Mini lever kit blade peek question

[turbo_dog]

This is interesting info, as a peeking blade is the one thing I can't stand on a knife. It's a shame that this kind of work is required on a brand new blade, though. I was thinking of getting a mini kit, but it sounds like they all suffer the same problem.

Additional question related to these minis: I've never built a knife with a thong hole tube. How is it held in place? Do you just install then tap with a punch in the hole to slightly expand and hold it in place? It seems like peening it would collapse the hole.

[Bill DeShivs]

A tapered punch will flare the tubing in place.

[Cryptomecanic]

what did we find out about the bolsters NS SS , the lever Chromed Copper ?

[Bill DeShivs]

The bolsters are hollow nickel silver. The lever is the standard, nickel plated Italian lever.

[Cryptomecanic]

Thanks Bill

[wild zebra]

yes be careful on that lever. I put a ding in mine due to carelessness, went to polish it out and found out the hard way they're copper underneath.

[Cryptomecanic]

how do you hold on to/hold down these little blades so's you can whomp on them with out tearing them up?

[wild zebra]

I clamped it to my friends mill with a little rag for protection. Now I have made 2 more kits and am still having trouble. I bought a center punch clamped and went to it. I have not been able to move enough metal to get it nice and below the liner. One is a hair under,, one is even, and one is a hair above. I'm not a pro at this but I understand the physics, it just seems you have to move quite a bit of metal to get it to an acceptable level and I've really laid into it on both sides for awhile (it flattened the tip of my punch) and also have done medium and light taps on another blade. Let me know how it works maybe the experts will chime in.

Now I'm beginning to womder if there is not another way, like filling in the sear hole and drilling it and filing it back out, to much trouble?, hell I don't know. Maybe a hair of peak is about as good as it gets and I should get over it.

take care please report back

[Bill DeShivs]

Make sure the pivot pin fits tightly in the blade. An undersized pivot will cause peek.

[Cryptomecanic]

I ended up taking off a corner and making a gash with the center punch ,then I clamped it in the vise and used a dull cold chisel and the bigest ball peen I had and it barely moved,I'm thinking It might be better to grind down the tip ( they definatly got the steel hard)

[Bill DeShivs]

Clamping the blade in vise is counterproductive. Just lay it flat on an anvil and use a small rounded punch (1/8" dia.) to move small amounts of metal.

[Cryptomecanic]

let me see if I got this right, lay blade flat on anvil and punch between the sear hole and the edge of the blade? like trying to punch a hole through the side? as if you were going to make another hole between the sear hole and the edge forcing metal to go in both directions <o> towards the sear hole and towards the edge, not force the whole edge back towards the sear hole [<]<

(I hope you havent pulled all your hair out yet,)
Thanks Bill

I'm having trouble See'ing sorry!

[Bill DeShivs]

Place the tip of the punch between the sear hole and the edge of the tang, closer to the sear hole.
You won't move metal completely through the blade, but will deform the surface, closing the hole up slightly.

[Cryptomecanic]

Thanks Bill !!!

[wild zebra]

If MM is reading this it would be nice to hear his input and see some pics if he has them, after all he has made some extremely nice knives on this platform. I have tried MM's original advice, I have tried Bill's advice with all varying results. I know I'm a beginner but I fully understand what I'm trying to do and I have a few different knife kits under my belt, I know this doesn't make me an expert. To me the flaw is really with the kit (the sear hole) and I may be wrong but it just seems it may be very difficult to get it below the liners to an exceptable EDC useful knife. I have been carryin and using one that is just even with the liners and I feel in time it will start to peek.
Now I'm sure I'm totally in the wrong and it can be done, but the hole is quite large compared to the pin that resides in it. You have to move alot of metal. I have banged and banged, I've peened, I've flattened my punch. I chipped the hole (like crypto) It's just discouraging as a beginner because you know, these things cost money but they also take a lot of time and focus and then the moment comes you put the pivot pin in and bummer. That last one I made I took the blade out an tapped it more after Bills advice and it's still peeking. I just feel like it's a wash, very disapointed with it. I've had great success on other platforms, mikov, leverletto, but I was really excited about this because they are nice little knives and would make great carry pieces and gifts but it hard to give something away you aren't proud of.
Now surely there has to be other success stories out there with these little kits??

Thanks for hearing my rant. I'm sure I'm just uneducated and don't know what I'm doing.