Looking for advice on rehabbing an old Benchmade Emerson 975 CQC-7...

[Icer]

I recently found an old, beatup Benchmade 975 in my mother-in-law's garage. She found it in her travels somewhere and gave it to me last week.
The black ATS-34, serrated blade is pretty beat up and it's missing three screws and either a standoff or a proper length backspacer. The backspacer on it now appears to be shorter than what was on it originally from the factory and part of it may have broken off at some point. It was held together with rubber coated wire when I found it but now has a parachute cord lanyard keeping everything in place.
Otherwise it's not too bad. The G-10 scales and titanium liners are actually in fairly good shape.
I'd like to bring it back to life but parts for the 970 and 975 are no longer available from Benchmade. They will however resharpen the blade with their Lifesharp service which I will take advantage of.
My question is where can I find screws and standoff's, or a proper length backspacer, for this model 975? Maybe a new washer set as well.
Is any company making aftermarket parts for these knives?
Would Emerson parts work on this Benchmade or is their enough difference in scale width and screw threading on their CQC-7 version that this isn't an option?
Are there any popular knifesmith's I could contact who might have these spare parts sitting around in a bin on a shelf?
Other than watching EBay and posting WTB ads on knife forums are their any other options I'm forgetting?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Curtis

 

[115Italian]

I know its a Benchmade but I wonder, if you contacted Emerson knives, if they would help.

 

[AntDog]

Your best bet would be to get somebody to make you a backspacer. Any machinist worth his salt could do it with a few measurements. If you can drill and tap the holes you’ll save some and be able to put her back together. You could also always go with all standoffs. Plenty of places sell those in different sizes - you’re bound to be able to find some that fit.

That thing doesn’t look too bad at all other than the funkyness going on at the lanyard hole. I expected the blade to be much worse. I’d get that backspacer situation sorted, sharpen it up, and throw it in my pocket.

 

[Icer]

I know its a Benchmade but I wonder, if you contacted Emerson knives, if they would help.

I'll probably give them a call tomorrow to ask about whether their standoffs might be the right width. The standoffs on my Emerson Commander are a little wider than what I think I need for the BM CQC-7... .190" versus .180". Nothing that a little work on a diamond file couldn't take care of probably.
The screw pattern and number of holes on their backspacer look quite different.
I just hate to be that guy that calls a manufacturer about another manufacturer's product...

Your best bet would be to get somebody to make you a backspacer. Any machinist worth his salt could do it with a few measurements. If you can drill and tap the holes you’ll save some and be able to put her back together. You could also always go with all standoffs. Plenty of places sell those in different sizes - you’re bound to be able to find some that fit.

That thing doesn’t look too bad at all other than the funkyness going on at the lanyard hole. I expected the blade to be much worse. I’d get that backspacer situation sorted, sharpen it up, and throw it in my pocket.

When I called Benchmade and found out parts were no longer available I decided my best option was to convert it from backspacer to standoffs if no one was making an aftermarket replacement.
Unfortunately it doesn't look like the BM 970/975 has much aftermarket support. No surprise for a knife discontinued back in the '90's.
Using my micrometer it looks like I need a .180" wide standoff and .4" length screws. No idea what the thread pattern is on the G-10 scale they screw into.
Any great companies you would recommend who make standoffs and possibly screws that would fit?
Thanks!

 

[Icer]

Some good news to report...
Benchmade got back to me via their online contact form and stated that they had screws for the model 975 available and would I like them sent to me free of charge.
I'll be interested to see what shows up as the woman I talked to over the phone two days ago at Benchmade stated that there were no parts listed in inventory anymore for the 975.
Hopefully they are the proper length screws and will thread into the scale on the clip side without issue.
I'm planning on calling Emerson Knives tomorrow to see which size standoffs, large or small, will most likely work on this Benchmade CQC-7. I figure using Emerson parts will at least keep this knife true to its heritage.
I'd really prefer to carry it tip up with a deep carry pocket clip and since it won't be original anymore I figure I'll mod it the way I want it.
Are there any individuals here on the site who would be able to drill and tap the scale and liner of this knife for tip up carry? How about sharpening the serrations on the blade since Benchmade won't touch them?
Here's a shot of the knife after a good cleaning and the addition of a paracord lanyard...

