How To Put pins in pocket knife for repair

D

daily_grind

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Apr 5, 2024
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Every once in a while, I get a pocket knife from a friend or family member to have it repaired/improved/etc. I'm pretty okay-ish with putting the scales back on and peening pins, but one thing that gives me consistent trouble is getting the spring pushed so that the holes line up and I can put the last pin in. I've tried it where the last pin is the hinge pin, and the last pin is the end pin (in this particular case, it is a knife that has two blades that open from the same side).

Is there a trick to pushing the springs such that I can line the holes up? I've been using clamps and swear words. It works eventually, but makes me very frustrated.
 
First you'll need a vise. Trying to use clamps would be an exercise in futility. In most cases you can get the spring back in place by putting the center pin in last. You'll want to put the knife in a vise and squeeze the spring into place, where the holes line up so that you can insert the pin. I use some leather on either side to prevent scratches from the vise. This also has the added benefit of depressing the spring a bit beyond the liners if necessary. In the factory we used a little tool that had the same diameter pin as the one we were using for the knife. The pin was hardened stainless to prevent gauling. We'd insert it through the hole and then adjust the vise in and out until the pin slid in easily. This insured that the handle pin would go in without shaving the edges and causing a burr against the spring (we used nickel silver pins). Of course you don't NEED this tool. Just use the pin but be careful and don't try to force it. If you have to do more than just tap it in you're not lined up. Smashing it in will only get you burrs which will result in backspring gaps, or even worse you'll bend the liners. Make sure you put a good tapered point on you pin to help guide it through. I grabbed some parts I had laying around the shop to show you an example of how to do it.


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Eric
 
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If you have not removed the backspring pin, you can use spacers in your vise to align the blade pin holes- but it's a real pain in the backside to do.
 
I use a small aluminum machinist's vise type tool like the one shown below (Amazon). I can hold it in my hands easily. They run $20.
I use two wood strips to protect the knife and scales. If I am putting in the center pin, I just tighten until the hole lines up as shown by EA42. If doing the pivot or back pin, I slip a piece of metal in the knife to press the backspring outward until the holes like up. I usually use a thick washer that I cut in half.

Tapering the pin end is important.

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