Vintage WW2 Era Imperial Easy Open Pocket Knife Restoration

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email: [e-mail]
instagram: @357.magdad
Music:
Nathan Moore - Wager With Angels
DISCLAIMER:
My videos are intended for entertainment purposes only.
I do not recommend repeating anything you see me do in my videos that may be harmful or dangerous.
By viewing or flagging this video you are acknowledging you have read this disclaimer.
Fair Use: In the rare instance I include someone else’s footage it is covered in Fair Use for Documentary and Educational purposes with intention of driving commentary and allowing freedom of speech.

[@357magdad]

Check out Big Life's Keen Kutter hawkbill pocket knife project:
th-cam.com/video/WVjqowfCKkk/w-d-xo.html

[@upsidedowndog1256]

Wow! You did an amazing job on my grandpa's knife! I knew you would, that is why I sent them to you. His name was Michael Machul, born in 1914. He built C47s in WWII. He was a great guy and would be proud to see what you did to his knife. Thankyou for doing it Magdad!

[@Dardrum]

Your Grandpa would be very happy I am sure.

[@357magdad]

Thanks for sending my way! It was a fun project!

[@timeflysintheshop]

MAGDAD is THE MAN! 👍😀😎

[@timeflysintheshop]

He restored a RedRyder BB gun for us too!

[@upsidedowndog1256]

@@timeflysintheshop
Yes!

[@kimbishop4734]

Nice resto. Grandpa would have been proud.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Kim!

[@wayneo7307]

Another Nice Resto Job Magdad ! The Knife Came Out Nice. Great Job On Lowering The Main Blade. I Like it.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Wayne!

[@johnkelley9877]

The knife looks brand new! You really did a great job of restoring it. Thanks for sharing this.

[@357magdad]

Thanks John!

[@rawbacon]

Working on a knife project myself the past few days, first bottle ever of cold bluing delivered and used yesterday...........Took a while but your Brainwashing got the better of me and I joined the MagDad Cold Blue Cult.

[@357magdad]

I'd love to see some photos of your project! [e-mail]

[@bigvicsworkshop]

What a awesome job on a knife that had a well lived life! Very legit! I think this might be my favorite knife restoration of yours! Outstanding result Magdad!!

[@357magdad]

Wow! Thanks Vic!

[@stevewalker7822]

You never cease to amaze me to your restoration process!

[@357magdad]

Thanks Steve!

[@ivanstiles7030]

Beautiful restoration Magdad. That old knife looks awesome. Great job

[@357magdad]

Thanks Ivan!

[@805ROADKING]

Very nice Bud!!☻

[@357magdad]

Thanks RoadKing!

[@_BigLife_]

Really interesting knife. It turned out great. The lanyard loop looks factory, you did a superb job on this project as usual. Thanks for sharing.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I think the original loops were riveted, but my modified coat hanger looks OK.

[@_BigLife_]

@@357magdad it looks factory

[@rogerstlaurent8704]

Great Job Mr Magdad and Mr Chuck the old knife needed a little love to bring it back to life Too bad Imperial Knives are not made in Rhode Island anymore it's all Chinesium Butter Steel now ... Great video it was nice to see you and Mr Chuck back in the workshop take care looking out for next Sunday's video

[@357magdad]

Thanks Roger! My frustration with imported knives and their horrible stainless steel blades got me into vintage pocket knives with carbon steel blades!

[@larrydemaar409]

That was a wonderful transformation. I like the idea of the reproduce and opening a sharpening nitch near the bolster. I wonder if the old pocket knives were over sharpened by using a motorized kitchen knife sharpener for ease of sharpening. Looks beautiful, well done!

[@upsidedowndog1256]

It was sharpened on a bench grinder. His daughter, my mother, still refers to them as knife sharpeners. He even had a pedal powered stone!

[@357magdad]

Thanks Larry! Unfortunately I see a lot of old pocket knives at the sales that have been exposed to the bench grinder.

[@r.tomrobison8307]

Nice work surprising what some thought elbow grease can do.

[@357magdad]

ScoutCrafter has his 50/50 and I have a big can of elbow grease!

