An old tool to mend a broken hilt ...

[Sir Gadabout]

Hi all

Thought you might like to hear a nice twist to mending my broken Graflex CE ... the button blade-retaining bolt stripped with the nut fully in and the blade out ...

So I masked the hilt to avoid scratches and cut a slot in the stripped nut with a hacksaw.

The only screwdriver fine enough to fit the slot was an old ( British) War Department screwdriver dated 1939. My great-uncle had a set as a mechanic in the RAF during that war. So it could have been used to work on fighters as he was based on a fighter station. The stuck nut turned and I replaced it with the bigger socket nut so I hope not to be there again.

Nice that an old warrior's tool worked for this ( clumsy) new apprentice .

Have a good one and may the force be with you ... always.

[Dauntless Seven]

Hi.  Nice generational family story.  That saber is really more yours now.  I think there should be a topic started for all the useful things that members use for our sabers.  Objects like tools that aren't routinely thought of that fit the need.  Here's a light side point. 

[Sir Gadabout]

Thanks for the kind words Dauntless. It was really rewarding to fix the issue, and a bonus to dust off an old tool as the best tool for the job.

I forgot to say BIG thanks to Emory for his wise advice on how to approach it and the spec for the replacement socket head - Thank You boss, gave me the confidence to try it. I was afraid of scratching the hilt but masked it up pretty well and am now back in business!