 

[HaveBlue]

I have collected many 97X Series knives over the years. 97X Variations I have one 970S that was not collector quality and made it into a user. It first went to BMK for a sharping. They called me and asked if I wanted the screws replaced? Turns out over the years BMK found that threading directly into G10 did not hold up overtime. If the owner took it apart and they over tightened the screws the small g10 threads would strip. They told me they had a solution and would upgrade my knife for no-charge. At the time, the Ares was still in production. To eliminate the same issue on the Ares they had nut-certs counter sunk into the G10. That's what they did to my knife.

Fast forward a few years and I took the knife apart to clean it and the backspacer crumbled in pieces. The decades old material was effected by UV, modern cleaners etc. I took it out to BMK and as the OP stated there were no replacements. After some conversation one of the CS guys offered to cut some tubing to use as standoffs. Nothing fancy. But totally functional.

The folks that did all of this are probaly long retired from BMK. But you should be able to find someone to replicate this.
Best of luck.

 

[Icer]

I have collected many 97X Series knives over the years. 97X Variations I have one 970S that was not collector quality and made it into a user. It first went to BMK for a sharping. They called me and asked if I wanted the screws replaced? Turns out over the years BMK found that threading directly into G10 did not hold up overtime. If the owner took it apart and they over tightened the screws the small g10 threads would strip. They told me they had a solution and would upgrade my knife for no-charge. At the time, the Ares was still in production. To eliminate the same issue on the Ares they had nut-certs counter sunk into the G10. That's what they did to my knife.

Fast forward a few years and I took the knife apart to clean it and the backspacer crumbled in pieces. The decades old material was effected by UV, modern cleaners etc. I took it out to BMK and as the OP stated there were no replacements. After some conversation one of the CS guys offered to cut some tubing to use as standoffs. Nothing fancy. But totally functional.

The folks that did all of this are probaly long retired from BMK. But you should be able to find someone to replicate this.
Best of luck.

Thanks for the info!
Luckily, the threads on my G10 scale are in great shape. I'm hoping that the screws Benchmade is sending will be the correct size and thread.
If they are, my plan is to use filed to correct width Emerson standoffs. I may have to have the internal threads removed to allow the screws to work.
Otherwise I may countersink the clip side scale to match the other and use all Emerson parts.
Your solution, or having a new backspacer made up, could also be eventual options for me if the other two don't pan out.
H HaveBlue Any idea on the width of those spacers they made for you?

 

[Icer]

Benchmade came thru for me!
I really didn't know if I'd get the correct screws since this knife has been discontinued for so long but they are exactly the ones I needed.
As a future reference for any 970 or 975 owners, KITHS-23 is the stock code for the correct handle screw service kit from Benchmade.

Now my next goal is to either have a new backspacer made or convert this 975 over to standoffs.
I've reached out to both Emerson about standoff dimensions and Rockscale Design about a custom backspacer.
I'll update this thread if either get back to me.

 

[Icer]

My latest Benchmade/Emerson 975/CQC-7 restoration update...
I ordered some Emerson standoffs and filed them down from .190" to .175". SKU # and parts description in the pic below.
Took a good bit of time but managed to get them perfect...even, flat, and 175" across the board using a 330 grit diamond file.
The thread pitch on the Emerson standoff threads is the same as on the Benchmade screws and the knife went back together beautifully.
Threads on the clip side G10 scales were in great shape and held the screws just fine.
The knife was mailed back to Benchmade today to have the blade resharpened...

 

[JC972]

Glad you got your standoffs in place and getting it back in shape. I don’t know that I wouldn’t call benchmade when they get it and see if they’ll put nut-certs in your G10 like they did to HaveBlue’s knife. Just to be on the safe side. As far as sharpening the serrations I’ll tell you what I’ve always done, but take this at your own risk cause I’m just a redneck with a file, but I’ve always sharpened serrations like those with a chainsaw file in the big dished out spots. And use the corner of a whet rock on the teeth. You use the corner between the teeth I reckon I ought to have said. Work them into a burr just like sharpening anything else and then gently use the same tools to knock the burr off the other side. I ain’t claiming this to be the correct way but it’s worked for me since the mid-late 90s on a bunch of knives. It usually don’t take but a couple licks with that chainsaw file either. Just follow around the radius a couple or three times and see if it’s got a burr. I lay the file in the radius at the same angle it came with, same using the whet rock between the teeth. You could use a ceramic rod if you can find a tapering one that’ll fit it. I have a work sharp basic sharpener with a ceramic tapered rod on it that I use on my boys serrated knives and it don’t take much to give ‘em a good touch up.