[@andyc972]

Thanks Magdad, you did a great job there bringing that knife back to being a decent daily user !
Sadly my Grandad's knife is beyond saving, a single blade Lambfoot, but the blade is less than the secondary blade on this knife so it is just my Daisy grubber for the lawn now. Farmers are hard on tools, but I'm glad to still have something he used day to day, he passed almost exactly 45 years ago.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Andy! I'm glad you still have his knife!

[@beerdrinker6452]

Tremendous video. I have an ever growing pile of old Japanese pocket knives. Barlowesqe. Most are battered and bruised. Your video gives me so many ideas to make them functional again. Thank you.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I cleaned up a vintage Japanese Sabre pocket knife and I was impressed with the quality of the steel.

[@vanislescotty]

What? No history of the Imperial Knife Company? Lol. Great video as always. I lways learn something from your videos. Thank you.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I'll have to include some history next time!

[@jackthompson2132]

Awesome job Magdad! I’m sure your friend will appreciate it. Thank You for sharing 😃

[@357magdad]

Thanks Jack! He left a really nice comment about his grandfather.

[@gayle525]

It’s a very good looking little knife. I love to see you and Chuck flitzing the knife. Keep up the great work Magdad. You rock.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Gayle! Chuck loves his Flitz!

[@johnmccloskey8761]

Love old pocket knives. You always do an amazing job cleaning and fixing them up.

[@357magdad]

Thanks John! I do too! You can't beat an old carbon steel blade!

[@ScoutCrafter]

Absolutely fantastic! Looks amazing! 😃👍

[@357magdad]

Thanks ScoutCrafter!

[@alexstools]

Outstanding! Strange to think most of the old tools we buy used to belong to somebodies grandfather onces.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Alex! Unfortunately I do not think our grandchildren will appreciate old stuff like we do.

[@rollerbald]

Great makeover MagDad! Nicely done. Best regards, Bill.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Bill!

[@guataco]

Common sense and skills. Great combo.

[@357magdad]

Thank you!

[@lv_woodturner3899]

Very nice job on the cleanup and restoration. Good for a second life now. Sad that it was so aggressively sharpened over the decades.
Dave.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Dave! I see a lot of knifes at the sales that have been ruined by the grinder.

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

Very nice restoration and I learned how to lower the old blade on one of my old pocket knives. Thanks

[@357magdad]

Thanks! Give a try!

[@davidcoats1037]

Great job Magdad! Ready for another 100 years of EDC 😃👍🏼

[@357magdad]

Thanks David! It would be a good little EDC!

[@tonylenge424]

Nicely done! Good idea on the lanyard loop

[@357magdad]

Thanks Tony! The original loop was riveted, but I think my improvise coat hanger looks OK.

[@patjohnson3100]

Restoring an old pocket knife is something I have never done, but I can certainly appreciate it when a good restoration is done by someone else. Good job, especially with the worn blades. That would seem to me to be the diciest part of a knife restoration because you can't get back metal that has been ground away over the years. Those blades are sharp and usable again.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Pat! I run into a lot of knifes with over sharpened blades at the sales. Reshaping the blades was a good challenge!

[@briansworkshop01]

Fantastic work Thanks for sharing your time and skill 🍺🍺👍👍🇬🇧

[@357magdad]

Thanks Brian!

[@johnfix1]

You are a knife wizard magdad

[@357magdad]

Thanks John! Old pocket knives are fun to clean up!

[@JarrodBWild]

I love watching an old pocket knife come back to life. Well done on the awesome job, a brilliant restoration (and thanks to Chuck for the good polish too 😉)

[@357magdad]

Thanks Jarrod! Chuck loves his Flitz!

[@chriholt]

Beautiful job! I especially liked how you reshaped the blades - they came out great.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Chris!

[@unwired1281]

As always a joy to watch and a nice outcome ‼️

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@timeflysintheshop]

Boy that was a great effort with a great result! Truly "MAG"nificent! 👍😀😎

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I was hoping it would work on the 199. Oh well...

[@terrysmith4465]

Wow, that turned out great . Thanks for sharing.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Terry!

[@joeheilm]

The loop makes all the difference. I have several similar knives, nearly all of them have been sharpened to death, or so I thought. Lots of great techniques that might help me bring some of these knives back to life. Excellent work. Cheers

[@357magdad]

I hope you can save a couple Joe!

