Total Members Voted: 23
Its tricky its a rare knife ... any chance of a shot of the blade and the tang stampGenerally I am all for fixing broken tools but not sure how many of this model are left ....first one I have seen
Good point zoidberg, it would give it a second life Sparky i'm not usually one for patina but that one has a charm all of it's own
I've voted for a sympathetic restore. If you feel your skills might not be up to all of the tasks, there is always the option to enlist some help. I'm reasonably sure some of the forum members here are able and willing. (Not me though, my willingness is offset by my having far too little experience ).
To me the issue is not about losing the original pins, it's about being able to peen it back shut without damaging the scales which are in excellent condition.I think If you're able to do that then you definitely should try and straighten it back to a usable shape.If you risk damaging the scales, I think you should leave it alone.The question of Theseus' ship comes to mind. In collector terms, the untouched original will always be more valuable. In knife-lover terms, a usable knife is better than a broken piece. If minimal changes are required to bring it back into action, i think they should be done as long as you keep the original "figurehead of the ship".Also, to be more specific, "Coutellerie Suisse", seldom accompanied by "Courtetelle" (location) and/or "P Boéchat" (for Paul), was the original name of what became Wenger. I don't believe there are other brands that became Wenger.
Thanks Borg, that one is 100 years old (well at least 99 years) I carry and love using itGood luck whatever you decide to do