Peening a slipjoint pivot

C

crbauhs

Joined
Dec 2, 2007
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I recently got a grail knife however there is blade play in the main blade. The rivets in the handle nearest the bolster, when I squeeze that the blade play goes away. When I squeeze the bolster nothing changes. Any ideas on how to fix that?

I have tried peening the bolster pen a little bit more however that seems to more so move the liner towards the blade rather than squeeze the liner against the spring.

I have also worked on squeezing the bolster tight enough to eliminate the blade play but that has messed with my closing spring strength. I believe I have either pinched the blades slightly against the liner or pinched the front of the bolster so it slows the close speed/strength. Opening is just fine.
 
i don't understand very well what you are describing, so i can't help without the risk to be misleading.
If you could post a couple of pictures i'm sure somebody will help you.

If i got your explanation it seems an out-of-square situation, either holes or tang not being parallel, or the pivot has been bent while pinning
 
Let me try to explain more. The knife was fine except for blade play. I tried to squeeze and peen the bolsters. The blade play only slightly went away but now the closing snap is much weaker.

The knife is an older production knife.
 
crbauhs said:
Let me try to explain more. The knife was fine except for blade play. I tried to squeeze and peen the bolsters. The blade play only slightly went away but now the closing snap is much weaker.

The knife is an older production knife.
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That's likely why it had blade play, so it closed good. You need to pinch the front of the bolster together. This will tighten up the blade without pinching the spring, or liner area where the blade tang closes into. Or get the blade tight, then drive a small wedge between the liners right behind the blade. Sometimes works, sometimes can't be fixed.
 
Hmm I'll have to play around with it some more. Try to loosen the bolsters up again and see about squeezing them together around the front.

I assume my only option would be to deal with the play if I can't fix it with the correct back spring snap or sell it.
 
A little blade play is OK in old pocket knives. I carried old Cases knives for many, many years, but carry customs or GEC now. GECs' are the best production knives being built today, even better than the old knives IMO...
 
And some curiousness that I have discovered. When the sheepsfoot blade is open the main blade snaps closed with full authority. And visa versa. When the main blade is open, the sheepsfoot snaps closed with full authority. Just not when one or the other is already closed.
 
The tangs are being pinch as they close. When you have one blade open, it makes more clearance for the blade next to it close. Lot going on in a 2 or 3 bladed slip joint.
 
Don Hanson III said:
The tangs are being pinch as they close. When you have one blade open, it makes more clearance for the blade next to it close. Lot going on in a 2 or 3 bladed slip joint.
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Exactly what I thought. Thoughts on how to fix it? I was thinking a flat head screw driver in better week the outside and inner liner and just wiggling it back and forth to create some separation.
 
crbauhs said:
Exactly what I thought. Thoughts on how to fix it? I was thinking a flat head screw driver in better week the outside and inner liner and just wiggling it back and forth to create some separation.
Click to expand...

With one blade closed, pry open the open side a bit, then repeat for the other side. I use a little wedge made from a piece of micarta, but almost anything will work.
 
Don Hanson III said:
With one blade closed, pry open the open side a bit, then repeat for the other side. I use a little wedge made from a piece of micarta, but almost anything will work.
Click to expand...

Don just so I can try and be clear, for example when the sheepsfoot blade is closed and the main blade is open, I can wedge in something between the sheepsfoot and the open area liner to try and wedge apart the liner/bolsters to reduce the pinch?
 
crbauhs said:
Don just so I can try and be clear, for example when the sheepsfoot blade is closed and the main blade is open, I can wedge in something between the sheepsfoot and the open area liner to try and wedge apart the liner/bolsters to reduce the pinch?
Click to expand...
Wedge something between the liners where the main blade closes into. The sheepsfoot blade being closed helps keep the center liner from being bent.
 
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