Hello and a repair project
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Hello and a repair project
Hi there
I've been lurking around since I found this site a couple of months ago.
I've been interested in edged weapons for as long as I can remember. I have been making Puukko-knives, swords and other sharp pointy things as a hobby for about 6 years. Mostly while I was studying industrial design...
My first contact with switchblades (apart from movies) was when my older brother bough one from Hungary. I must have been something like 7 years old. It was a beautiful italian stiletto with brass bolsters and wallnut scales. Since automatics were nearly impossible to get in Finland (they still are) the knife was somewhat mystical. Sadly my bro sold the knife to someone few yars later. I got my first autoknife back in -94 when a friend of mine brought me one from germany. It was a stainless bolstered leverlock with shell pullers and rosewood (I think) scales. I didn't know such things even existed... It was a nice knfe but the leverspring (? the thingy with the lever attached to it...) broke in two from the middle of the pin hole. Since then I have had two stilettos (one bad and one goodish) but I have been somewhat indifferent about them. I have been more focused with traditional finnish knives and medieval weaponry.
My enhusiasm with switchblades re-emerged when I remembered that I had stashed the leverlock knife somewhere. I found it and thought that I could repair it. Well, last weekend I took the scales off, disassembled the knife and spent about 8 hours grinding and filing a ridicilously large chunk of spring steel. When I was finnished, I had me a new lever spring(?). On sunday I made new scales (since the old ones were damged beyond repair) and assembled the knife and flicked it open. To my amazement it worked like it did the day I got it. Hurrah! The knife rose from the ashes like the Phoenix! The knife looked good and worked fine.
...for a while anyway. On monday morning I heard a disgusting -crunch- when I closed the blade as I was going to work. Nope, the leverspring(?) was fine. The kick spring wasn't. It was broken. Seems that the patch my knife was from suffered from severe heattreat problems. Now I just have to decide wether to ditch the whole back spring/kick spring -assembly (one piece) and make a new one, or to modify the existing back spring to accept a new kick spring (something similar to mikov's).
Sorry for the long post. I just needed to get this repair episode off my system
-mr
p.s. I can post pics of the process if anyone's interested...
I've been lurking around since I found this site a couple of months ago.
I've been interested in edged weapons for as long as I can remember. I have been making Puukko-knives, swords and other sharp pointy things as a hobby for about 6 years. Mostly while I was studying industrial design...
My first contact with switchblades (apart from movies) was when my older brother bough one from Hungary. I must have been something like 7 years old. It was a beautiful italian stiletto with brass bolsters and wallnut scales. Since automatics were nearly impossible to get in Finland (they still are) the knife was somewhat mystical. Sadly my bro sold the knife to someone few yars later. I got my first autoknife back in -94 when a friend of mine brought me one from germany. It was a stainless bolstered leverlock with shell pullers and rosewood (I think) scales. I didn't know such things even existed... It was a nice knfe but the leverspring (? the thingy with the lever attached to it...) broke in two from the middle of the pin hole. Since then I have had two stilettos (one bad and one goodish) but I have been somewhat indifferent about them. I have been more focused with traditional finnish knives and medieval weaponry.
My enhusiasm with switchblades re-emerged when I remembered that I had stashed the leverlock knife somewhere. I found it and thought that I could repair it. Well, last weekend I took the scales off, disassembled the knife and spent about 8 hours grinding and filing a ridicilously large chunk of spring steel. When I was finnished, I had me a new lever spring(?). On sunday I made new scales (since the old ones were damged beyond repair) and assembled the knife and flicked it open. To my amazement it worked like it did the day I got it. Hurrah! The knife rose from the ashes like the Phoenix! The knife looked good and worked fine.
...for a while anyway. On monday morning I heard a disgusting -crunch- when I closed the blade as I was going to work. Nope, the leverspring(?) was fine. The kick spring wasn't. It was broken. Seems that the patch my knife was from suffered from severe heattreat problems. Now I just have to decide wether to ditch the whole back spring/kick spring -assembly (one piece) and make a new one, or to modify the existing back spring to accept a new kick spring (something similar to mikov's).
Sorry for the long post. I just needed to get this repair episode off my system
-mr
p.s. I can post pics of the process if anyone's interested...
