Sam McDowell #69 Commander (real scrimshaw) legal in US?

[clintonsucks]

My son bought and mailed me one when he visted Bequia Island in the Caribbean. Took several phone calls to get it through customs and FedEx but they delivered it finally. Still not sure if it's legal as I didn't know what it was because it was described on the manifest only as 'art'. Sam McDowell designs the scrimshaw bolsters and has them finished for him in Seki City Japan by Kai Cutlery Company, who claims to be the finest knife makers in the world and descendants of the Samurai sword makers. I call BS. They may be descendants of the Samurai sword makers but the actual hardware it stiff and the blade apparently is only 440A...but that's not important.

Though artisticly beautiful the back lock is so hard to press it will leave blisters if I use it. From the pic you can see ridges on the lock matching the back of the blade, they HURT. I tried oiling all the joints and moving parts but no improvement. Hard to see from the pic but the sides are rivited with no way to adjust.

Q: Any way to make the back lock easier to open?

 

[Kim Lau]

Kai Cutlery is the parent company of Kershaw. IDK if they make the finest knives but they make pretty good products.

The knife looks pinned, so maybe you could wedge something in there and slightly loosen it? Im not sure if that'll work.

 

[clintonsucks]

wedge something in there and slightly loosen it?

Yikes! I think I'd be afraid that would torque the scrimshaw and possibly break it.

But you may be right.

 

[Seals]

You can try washing it out with hot soapy water and or just working it a lot with good lube.It should loosen up.If that is genuine ivory,id just put it up and look at it.Ivory tends to be real touchy.That's a pretty knife.

 

[Kim Lau]

Since its only art, you arent going to use it, so you dont needa open it.

 

[knarfeng]

It is a gorgeous knife.

Kai is one of the premier cutlers in the world today.

I often find that a lock mechanism gets easier to work when as it is used.
Being careful not to get any on the scales, you might try a bit of mineral oil in the mechanism. (Same mineral oil sold in pharmacies as a laxitive.)