missing screw (for stop pin)

Z

zdp189

Joined
Feb 14, 2007
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274
I have a custom knife with a missing stop pin screw on one side. It's a T6 screw is all that I know about it, I don't know the length.

I'm not very mechanical so can anyone advise me on what I should do? Do I just buy a T6 screw and see if it fits and if it's too long cut it to fit? Is that difficult?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

ps.
 
T-6 is probably the size of the TORX recess in the head. You still need to know the diameter, the length, and the thread pitch of the screw.
 
Maybe some pictures would help?

I have not seen a knife that uses a screw for a stop pin, the stop pin is usually in the frame like a dowel rod.

The only other scenario I can think of is if your stop pin has a screw on one side, and is designed like a Tighe pivot.

Yeah pictures would help a lot.
 
In this design the stop pin his actually held in place by two screws (one on each scale). I agree it's not a great design and in the latest edition of this knife he eliminated the screws entirely (using the frame to hold it, as you said like a dowel rod).

The previous owner disassembled the knife once and noticed two things. 1) the screws holding the pin were of unequal length, and 2) one of them was starting to "strip." The latter one is the one which fell out...

tiguy makes a great point "You still need to know the diameter, the length, and the thread pitch of the screw."

I can figure out the diameter and thread pitch from the screw that's still there, but as for the length I'll have to guesstimate.

(Be a whole lot easier if the maker would just do what he said and send me a replacement...)
 
View attachment 727013 Your stop pin is probably an 1/8" diameter internally threaded barrel. The screws are probably #2X56TPI. I have boxes of these as well as a "bolt" cutter. If you send me screw that's left and the barrel, I will make a screw to fit. Put the parts in the knife and push a hat pin against screw end. Slide your thumb nail to the handle and measure the length between your nail and the end of the pin. This should be the rough screw length. PM me.
 
Hey thanks that's more than kind of you! I'll try and get it measured this weekend.
Cheers!
 
Actually I just measured it with a paper clip as best as I can tell it's approx 5 mm "deep" (i.e. from flush with the handle to the end of the screw).
I think 5mm is correct, but the measurement isn't totally precise of course but that'd probably work (and if not I could file off the excess in small increments).

-M
 
zdp189 said:
Actually I just measured it with a paper clip as best as I can tell it's approx 5 mm "deep" (i.e. from flush with the handle to the end of the screw).
I think 5mm is correct, but the measurement isn't totally precise of course but that'd probably work (and if not I could file off the excess in small increments).

-M
Click to expand...

But yeah, you're right the stop pin is internal threaded. What's weird is even when I removed the screw on the opposite side (which is shorter), the pin didn't move. Maybe I didn't push on it enough, or maybe these screws aren't actually needed..?
 
I am surprized that you could get the screw out of the barrel without clamping the barrel. If the pin is not moving, it may have shoulders on it or be press fit into the hole.
When I cut a screw off, the end is a little jagged. Rather than trying to smooth the end with a file, I insert the ragged screw into the threaded barrel with some red Loctite turning it into a T-nut. Afterward only the "good" screw can be removed from the barrel. When putting #6 TORX tools on either side of the screw set, only one screw can come out.
You can see a screw set in my photo as well as loose screws and loose barrels. The bolt cutter is at the top of the photo. There is actually a #2X56TPI Gold plated screw protruding from the cutter. The upper plate on the cutter is threaded for various sized screws. The lower plate has clearance holes. When you squeeze the handles together, the screw is sheared off. I usually buy long screws and cut them to length.
When you say that one of the screws is starting to strip, are you talking about the male thread, the TORX recess, or the threaded barrel?
It doesn't matter if there is a little space between the tips of the 2 screws. You just don't want them touching because you lose the ability to get rid of the rattle.
Can you send some screen shots of your knife and the loose parts?
 
I think the pin didn't move because there's still one screw coming in from the opposite scale. As I said, there are two screws going into the stop pin from each scale side.

The threaded barrel of the stop pin seems fine, so my guess is that it was just stripped threads on the one screw.

So if I can just get a screw that fits I should be good to go. I'll try and send some pics when I get a chance.

Thanks for your help.
 
Just realized that what I wrote didn't make sense since right now there's only 1 screw in there. So yeah, I think you're right about the stop pin being stable on its own (shoulders, etc.).

In any case all is well even with only one screw, so I really just need that other screw to (a) fill the hole and prevent rusting of the inner threads of the stop pin, and (b) make it pretty again...

-M
 
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