Multitool.org Forum
Tool Talk => Swiss Army Knights Forum => Topic started by: petey.grizz on July 13, 2022, 02:03:04 AM
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So I just received this old timer. It’s in pretty rough shape. Scales loose with cracks/chips, backspring for opening layer broken/missing, has a bolt for the one pivot. You know, the usual stuff. The important thing is that it still exists and that the tools and parts are intact and in good order.
The plan:
Tomorrow I will break it down completely. Then I will be planing the back of the scales followed by filling the holes and gaps with epoxy with a pigment added mixed with charcoal to match the old surface. I will then reassemble, likely with washers at each end, birdseye rivets, reassemble. I have a spring that will work perfectly. I’m going to upload pics and update as I progress over the next few days.
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Great stuff Petey will look forward to seeing the results :tu:
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I'm in for the ride. :popcorn:
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I'm in for the ride. :popcorn:
+1
:popcorn: :popcorn:
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I would love to see some "in progress" pics in addition to the finished product if that's possible!
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Ok so for day two I am working on disassembly and cleaning. This knife is filthy there is so much gunk in every possible crevice that must be cleaned well for everything to fit properly. I have the new spring, which is from the opening layer of a later Tinker Small. Appears that it should work without much if any modification. It’s the same thickness and shape just might need some minor work to the tangs. :twak:
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All the parts after light cleaning. I will be polishing them all anyway so it wasn’t important to get them perfectly clean, mostly just get the chunky stuff off.
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Sanding the parts smooth. Getting any rough spots out, and flattening the liners. I’m not going to fully polish the liners, I want them to maintain an old, distressed appearance but operate and feel smooth.
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So I made new pins and have everything assembled. Pretty happy with how it’s going. Tomorrow I will start on the scales because that’s when my epoxy arrives.
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It's really interesting to see it all disassembled and coming back together.
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Nice project, Pete. Looking forward to seeing the final assembly!
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It's really interesting to see it all disassembled and coming back together.
Thanks. I’m glad you’re following along. I am now waiting for the epoxy and color to arrive. HobieonYouTube did this with epoxy and redwood dust, but I am going to try and use eyebrow powder. I have two shades that are both very close looking, one lighter, one darker, that I think mixed together and possibly with some charcoal added will get me to the right color. I have to do a couple of test mixes first and see what the color looks like dry then adjust. Kinda boring but I really want to keep the original scales if at all possible. If not, I will be using either grey vulcanized fiber, which would look amazing, or a red micarta that is the same red as cellidor scales and would also look awesome. That’s only if I cannot make the scales not only work on the knife but also feel solid and like they would hold up to actual use.
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Great work, Petey! :like: :like:
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Great work, Petey! :like: :like:
Thanks. Still has a way to go but it’s gonna be great. :hatsoff:
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Good job !
It would be nice if you posted bigger pictures.
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Good job !
It would be nice if you posted bigger pictures.
Sure I’ll try the larger size next time. Have had problems in the past with them being over the allowed size so I’m in the habit of uploading the small version.
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Bigger pics. Let’s see if they come thru.
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I tried to keep them in order with the above posts. This is the large size because the original size would be too big to upload.
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Thank you for sharing the pictures of your progress. I am really enjoying following along. :like: :tu: :tu:
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Great looking project there Petey. Very much looking forward to seeing how this progresses. :cheers:
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Here is a video of progress so far. Did best I could to try and explain the steps. Right now I am working on getting the color of the epoxy right to repair the scales so it might be a few days before another update so please bear with me. Restoration of a 1923 84mm Victorinox Swiss Army Knife
https://youtu.be/HsTSGrc-EC8 (http://Restoration of a 1923 84mm Victorinox Swiss Army Knife
https://youtu.be/HsTSGrc-EC8)
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So the new spring caused some minor issues. The tension was weak on one of the tools on that layer and the sd closed to low in the handle. To fix this I had to grind about a mm off the end of the spring and give a very subtle bend to it to get everything working.
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Thank you for documenting this. Looking great so far. I couldn't open your link so I added it so others can see.
https://youtu.be/HsTSGrc-EC8
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Thank you for documenting this. Looking great so far. I couldn't open your link so I added it so others can see.
Thank you Aloha! :cheers:
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Sure I’ll try the larger size next time. Have had problems in the past with them being over the allowed size so I’m in the habit of uploading the small version.
