Repairing the cutest little 1/2 congress

[BradleySmall]

I have a 2-1/4 or so 1/2 congress with what feels like actual MoP scales. Both blades are shot to heck. But everything else seems pretty good. The bolster pins are polished quite invisibly to where I can't see any halo of the pivot pins. Obviously I can see the brass middle pin. I have seen youtubers simply put a razor or just another knife blade in there and drive it through. I am not sure if it is actually "cutting" the pin and pivot, or simply wedging the pins back in through the bolsters and scales. Regardless, even if I don't have the brass to do that, I need to do something to raise the halo if I am going to have any chance at all of punching it.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Sometimes, if you alter the finish on the bolsters in some way, the differences in composition between the two metals (bolsters, vs. the pins) will show more clearly. Sometimes altering the patina with some vinegar or anything acidic will reveal differences in how each of them respond to oxidation, so they'll 'color' or patinate differently and therefore will reveal themselves. And altering the finish by abrasion, like sanding a little bit or buffing with a ScotchBrite pad, might reveal differences in how wear-resistant each of the metals is. So, if they wear at different rates, the end of the pin will begin to show. This happens with a lot of knives pinned with stainless steel pins through nickel bolsters, for example. The stainless is much more wear resistant - so with much sanding or polishing, it will eventually leave the end of the steel pin somewhat proud of the surrounding nickel bolster material.

Two pics below of the same knife - an older 4-dot Buck 112. First pic shows the brass at a high polish, after I cleaned up some dings & scuffs on the brass. 2nd pic is the same knife in current day - after I'd decided to 'de-shine' the brass to hide the fingerprints (used a green ScotchBrite pad) AND after I'd carried it for some time, allowing the patina to develop.

 

[BradleySmall]

Sometimes, if you alter the finish on the bolsters in some way, the differences in composition between the two metals (bolsters, vs. the pins) will show more clearly. Sometimes altering the patina with some vinegar or anything acidic will reveal differences in how each of them respond to oxidation, so they'll 'color' or patinate differently and therefore will reveal themselves. And altering the finish by abrasion, like sanding a little bit or buffing with a ScotchBrite pad, might reveal differences in how wear-resistant each of the metals is. So, if they wear at different rates, the end of the pin will begin to show. This happens with a lot of knives pinned with stainless steel pins through nickel bolsters, for example. The stainless is much more wear resistant - so with much sanding or polishing, it will eventually leave the end of the steel pin somewhat proud of the surrounding nickel bolster material.

Two pics below of the same knife - an older 4-dot Buck 112. First pic shows the brass at a high polish, after I cleaned up some dings & scuffs on the brass. 2nd pic is the same knife in current day - after I'd decided to 'de-shine' the brass to hide the fingerprints (used a green ScotchBrite pad) AND after I'd carried it for some time, allowing the patina to develop.

Love that knife, have the same one right here. Except mine is very "green" ever since it was shined with brasso when I was in the Army. And you are right, I can see every single pin. I keep thinking one day I will clean it up and the leather pouch as well. And, I keep not doing that. I may have to give that a little polishing action one of these days...
I will give the little half congress a bit of acid and see what happens.

 

[BradleySmall]

So, I put that little knife out in the shop so I wouldn't be tempted to mess with it. Meanwhile, I decided to give a different one a try. It's a 3-3/8" Utica 3 blade with really messed up blades, and one completely snapped off. But I absolutely love the handle material on the scales. While I was sitting here this morning, I decided, "what's the worst thing that could happen?" I took a couple utility blades and I thought I could wedge them in and basically force the knife apart, revealing the halo or, well, anything. But while giving it some loving tappa-tappa-tappa with my little screw together brass hammer and screwdriver set... I noticed that while I was trying to redirect the utility blade around the pin towards the inside of the knife, it literally cut through the pivot pin. Looking at it with my magnifying glass, it is not a bad looking cut. I fooled around and cut the other pivot, but for now, left the center pin in place. Though I probably did some damage to that pin, enough that I will want to remove it. I figure, if I cut it as well, I can drive out all the remaining pin pieces so that I don't have to drill or grind their swelled peen or put extra pressure on the scales. The springs are in really good shape, even the broken blade had great w&t before I got started. Looks like I will need to find some pictures of what one of these in proper shape looked like and make some blades to match these tangs. Main blade ... well what's left of it says UTICA - Utica Cutlery - Utica N. Y. I am guessing stockman, clip point, sheepsfoot and spey or pen.