Need help on how to repair folder

calharkins

calharkins

Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Messages
184
I have an older friend that has lost the scales on his folder. I wouldn't have took this in, but the guy is an old friend and it is his hunting knife. He wants to get it fixed so he can use it until he is gone and pass it on to one of his sons. It is a big folder and in rough shape, but some sandpaper and buffing will fix that. What I DON'T know how to do is put scales on this thing. The pins are still there on boths sides, but I don't know how in the world to mark a set of scales, drill the holes and make it fit. Any help would be appreciated.
Knife 1.jpg
knife2.jpg
 
Your probably gonna have to take it apart to do it. Unless you take the middle pin out, shave the Scale pins and just have the center/rocker pin in the scales with dummy/flase pins in the scales.
 
Fortunately the scales are very thin.Thinner than the gap between the two liners where the blade goes when the knife is closed.Step one is to measure the length of the scale,cut slightly oversized and slowly fitted in place.Step two is to use a scribe such as a length of wire with the tip bent at 90degrees and sharpened to scribe where the pin holes will be drilled.For the middle pin that holds the spring in place,push it down low enough to mark the other two pin holes and push it up with the new scale in place to mark where to drill that middle pin.Third,drill holes and bevel the holes.Next take some pin stock and mushroom the end on one side and cut the length so it will slide between the two liners with tweezers and push the unpeened side of the pin up through the hole,repeat for other pins.Then use a new pin to push out the old middle,spring pin.lastly once all the pins are pushed through take a piece of steel and place it between the liners,place the new scale on and peen it together.
 
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Here is what I have done.
Make a template out of posterboard or gasket material. It took a couple shots to get it just right. It fit on both sides of the knife. I glued my scale blanks together lightly, glued the template on top and then drilled and proflied them to match the template. I made the pin holes just big enough to work over the ends of the mushroomed pin heads. If the pins want to move back into the opening for the blade stick in a temporary spacer like mentioned above. Tape off the back of the knife to protect it from the epoxy. Then I put epoxy on the pins and liners and pressed on and clamped the liners lightly. The epoxy filled the pin holes behind the mushroomed heads. Wipe off excess epoxy that comes out and let it all cure. Then I finished sanding the sides. This will give the outside edges a perfect fit and clean up the old knife. Then carefully shape and sand down the tops of the scales till the bolsters and pins are all flush. Worked for me.
 
This may be worth $0.02

It it were me, I would grind the middle pin flush it is the pivot for the spring. If you removed it will make the knife hard to assemble. Remove the other two pins

I use calipers and measure from one bolster to the other on each side to see if the edges are square. either way pass the measurements to the new scales and scribe a line. cut to the line and sand to fit.

Drill new holes through the scales into the liners and tap the liners for a 0-80 screws. Glue and screw the scales into place. file/sand the screw flush inside the knife.

good luck
 
Here is the way to properly replace the scales.
Remove the "sunk" pin in the rear bolster. This will allow you to swivel the liners out and properly pin on new scales.
After fitting scales, drilling them, and pinning (put the backspring pin in AFTER you have replaced the rear bolster pin,) compress the backspring(s) and install the pin.
 
I appreciate everyone's input on this. When I make a decision on what to do I will let you know and show the outcome. Just hope it is a good outcome.:)
 
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