Much better ! :tu:
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Thanks, Aloha! :hatsoff:
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:hatsoff: So my slabs of red burlap micarta arrived last night. Today I am rough shaping the scales. Once the shape is done I will hand sand and sculpt the top of the scales and round off the edges. I cut the slab to the length of the scales then cut that right down the middle lengthwise which gave me two rectangles about the size of the scales. Then I later liners on and drilled the wholes and held in place with pins and used a cut off wheel and sanding drum to cut off the excess. The rest will be all done by hand with sandpaper.
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So I put the scales on to finish shaping the scales. Once I got it roughly where I wanted it, I peened the pins. Now I will file them down flush and do a final sanding and polish.
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a little bit of mineral oil on the scales will make them darker and look sexier.
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a little bit of mineral oil on the scales will make them darker and look sexier.
Good tip! I just finished sanding then cleaned and oiled the scales and it looks great now. Works great too. [ This attachment cannot be displayed inline in 'Print Page' view ]
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So here is how it came out. I still have some work to do on the blades and a few details but it’s basically done. Notice that I swapped the bail to the other end so there is no way to close the blade on it. Everything moves great and has good snap. Very happy with the results. Thanks to everyone who followed along. :salute:
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This looks amazing!
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This looks amazing!
Thanks :hatsoff:
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I would make that a regular carry because it doesn't have heavy collectible value and can be carried without worry and actually be used. You may be able to route a cross in the scales and put the cross in it from the original scales you have. That looks good and must have been a lot of work.
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That was my thoughts exactly. I may work the cross into these scales. There are still a few rough edges to work on but I’m going to give it a break for a while and enjoy using it.
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Looks fantastic!
:like:
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This turned out really nice. Glad you will carry and enjoy. I'm sure it feels great to have this old fella back in action.
Thank you for documenting this.
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:iagree: great stuff! :like: :like:
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So I did some more touch up work today. Mostly just evened up the scales a bit. Carrying it last night a lent it to my buddy when he needed a cap lifter and he was blown away that it is nearly 100 years old. I have made a bunch of customs and repaired many others in the last few months and this was the biggest project to date. Making scales is a whole new area I look forward to exploring. I am working on a Sm. Climber with LNF now so maybe I’ll do a thread on those repairs if anyone cares to see it.
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Fin.
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100 years and counting. That is a heck of a survivor thanks to you and all those hands its been in over the past century. I love to think about a knifes journey to me. What its seen and done and by whom. The original purchaser/owner and their excitement upon getting it.
I for one would love to see another documented rehab.
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Yes, please!
I am working on a Sm. Climber with LNF now so maybe I’ll do a thread on those repairs if anyone cares to see it.
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Great thread and great result - Thanks so much Petey for taking us on your journey and documenting this so well.
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Love it! :tu: :hatsoff: :dd:
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So here is how it came out.
Very nice! :like: :tu: :tu:
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100 years and counting. That is a heck of a survivor thanks to you and all those hands its been in over the past century. I love to think about a knifes journey to me. What its seen and done and by whom. The original purchaser/owner and their excitement upon getting it.
I for one would love to see another documented rehab.
Thank you. That is exactly what draws me to old knives, thinking about the places they could have been and the events that transpired. This knife came from a junk drawer lot in California so it is entirely possible this was used during the war or brought back after wards. Anything is possible.
I posted a pic somewhere else and was told “that’s the worst restoration I’ve ever seen, it looks like it’s 100 year old” or something like that to which I replied thank you, that’s exactly what I was going for.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I’ll do some more threads like this in the next few weeks as I have a long list of knives to repair. :tu:
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Everyone has a comment on how something should have been done :D. To take a knife and keep it from the landfill is a deed worthy of :cheers:. If someone wants to bring it back to full glory all shiny and new :tu:. I appreciate how far you took your project.
There was a time when I polished all the character out of things. I no longe do that but I understand the thinking. To each their own path.
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I just thought it was funny. It depends on the knife there are times when I try to make them look new but when they have significant, honest wear such as these blades it looks better looking old to me.
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Just catching up on this thread mate. What a fantastic looking job. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. :tu:
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Please kind sir, may we have some more ? (Restoration threads that is )
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Please kind sir, may we have some more ? (Restoration threads that is )
I’ll start taking pics of the next project.
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I’ll start taking pics of the next project.
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: