Worth it or not

RLB0414

RLB0414

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Apr 1, 2014
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Cross posted in maintenance and tinkering but the knowledge and experience here leads me to post here as well.
Attached are photos of a bay rescue. From posting photos I could not tell the spring stand tall or someone took a Dremel to the liner and bolster.
If I use a small belt grinder at slow speed, will the spring be diminished by smoothing it to the scales?
ThanksIMG_20220719_140433663_HDR.jpgIMG_20220719_140443245_HDR.jpg
 
RLB0414 said:
Cross posted in maintenance and tinkering but the knowledge and experience here leads me to post here as well.
Attached are photos of a bay rescue. From posting photos I could not tell the spring stand tall or someone took a Dremel to the liner and bolster.
If I use a small belt grinder at slow speed, will the spring be diminished by smoothing it to the scales?
ThanksView attachment 1875027View attachment 1875028
Click to expand...
By looking at your pics, I would say someone put new scales on a old knife? And while doing so, he/she pinned it back together with the wrong size pins. I would take it apart and put new pins in the right size, probably by turning my own on a file. Then I would see how everything lines up, and if needed, file the back of the spring to match the scales
 
Barbababa said:
By looking at your pics, I would say someone put new scales on a old knife? And while doing so, he/she pinned it back together with the wrong size pins. I would take it apart and put new pins in the right size, probably by turning my own on a file. Then I would see how everything lines up, and if needed, file the back of the spring to match the scales
Click to expand...
Thanks
 
My guess is someone disassembled it and put new panels on it, then sanded the liner and panel too much and now the spring is proud. Then they put it back together and got it 80% done before they stopped.

Id say you can’t remove that much off the spring and still have good or even acceptable w&t.
 
Last edited:
Looks like there's no pin in the lower bolster. Seems to me you'll have to put a pin there to get an accurate indication of how the spring is going to sit in the frame. I'd think sanding/grinding the spring would weaken it.
 
I see the pin in the rear bolster. It’s just above the lanyard hole. If you zoom in good you can see it faintly.
 
I am sorry RLB0414 RLB0414 , I did not really answed your 2 main Q´s.... Is it worth it, and will sanding down the spring diminish it?
Well, if it´s a no name branded knife you just find some pleasure in trying to save, go for it (you always learn something by trying new things).
I guess you are thinking the heat from the beltsander will affect the hardening of the spring? If you go slow and have a bowl of water where you dip it between sanding it will be fine I would say. But... sanding the spring down will make it less stiff even if the hardening is not affected, especially on the front part between the blade and the center pin of the spring. I would only sand on the back part of the spring if I did not want it to be softer to open. Think of it as going from a 8 to a 5 if you sand the front part (if that makes sence)
 
Barbababa said:
I am sorry RLB0414 RLB0414 , I did not really answed your 2 main Q´s.... Is it worth it, and will sanding down the spring diminish it?
Well, if it´s a no name branded knife you just find some pleasure in trying to save, go for it (you always learn something by trying new things).
I guess you are thinking the heat from the beltsander will affect the hardening of the spring? If you go slow and have a bowl of water where you dip it between sanding it will be fine I would say. But... sanding the spring down will make it less stiff even if the hardening is not affected, especially on the front part between the blade and the center pin of the spring. I would only sand on the back part of the spring if I did not want it to be softer to open. Think of it as going from a 8 to a 5 if you sand the front part (if that makes sence)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information. It does appear to be an old timer foundation so maybe worth the effort. Disassembly, clean and inspect first, reassemble with properly sized pins second and belt grinder as last option.
I appreciate your thoughts and input
 
JM2 said:
My guess is someone disassembled it and put new panels on it, then sanded the liner and panel too much and now the spring is proud. Then they put it back together and got it 80% done before they stopped.

Id say you can’t remove that much off the spring and still have good or even acceptable w&t.
Click to expand...
Thanks
 
Modoc ED said:
Looks like there's no pin in the lower bolster. Seems to me you'll have to put a pin there to get an accurate indication of how the spring is going to sit in the frame. I'd think sanding/grinding the spring would weaken it.
Click to expand...
I finally found the lower bolter pin. Only visible from one side. Angle of the light has to be just right to see it. It is stiff to open in the current state
 
JM2 said:
I see the pin in the rear bolster. It’s just above the lanyard hole. If you zoom in good you can see it faintly.
Click to expand...
I had to hunt for it when I first opened the package and noticed the problems
 
meako said:
Worth it ? We live and learn so Yes..deffo worth it...lets face it...whats it worth now after a dodgy rehandle job...? Mate..nothing to lose and everything to gain..imo
Cheers....
Click to expand...
Thanks
 
I don’t have that model to compare, but it’s possible tou could get away with removing that much back spring too. I’m a tinkerer so I’d not give up on it if it were mine.

You could also consider a complete redo of the liners and scales with no bolsters. It’d be a giant schrade sodbuster. That’d be pretty cool.
 
JM2 said:
I don’t have that model to compare, but it’s possible tou could get away with removing that much back spring too. I’m a tinkerer so I’d not give up on it if it were mine.

You could also consider a complete redo of the liners and scales with no bolsters. It’d be a giant schrade sodbuster. That’d be pretty cool.
Click to expand...
I thought about a makeover but not sure what to do yet. Will decide more if or when I hear back from the seller.
 
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