Pin removal in antique and valuable collectors knives

B

Bruce Thomas

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Jan 24, 2021
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I do a lot of professional restoration on 50 year or older collectors knives and swords including resetting valuable stones and jewels and when doing this it is a must to keep every original part possible and restore them to original condition but first they must be soaked in light mineral oil for days. Pins and fasteners are almost impossible to remove and outside of an arbor press with the hundreds of dollars of dies to go with them was just thinking of using regular punches and split electrical clamps that go up to 5000 lbs to push the pins and fasteners so they start.

Parts have to be remade many times but I was looking for a simpler way to extract fasteners but leather wrapping a new handle or carving one out of the original stone and replacing it as I would like to replace all original parts back as much as possible.

An arbor press is just more than I want to spend at this time.

Any thing that has worked there are a lot of extractors but is there a simple one that works

Thanks
 
I don't know about swords, but the pins in old knives tend to be brass or soft carbon steel, and it's not unusual for them to get slightly deformed, and worn, both as a result of being peened, and from years/decades of use and pressure from back-springs.

I would suggest using pin punches to remove the old pins, and then replace them with new pin stock. Pin stock is very inexpensive.

50 year old knives aren't really that old, so I seriously doubt that replacing the pins will affect their value. If we were talking about knives that were 100 years old or older, or any knives of great value, then those knives should only be restored by certified restoration experts if preserving their monetary value is important.
 
Like a brass split bolt connector? I think I’d be more likely to fabricate a fixture from an old C clamp. I’d think 5000 lbs of force anywhere on an antique knife would bust it all to h*ll.

Parker
 
I professionally restore knives-lots of knives. Valuable knives. I don't own an arbor press, nor do I need one. You don't push pins out, you drive them out.
Trying to press pins out of a knife is counterproductive.
I use punches and a hammer. I have a Delrin block with various sized slots machined into it that covers 99% of my needs. You can make one out of a wood block, but it won't last as long.
I have no idea why you would soak things in mineral oil. It's not necessary and can damage many handle materials.
 
Thanks for all your replies. I did get the pins out undamaged and the problem was the hole where not aligned and instead of using the arbor press more used in a production. I found that getting a good set of gunsmith punches instead of regular carpenter punches took them out in about three taps with the hammer because they were shaped to the head of the pin and don’t deflect at all. They all have a lifetime warranty and just made life easy.

Thanks
 
I have done tons of swords from 1700 to 1940 and the pin was the only one that would not move. But when I put thought to it I thought who does the most pins that do not want to come out and said of course gunsmiths do. Most antique knives and swords simply come apart easily but my first Kbar was not so cooperative. From gold inlay repair and silver with everything that is new thrown at you, you have to learn what works and works well. This was my 3,683 blade restored but I had not done one before and was going what the heck. The pin won’t budge.

But now I have a punch set that works every time. When I was taught early on I was told you will never stop learning between making and restoring you can never master the trade that is what is challenging about it.
 
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