[@kevinwilliams563]

Very nice restoration on an old classic Imperial. Those blades were pretty worn out but they look good now. The bolsters and scales look wonderful. As always a great job.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Kevin! Cleaning up old pocket knives is fun!

[@setdown2]

Maybe some people that still have their old Boy Scout pocket knife will pull them out and clean them up too...nice job by you...🖖

[@357magdad]

Thanks! Cleaning up old pocket knives is fun!

[@Dardrum]

Another great video Magdad, You do excellent work.

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@randyblackburn9765]

Great old knife

[@357magdad]

Thanks Randy!

[@jamesholmes3499]

Looks perfect to me. Thanks for bringing these old American pocket knives back to life. You're the best.
P.s. I thought those were bone handles but I could be mistaken.

[@357magdad]

Thanks James. They might be real bone.

[@williammcguire3rd]

Awesome job. Turned out very nice!!

[@357magdad]

Thanks WM3!

[@ToolsandTime]

Beautiful job MagDad! That sure came out excellent and what a cool pocketknife.

[@357magdad]

Thank you!

[@sebglayburg5163]

Hi, Magdad, your workbench looks like it has some cool history. Could you give us some backstory on its origin?

[@Dalesworkshop]

👍Great job Magdad.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Dale!

[@1962vid]

Great job on restoring the pocket knife.

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@jwrobinson2626]

Great project. Loved the replacement on the lanyard loop.

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@halcooper6059]

Wow, I thought with the worn blades, it wasn't worth restoring. I stand corrected. The loop and overall knife look awesome.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I thought reshaping the worn blades would be a good challenge.

[@shedmanx3640]

Wow buddy, you have made a new knife from that. I’m amazed at how it looks. I agree with your choice of knife tip too. I’ve seen a few channels on knives on You Tube, but you’re the best.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Shedman! Cleaning up old pocket knives is fun!

[@larryborkstrom3580]

Great save

[@357magdad]

Thanks Larry!

[@wingnutsworkshop]

Wow! That turned out great!
It may not have been that aggressive sharpening, just many, many years of normal sharpening.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! Grandpa used a bench grinder!

[@michaellindsay8934]

Beautiful restoration Magdad I like your sharpening stone and your technique of starting on an angled piece of wood. Great job

[@357magdad]

Thanks Michael! That sharpening guide came with my Tri-Hone.

[@bobhart1155]

Beautiful job! Love that style of folder.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Bob! It is a nice lookin' knife!

[@garyryman4947]

Nicely done!

[@357magdad]

Thanks Gary!

[@waynemiracle8928]

Great job MD! I think you did better than those guys over there at Case!

[@357magdad]

Thanks Wayne!

[@donscottvansandt4139]

I think a lot of what we consider over sharpening is actually just use . All my grandfather's knives are this way. Back then they used they're knives and weren't able to just buy new ... they were a daily used very important tool and appreciated and valuable part of life

[@357magdad]

These blades were exposed to a bench grinder. Maybe that was just normal practice in the 1950's.

[@donscottvansandt4139]

@@357magdad definitely not from my grandad ! It was all by hand on a whetstone. I've seen people totally mess up some good knives with a grinder. Though I do use them. It a thing that requires skill and knowledge to use.

[@garageshopminnesota]

That was a damn fine job! Great work!

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@texasj49]

Really, really great job. Absolutely EDC worthy!!

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I'm glad you like how it turned out!

[@lotsabirds]

That looks fantastic! Nice Job!😊

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@stephenkent8903]

Magdad that came out beautiful.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Stephen!

[@westhighlandsshop]

Another great video Magdad. I learned a few things on this one. When you re-profiled the blade I was wondering how you would address the gap and get the blade to sit down in the body. Excellent lanyard loop making skills!

[@357magdad]

Thanks David! That bent coat hanger came out pretty good!

[@LittleRestorers]

Great job. Looks fantastic 👌

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@glengrossnickle4985]

You always do an awesome job.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Glen!

[@liljoeii6091]

Thank you for the video very good

[@357magdad]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@frankg3072]

That was an excellent restoration! 👍👍 I just have one question - what is the reasoning for making an indentation at the back of the blade? Again, great job !

[@upsidedowndog1256]

That is a relief to make proper sharpening and honing much better and easier to do.

