All About Pocket Knives

Let me start by saying I am real new at this pocket knife thing. I am primarily a gun guy, also traditional bows and have always loved knives as well. I have a modest collection of older pocket knives, that I don't tinker with much. Make a long story short, I found the blade assy for a P. Holmberg barrel knife at an estate sale. Not in the best of shape, but still functional. My question is how does one go about building the handle part. I searched a lot and have found very little. Can someone point me in the right direction?

You might have to buy an intact one, to really study it. I have one...and play around with restoring more "traditional" folders...but the metal work, on the ends of the wooden barrel, looks like it would take some pretty precise measurements and machining, to make it work and latch properly.

I have seen a few of these and have always wanted one.....just "because" I guess....
The "bolsters" on the end of the barrel are made in 2 parts (at least on this one).. It looks to me like the latch works like a muzzle loader patch box with a sliding cover. (Do you understand what I mean by this?).... The latch on yours looks to be broken off or missing. It should be part of the spring. There is a "step" in the spring that makes it latch into a slot in the handle metal piece. Here is a few pics of one I saw and saved the pics. Maybe you can get an idea of how it works from this. These are pretty good views showing most of the pieces.......
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You can see on this one where the finial is on the handle, that is where there is a knurled part of the spring sticking out. To extract the blade and liners, you would pinch the lock and the finial together and this action would unlock the blade and liner so it could be extracted. Then, after the blade is opened, just put the blade and liner back inside the barrel.
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My intent.... "one of these days"...LOL... is to made one of these for myself.
Good luck with your project!

Doc B wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 11:51 pm You might have to buy an intact one, to really study it. I have one...and play around with restoring more "traditional" folders...but the metal work, on the ends of the wooden barrel, looks like it would take some pretty precise measurements and machining, to make it work and latch properly.

I agree with Doc B. But it does look like a very interesting design. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-P-Holm ... Swat9ekibS
Perhaps if you keep looking you might find an auction for just the barrel part, or a broken one, or maybe Eskilstuna sells them separately and you can order just the handle. Good luck!

More thinking out loud here....
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You could probably make the handle in 2 pieces so you could form the storage chamber to be in a rectangle instead of just drilling a hole through a dowel to make the inner chamber. This would make the blade and liners fit a lot better (I would think)..
If I were to make one of these, I would want the cross section of the handle to be more oval than round..... I have no idea if that is "traditional" or not.

Again.... good luck!... please show us what you come up with.

Here is a quick sketch I did that might explain better how I seeing it work.....
If you can understand my scratching.....LOL
. Maybe others will help refine my thoughts and we will ALL know how to make one!

OH....I didn't see your link Herb.
Yep, I think that knife is missing the "step" piece that latches the blade mechanism in the handle.
Maybe it is a square piece of metal that is riveted through that hole in the spring..(??)
Here... I fixed my sketch.... Those are some good pics showing some better views of the handle for sure.

Thanks for all the ideas. This version did not have a step on the spring to latch, but a hole with a pin (missing). I doubt a handle could be found, but who knows. I may try the two piece approach.

After looking at all the pictures of the knives on the bay, I saw one that showed how this version latches. There is a pin that protrudes on the inside that fits in the hole in the spring. They also seem to be a bit pricey, at least as far as asking price. Thinking maybe put this in the classifieds and let someone else with more talent attempt to complete it.

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:14 pm Here is a quick sketch I did that might explain better how I seeing it work.....
If you can understand my scratching.....LOL
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latch mechanism.JPG

Maybe others will help refine my thoughts and we will ALL know how to make one!

Mike, I love your diagrams. And, I get the impression that you are itching to make one of these, and I have a hunch that you are certainly up to the task! I also thought the ones I looked at this morning, did seem a bit pricey.

herbva wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2020 5:23 pm
Mike, I love your diagrams. And, I get the impression that you are itching to make one of these, and I have a hunch that you are certainly up to the task! I also thought the ones I looked at this morning, did seem a bit pricey.

Thanks Herb...
I was a draftsman for 45 years.... I started with a pencil and straight edge and went all the way to 3D modeling before I decided I had enough of that!....LOL.
Yep, I have had that project in the back of my mind for a while. I think the design of those knives is really cool. That is why I wanted to make one..... "just because" I recon.....LOL.