Tightening bolsters on a slippie?

F

Frostyfingers

Joined
Aug 27, 2008
Messages
854
Hey all,

I've got a Case 640045 R (Camper? Scout? Google gave me both) that I've been cleaning up to use. The knife had a large chip in the edge near the tip. I've reprofiled the blade to remove the chip, and I've cleaned up the rust from the blades and springs.

After cleaning, all the blades still have a good strong pull and close well. There is, however, the slightest bit of side-to-side play in the main blade. Looking a little closer, it looks like someone may have used the back of the knife as a hammer. :eek: The liners and springs don't look damaged, but there is the slightest sign of gapping around the tang of the main blade. I remember (vaguely) seeing a thread on here advising that slippies can be "tightened up" by gently pinching the bolsters in a vice. Is this advisable? Is it easy to do or would I screw it up? Would it be better to live with the (admittedly minimal) bladeplay?

Thanks,

Frosty
 
If it were me, I would put a bolster on a wooden bench and rap the other side little by little with a soft face hammer until you had the desired tightness. If the pin ends up protruding, maybe get a small ball peen hammer and peen the pin a bit so it remains tight. Hit it with a file till it's flush and buf it a bit.
 
Interesting. Can the same process be used to tighten up, say, a Buck 110? Mine has some play, and I've also gotten the vice advice.
 
Vice method less likely to damge I think, but also may not work.

Is there any way to do this for the goofy Schrade bolsters?
 
The thing with using a vice is you don't have control, or know how much force you are applying. You also need soft jaws. I have tightened blades using the hammer method and it works without damage to the knife.
 
MarkPinTx said:
Vice method less likely to damge I think, but also may not work.

Is there any way to do this for the goofy Schrade bolsters?
Click to expand...


Ive seen this discussed in Traditional or BRL subforum before and I think it was conclude that it would not work with the Schrade type bolsters.--You could try a search.--KV
 
It wont work for the Schrade bolster sorry. They dont use a traditional pin that they peen.
 
Thanks to the mods for moving this to the appropriate forum.

I think I'll try the hammer approach first.

Thanks everyone,

Frosty
 
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