[@frankg3072]

@@upsidedowndog1256 thanks for the explanation.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Frank! I like to add that relief so that I don't have to sharpen all the way up to the tang.

[@fredporter]

Nice job as usual!

[@357magdad]

Thanks Fred!

[@Uwannawatch]

Nice work 👍

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@mitchjohnson4970]

Are Case knives a southern/regional product? Im from TN and almost everyone i know has several Case knives. Most of the tool restoration guys I watch are from the New England area. I've seen several knife videos, enjoyed them all, but I have seen any Case knives in them.
Restomod turned out great.

[@357magdad]

Thanks for watching Mitch! Case knives are very collectible, so I don't usually run into them in my price range (cheap) as the sales. I do have a Case knife video:
th-cam.com/video/llahl_DTzBg/w-d-xo.html

[@TheCleric42]

Nice job on the knife. My Dad kept his knife in much better shape, but it doesn’t have a clip or lanyard, so it disappears into my pocket.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I'm not a big fan of lanyard loops, I would probably remove it to carry.

[@ColsTiger]

Love the videos. How did you get the lanyard loop so shiny? It looked like you were using a brass colored coat hanger to make it, and then it’s stainless steel, silver when attached.

[@357magdad]

The coat hanger had a yellow plastic coating on it. Sanding took it off. I used scrubby wheels in my Dremel to get it ready for Flitz.

[@ihrescue]

I like Imperial knives and what a shame there was such brutal sharpening. You really improved that knife.

[@357magdad]

I see a lot of over sharpened blades at the sales. It was a good challenge reshaping the blades.

[@user-dc2fw9jd3v]

Great job. Did I notice that you were wearing an ESD wrist strap while sanding the blades?

[@357magdad]

The anti static bracelet keeps my 1x30 machine from zapping me. Check out my video on it:
th-cam.com/video/BhnCBtXmZSY/w-d-xo.html

[@johnmclaurin]

Great job! Is that CRC Degreaser any good?

[@357magdad]

I've used it on a couple projects now. I like the low odor, but I think mineral spirits works better.

[@FidelCashflow_YT]

I have one that looks exactly like that. Except it has a bowtie shield and black plastic handles.
Says Imperial Prov RI, all I found is that they stamped their knives that way from 1936-55. So it's old, just dont know exactly how old.

[@357magdad]

Vintage pocket knives are the best!

[@johntraxler2505]

Are the "conditioning" belts on the bolsters the same sanding belts as for the blades 120-1000 grit?

[@357magdad]

I used sanding belts on my 1x30 down to 1000 grit on the blades. I used my Red Label conditioning belts on the bolsters. I have a video on them:
th-cam.com/video/-txSVOHgptA/w-d-xo.html

[@johntraxler2505]

Thank you very much!@@357magdad

[@douglaskerr6813]

I don't know if the newer generation men still carry a pocket knive anymore .Growing up the men and some women carried pocket knives I've carried a one for years even when I was in the army and haven't stopped yet .I think when they throw that first shovel full of dirt on my box I'd still have on in my pocket

[@357magdad]

My Barlow is in my pocket every day!

[@MrMultitool]

I have a Remmington pocket knife with a broken spring. Would You be interested in repairing it?

[@357magdad]

Sorry, I do not have the skills to repair a broken spring.

[@MrMultitool]

I appreciate your honesty. Maybe some day I'll find someone that can.

[@357magdad]

@@MrMultitool Check out Olde Towne Cutlery.

[@timeflysintheshop]

Was that your first video with so much background music? Generally I am not a big fan of background music, but if it is done well it is ok. This was never loud enough behind your voice to make it hard to understand you, but the relatively frequent changes in the volume of the background music is a little distracting.

[@357magdad]

We add music all the time!

[@timeflysintheshop]

Maybe the music has just been less prominent that in this video? Or maybe I am just getting old! :(@@357magdad

[@357magdad]

@@timeflysintheshop Listen for some irish music in next week's episode!😉🍀

[@timeflysintheshop]

@@357magdad uh oh! Will there be a little Leprechaun friend with chuck? 🤔😉

[@sebglayburg5163]

Hi, Magdad, your workbench looks like it has some cool history. Could you give us some backstory on its origin?

[@357magdad]

It was my dad's. We had a neighbor that would clean out old schools. I think it might have been from him.