Video: Tightening the Pivot on a Traditional Folder

D

dogstar

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Jan 23, 2011
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Hi, folks. I've read about this several times on this forum. The method has helped me make my Brown Mule into a better knife. I put this method into video form, to help people trying this for the first time. The video is 5:25 long. If you have time, please give it a look. Let me know if I've missed anything. Cheers!
[video=youtube;ySqwxPmF4-k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySqwxPmF4-k[/video]
 
I apologize if this is obvious to experienced members. I want to make a few observations for beginners.

1. I recently tightened up my Buck 444, which has an exposed pivot pin (no squeezing required). It worked great!
buck444.jpg


2. I've done this to the pivot, as well as handle pins on my Brown Mule, so this works on all pins that pass through the handle.
3eth.jpg


3. Now that I know this technique, I have no anxiety whatsoever about blade play in my pinned folders. It is empowering!
 
Thanks for the very informative video. The "vising" part is really easy to do for almost everyone with some feeling in their fingers. I actually plan to do it on some high end folders which came in with noticeable bladeplay (and I can't stand that...). The peening part is more delicate. Must "vising" always be followed by "peening" ?
 
herisson said:
Must "vising" always be followed by "peening" ?
Click to expand...

If someone more expert than I can answer you, that will be great. My understanding is, if you only squeeze the pivot, things will tighten up, but the effect is temporary. Peening mushrooms the head of the pivot pin and tightens things permanently, or until you loosen the pivot again.
 
Makes perfect sense. I imagine it could be easier to peen the pivot using a punch because this is really the delicate part : miss the pivot and you mess the bolster...
 
Thanks for the video. It´s just the same way I repair my blade playing knives. :)

I also wanted to make a vid of how I do it, but it would be hard to understand for the english spoken people here... ;) (bad bavarian accent)
 
herisson said:
Makes perfect sense. I imagine it could be easier to peen the pivot using a punch because this is really the delicate part : miss the pivot and you mess the bolster...
Click to expand...

This is a good idea, though I would worry about the punch being too pointy and forming a deep divot. Maybe round it off a little? Either way, start with light taps. They might get the job done without doing too much damage.
 
I have a vice, and use leather to pad it.

Then I peen.

I peen both sides, because you want to expand both ends of the pin, to make sure you have expanded the pin at both ends. Makes the "fix" more durable.

Putting one side of the pin on the "anvil" should give you some peening action, but I like to be sure.

I had a few knives delivered new, with distinct blade wiggle.

Fixing them my self, using this method gives me the ability to fix blade wiggle, and some times it will close gaps in the bolsters/covers/scales etc.
 
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