

Should I repin it, that was perfect for demonstrating how it is done, I thank you for the helpful reply.

I really like Killgar's plan of replacing pins with screws, and need to hear a little more detail. Should it prove too much, that pinning vid is saved for reference.

Thanks,

Doc

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

You're welcome. Unfortunately the video doesn't show how he fit all together with the back spring. The most difficult part is getting the blade in, pivot secured & the lock bar fit with the backspring pressure in place. On screwed construction might be easier done than pinned one as I have done my Byrd Cara Cara 2. On spyderco forum, there's a member providing tips in fitting a Delica. Do a google Delica Lego Redux, you'll find it.

The concepts are the same, the difference would be pinned vs screwed.

 

[killgar]

Killgar thanks, LOVE the idea of replacing the pins with screws.

Did you you use self tapping with loctite (or similar) ? Did you use pin rods to hold the rest in place while tapping each? What was your procedure?

Also, what other mods did you do?

And, is there anything inside the lockblade I need to watch for or take special care on once I have it taken down?

Thanks,

Doc

On that particular knife (and an identical one I'm currently working on) I used a shoulder screw and mini lock nut for the pivot, both are countersunk into the solid stainless steel bolsters. I had to drill the pivot holes in both the blade and the bolsters a hair larger to accommodate the size of the shoulder screw.

For the lock screw, I tapped the g10 handle scale on the other side. That screw is under constant tension from the spring pressing on the lock so there is no risk of it coming loose.

For the bottom bolster screws, I used tiny nuts with a dab of blue loctite. Both the screw heads and nuts are countersunk flush into the bolsters.

For the handle scales I ran v-head screws out from the inside, and imbedded the nuts into the g10. I used a v-shaped countersink drill bit on the screw/pin holes so the heads of the screws would be flush with the inside surface of the liners.

Of course it should be noted that not all lockbacks are constructed the same. The mods and methods I used for this knife were specific to it's design and original construction. Lockbacks do tend to be pretty simple in their design, and without a lot of pieces.

Like I said, it's a bit of a complicated procedure. Lots of precision drilling.

The only somewhat difficult part of disassembling/reassembling this particular knife involves the lock. The lock is under constant pressure from the spring (and the spring on this knife is strong). To remove the lock screw I wrap a piece of leather half way around the knife at the screw and use a pair of adjustable pliers to squeeze the lock against the spring to relieve tension on the screw, then I remove the screw. I then do the reverse to re-install them.

As far as other mods I performed on this knife, aside from replacing the original wood scales with g10, I made it so that it can be easily opened and closed with one hand. I did that by installing a thumbstud (opening), and by fabricating a "thumb press" that I bolted onto the back face of the lock (closing). The "thumb press" is basically a piece of 1/16" stainless steel that I hammered into a sort of semi "U" shape. One side of the U is bolted to the lock, and the other side wraps around one of the bolsters ending in front of the knife and is pressed with the thumb to push the lock back and release the blade.

I also added .005" bronze phosphorus washers to the pivot. And I spent a lot of time "blending" the bolsters with the liners (original fit and finish was a bit rough).

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Please be sure to show us pictures after you have finished with the knife.

 

[Dr Denby]

On that particular knife (and an identical one I'm currently working on) I used a shoulder screw and mini lock nut for the pivot, both are countersunk into the solid stainless steel bolsters. ....And I spent a lot of time "blending" the bolsters with the liners (original fit and finish was a bit rough).

Thanks so much killgar. This is exactly what I needed (obviously I cut the post just for quoting). I have printed your last post to keep as a guide to keep on my workbench.

And thanks chris, that delica lego thread is a very good guide for assembly.

You are right killgar, that is a quite complicated procedure. It looks like my best bet is to tackle it during my next vacation in a few months.

I very much appreciate this help guys. Yeah bill, I will post some end result pics, hopefully it will be something I am proud of.

Thanks,

Doc