Canadian Clasp Knife-Salvage Project.

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:04 am

Hello everyone
I think this is my second post here. Last week I got a very rusted Canadian WWII Era Clasp Knife. My Girlfriend bought it for me as an early Birthday gift. I knew what condition it was in before I told her I wanted it. It has no markings except for "M. S. Ltd. XX" on the tang of the main blade and a faint service number stamped on one side of the grips. There is no date, no "C Broad Arrow" or anything like that. The ony way I know it is Canadian is seeing other Canadian WWII era Clasp knives. The major problem so far is one of the springs broke. I have seen another thread in this section with someone else having the same problem. I had taken the knife apart and cleaned it up, fairly certain I can put it back together. However, I'm not so sure about making a replacement spring (would like to replace both whilst it is apart already), I'm living in an apartment in Toledo, Ohio, I would not want to try heating steel in this enviroment...LOL.

Has anyone here ever had somebody make replacement springs?, and if so was it expensive to have somebody do the work?

If this works, here is a photo of the knife when I got it.
Mark

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:07 am

Here is the knife after a bit of cleaning up, along with the chunk of spring that broke.
Mark

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:09 am

Another view of broken spring.

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:13 am

After taking it apart.

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:20 am

And now, how the knife looks in it's present state. A bit more cleaned up. This is my first project like this. I would rather say I am salvaging the knife as instead of using the word "restoring". It will never be a collectors item, it has some pitting, etc., but I like it and have wanted Canadian Clasp Knife for a while now.
Mark

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:20 am

hey mark, that's case xx metal stamping ltd. rigger's knife made for the canadian mil. good luck on the spring.

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 4:36 pm

you're best betwould be to find a knife maker nearby who can make and temper the springs. He could use the current spring as a template to make two new springs.

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:07 am

All right, I'm living in Toledo, Ohio, so if anyone knows of someone in this area that could help, please let me know. Meanwhile I will do some checking on my own, I might know a few people that could point me in the right direction. I can't wait to see this knife put back together...LOL.
Mark

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Thu Dec 13, 2007 6:43 am

hey mark, a bit more about your knife. case bought the pictou cutlery co., pictou, nova scotia in 1948. case metal stampings, ltd. was the stamp. made primarily for the canadian and brittish navy. some had the brittish navy stamp applied to the marlin spike. one without the mark is more rare. closed in 1952, not enough workers during fishing season.

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:48 am

All right, I spoke with the gunsmith at work today (I'm working at a sporting goods store), he told me to bring the knife with good and broken spring in tomarrow and we will try to make a replacement pair and get this back together. Hopefully I can post a "now" photo soon.
Mark

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 6:51 pm

Hi Tomcat. I believe your knife is made shortly after WWII (1948-49). As johnnie suggested, this knife was made by W.R. Case & Sons of Canada ltd in Pictou N.S. Interesting, it still has the old style tin opener where as the British had phased this out pre WWII. If you are patient, we could probaly find another example with an intact spring for you so you could replace it with an original part.

s-k

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 3:48 am

If it is actually a Post-WWII made knife, that is not that big of a deal. In a way that is good, this way I can actually use it and not feel too bad, granted for the shape it was in when I got it...LOL.

I spoke with my gunsmith friend and he thinks by next week he should have the replacement springs ready to be fitted. I'd rather use a set of newly made springs instead of chopping up another knife, I'll give a report once we get this all sorted out. Anyway, this was an early Christmas gift, so I have not spent anything on it...yet...LOL.
Mark

TomcatPC · Post by **TomcatPC** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:06 am

All right, my attempts to get this knife back together have been frustrating to say the least. The springs I tried to make do not seem to be working out. That coupled with the fact that working in a small apartment with no actuall work area and that are not making things easy...LOL.

I would love to have this knife back together, not perfect of course, but to the point that it is complete and can be used for it's intended purpose. I don't plan on using it everyday, but would like to know it can be used.

If anyone can help me out here, that would be totally awesome! If anyone is near Toledo, Ohio that would be even better, but if I have to send it somewhere, that is fine also. So if you can help me out, please let me know.

Thank You
Mark

dianablange · Post by **dianablange** » Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:02 am

Hello! My son bought me the same knife at a garage sale. It needs to be restored. Nothing broken but rusty throughout. HOW DO I TAKE IT APART to get rust off all parts please? MS Ltd xx knife

C-WADE7 · Post by **C-WADE7** » Thu Apr 03, 2025 11:20 am

dianablange wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:02 am Hello! My son bought me the same knife at a garage sale. It needs to be restored. Nothing broken but rusty throughout. HOW DO I TAKE IT APART to get rust off all parts please? MS Ltd xx knife

Welcome to AAPK. We would love to see some pictures of the knife you have to give advice. You have posted on a 17 year old thread that was never completed so you will likely get little replies. I recommend starting a thread in the Case knife section or in the knife repair section and see what people have to say.

Mumbleypeg · Post by **Mumbleypeg** » Thu Apr 03, 2025 2:14 pm

dianablange wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:02 am Hello! My son bought me the same knife at a garage sale. It needs to be restored. Nothing broken but rusty throughout. HOW DO I TAKE IT APART to get rust off all parts please? MS Ltd xx knife

Welcome to AAPK. Depending on the condition of course, but most old knives do not have to be disassembled to clean them. As Wade already said some pictures of the knife will help assess its condition. You can find instructions for posting pictures here viewforum.php?f=98 in the Tips & Tricks forum. Also if you scroll through to the second or third page of that forum there is a post with link to posts about cleaning knives. viewtopic.php?t=65391

Your knife was made by Case (at the time they operated a factory in Canada) so in the Case Collectors forum here you will find more about it and pictures of others like it.

Ken

cody6268 · Post by **cody6268** » Thu Apr 03, 2025 2:38 pm

dianablange wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:02 am Hello! My son bought me the same knife at a garage sale. It needs to be restored. Nothing broken but rusty throughout. HOW DO I TAKE IT APART to get rust off all parts please? MS Ltd xx knife

Just get some Evaporust and throw it in there. I've found it works pretty well, even on pocketknives.

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