placing pins under pressure!

[chuck buck]

i have been attempting a rehandle of an old sabre slipjoint knife for my first knife project. its been lots of trial and error to say the least- from figuring pin sizes, to expanding holes in hardened steel (thats not too easy!), and my third forced break in the project...

after placing 2 of 3 pins (center and pivot or center and tail) i cannot depress the spring far enough back and hold it in order to drop my 3rd pin into place. the pivot end was easier to depress but i didnt like exerting that kind of force with my hands that close to the blade.. and the tail end was even harder because the inside is concave and not flat to push against.

am i blindly missing something easy? is there some kind of simple or not so simple trick? if anyone can please help ,i hate to say im on the verge of.... giving up....

thanks- CB

 

[Rusty McDonald]

Taper a long piece of pin material. Then put the pivot and tail pin in then the blade pin with the long tapered pin. Drive it in untill the taper isn't in the bolster anymore. cut it off and peen it and finish it. Thats how I was taught to do it and it works for me.

 

[Cubane]

Or get a piece of steel the same thickness as the spring and push it in between the liners against the spring. Chuck it in a vice and use it to push the spring out the way so you can put the blade in without the spring being in the way. It won't wreck your spring as the spring gets pushed up further when you open and close the knife. I hope that is understandable. I can take pictures if you need them.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

The backspring pin should be installed last. Compress it in a vise, and drive a slightly tapered pin in. This should be done with the blades in the opened position.