Thread: A little advice please

I have a Boker with MOP tang that I am going to restore, I wonder if anyone can tell me the safest way to remove the MOP so that I can polish the blade? it is held on with 3 pins, and I have not investigated any further for fear of damaging the beautiful Pearl
Many many Thanks Ralfy

Work around it if it was me.

Ralfy, my friend, unfortunately I suspect the MOP is already broken. Looking at the photo I see a not too healthy the pivot pin, it would appear the previous owner replaced the pin, and considering how delicate The MOP, if he had a heavy hand. Also I see a dark line in the MOP near the pivot, it may very well be just a line, but considering the condition of the pivot pin…
If the MOP is damaged all is not lost, a crack or brake can be easily mended and you would never know it was… but you don’t want it shattered.

The MOP covers are held by pins and are smaller than the ones used at the pivot and wedge… the pin goes through the MOP and a hole in the steel to the other side. The pin is not welded to the steel but is simply preened on both sides to hold the covers.

Drill them out is the best way I know with a drill press, a 3/64” bit and lots of patience to slowly drill out the pin. The mop will come off as it is not usually glued in.
However the problem is not getting them off in one piece, it is putting them on after cleaning up the steel. You will need pins of the same size (about the size of a jumbo paperclip) and you will have to re- preen them, and that’s where the problems lies, the pins need to be cut at just the right length and pinned flush with the covers, but the hammer will most likely hit the covers and damage them.

Eek! the line in the photo is just a line, however the job of working those tiny pins (there is 3) sounds rather like that of de-fusing an unexploded bomb!
Proceed with extreme caution is the way I believe, I shall try to clean the tang with the covers in place and if that fails then I may just have to get my tiny tiny drills out.

Thank you so very much chaps.

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

I would recommend send it to someone experienced in restoration who will have the required tools to remove the MOP and polish up the blade, then reassemble it.

Or as Jimmy said, work around it.

Good luck.

I have the tools and can polish with the best of them, I do however have no experience what so ever with mop, I did intend to remove the MOP and turn some silver nickel pins to refit it after the blade is polished, but I will see, I may well end up working around it if I can get the edge of the tang clean enough

Thank you again gentlemen

Originally Posted by smythe

Ralfy, my friend, unfortunately I suspect the MOP is already broken. Looking at the photo I see a not too healthy the pivot pin, it would appear the previous owner replaced the pin, and considering how delicate The MOP, if he had a heavy hand. Also I see a dark line in the MOP near the pivot, it may very well be just a line, but considering the condition of the pivot pin…

Cedric My friend you unfortunately have a good eye, indeed the line is a crack, all is far from lost I know, just thought I should point out your extreme observation skills