-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Advices Wanted: one hand opener conversion
- Thread starter diamdave
- Start date
I just took a look at that model online so I would know what you are dealing with.
In my opinion the best thing to do is install an actual thumbstud. This is extremely easy and simple if you have the right tools (drill press, carbide drill bit).
The design of that knife lends itself well to this because of all the flat area at the top/sides of the blade.
Basically, all that is needed is to drill a hole, and then install the thumbstud (the kind where a screw passes through the hole in the blade, then screws into the threaded thumbstud. There are a variety of thumbstuds out there, I usually get mine from Knifekits.com (look under "Knife Making Parts").
I use thumbstuds that require a 2-56 size screw (a screw will generally be included with the stud). For a 2-56 screw, you want to drill a 3/32 hole. So what you need is a 3/32 carbide drill bit. Carbide bits are great and will easily drill through hardened steel.
Thumbstuds typically come with flathead screws with a V shaped head. Such screws require the hole to be chamfered (a V shaped opening, this requires another carbide bit). But if you get a button head screw, then you won't have to chamfer the hole. Knifekits.com also sells 2-56 button head screws of various sizes.
If you install such a thumbstud, it might be necessary to file or use a dremel with a narrow grinding attachment to grind out a small area in the handle/liner on the thumbstud side so that there will be room for the thumbstud when the knife is closed.
In my opinion the best thing to do is install an actual thumbstud. This is extremely easy and simple if you have the right tools (drill press, carbide drill bit).
The design of that knife lends itself well to this because of all the flat area at the top/sides of the blade.
Basically, all that is needed is to drill a hole, and then install the thumbstud (the kind where a screw passes through the hole in the blade, then screws into the threaded thumbstud. There are a variety of thumbstuds out there, I usually get mine from Knifekits.com (look under "Knife Making Parts").
I use thumbstuds that require a 2-56 size screw (a screw will generally be included with the stud). For a 2-56 screw, you want to drill a 3/32 hole. So what you need is a 3/32 carbide drill bit. Carbide bits are great and will easily drill through hardened steel.
Thumbstuds typically come with flathead screws with a V shaped head. Such screws require the hole to be chamfered (a V shaped opening, this requires another carbide bit). But if you get a button head screw, then you won't have to chamfer the hole. Knifekits.com also sells 2-56 button head screws of various sizes.
If you install such a thumbstud, it might be necessary to file or use a dremel with a narrow grinding attachment to grind out a small area in the handle/liner on the thumbstud side so that there will be room for the thumbstud when the knife is closed.
Last edited:
No, the drilling won't have any effect on the heat treat. The blade is thin, and the bit will go through it quickly and easily.
Between the thinness of the blade, the small diameter of the drill bit, the ease with which the bit will pass through the blade, and the use of a few drops of oil on the spot that will be drilled, the area around the hole shouldn't even get hot, much less hot enough to have any negative effect.
When a thin piece of metal is drilled with a small diameter drill bit, and when that drill bit possesses superior cutting ability and will pass quickly through the metal, there isn't going to be much friction between the bit and the metal. It's the friction of metal rubbing against metal that causes heat during drilling. And then there's the cooling effect of the oil, which reduces the friction even more.