Re: Hello and a repair project
Wellcome to the forum, and yes please post pictures. We would be interested in them.
Jim
Jim
Re: Hello and a repair project
Ok.
Here's a pictorial about the process.
Here's a pictorial about the process.
- Attachments
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- Disassembly - I left the pivot pin in place
- IMG_0875.JPG (46.14 KiB) Viewed 6583 times
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- The One That Was Broken
- IMG_0867.JPG (28.71 KiB) Viewed 6580 times
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- The before shot
- IMG_0865.JPG (44.8 KiB) Viewed 6579 times
Re: Hello and a repair project
Dang. Messed up the order...
Anyways
-mr
Anyways
-mr
- Attachments
-
- Shaping the replacement piece...
- IMG_0886.JPG (58.91 KiB) Viewed 6573 times
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- Forgot to take a pic before peening the piece back in...
- IMG_0889.JPG (50.64 KiB) Viewed 6573 times
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- Shaping the scales...
- IMG_0892.JPG (61.14 KiB) Viewed 6571 times
Re: Hello and a repair project
...and the finale.
As you can see, the result is not perfect, since one pin bent, and the scales are a tad too thick... And they don't fit perfectly. Nevertheless I was quite happy with the result.
Until it broke I mean...
I hope someone finds this useful, though. I mean, it can be done with a minimum of tools and a handful of patience. I only used a small angle grinder (one with a 115mm disc), couple of files and a dremel. Plus sandpaper, ofcource. And I'm not all that patient
-mr
As you can see, the result is not perfect, since one pin bent, and the scales are a tad too thick... And they don't fit perfectly. Nevertheless I was quite happy with the result.
Until it broke I mean...
I hope someone finds this useful, though. I mean, it can be done with a minimum of tools and a handful of patience. I only used a small angle grinder (one with a 115mm disc), couple of files and a dremel. Plus sandpaper, ofcource. And I'm not all that patient
-mr
- Attachments
-
- Two pins away from done...
- IMG_0894.JPG (48.35 KiB) Viewed 6559 times
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- Done.
- IMG_0905.JPG (46.07 KiB) Viewed 6558 times
Re: Hello and a repair project
Nice job of bringing that ol' boy back to life.
Cut
Cut
Re: Hello and a repair project
Nice job, welcome to the forum.
I know that sound; when a spring breaks. Hate when that happens.
Tom
I know that sound; when a spring breaks. Hate when that happens.
Tom
Is it...Tomorrow....Or just the end of time?
- whippersnapper
- Posts: 8401
- Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:39 pm
- Location: Michigan
Re: Hello and a repair project
Welcome aboard
Re: Hello and a repair project
welcome!!!
tryker
tryker
- Guitars and Blades
- Posts: 774
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:36 pm
- Location: People's Republic of NJ
Re: Hello and a repair project
Welcome.
I actually like the new sacles you put on that ll. Very cool.
I'm sure you'll get it done. You certainly have enough guys around here to help you.
G&B
I actually like the new sacles you put on that ll. Very cool.
I'm sure you'll get it done. You certainly have enough guys around here to help you.
G&B
Steel strings and steel springs...what could be better?
Re: Hello and a repair project
welcome ,good job on the knife,I really hate when that happens,the sound of the spring brakeing give you a sick feeling.
Re: Hello and a repair project
welcome to the forum.
Nice job on the repair. sorry about the kick spring , but set it aside and when the mood hits ya ,make a new one and you'll be set for another 50 yrs or so.
Nice job on the repair. sorry about the kick spring , but set it aside and when the mood hits ya ,make a new one and you'll be set for another 50 yrs or so.
Re: Hello and a repair project
Thanks all.
I guess I'll just make a new spring. IMHO it doesn't make sence modifying the old spring after all, since the tempering is obviously flawed.
Until I get to it I just might order a brand new one... If I ever get over my Fear-Of-Ordering-Stuff-From-The-Internet, I mean...
-mr
I guess I'll just make a new spring. IMHO it doesn't make sence modifying the old spring after all, since the tempering is obviously flawed.
Until I get to it I just might order a brand new one... If I ever get over my Fear-Of-Ordering-Stuff-From-The-Internet, I mean...
-mr