Aftermarket suppliers for knife stuff

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Patapsco Mike

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Sep 1, 2004
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For my shotgun, I can get stocks, barrels, and nearly anything else aftermarket better than originally came with the gun. Same for my car, my computer, my cell phone, etc. etc.

So why can't I get black G10 aftermarket scales for my BM835, or an aftermarket S30V blade for my Leek?

Seems like there is a giant market for this sort of thing, so why doesn't it exist (or does it and I don't know it). Call me crazy, but I think a company that, for instance, started today to make really great clips that fit the Manix (to replace the mediocre one it comes with) could make a killing...
 
I think making aftermarket blades in different steels is just to big of a question mark. Making a knife that has good fit and finish and locks solidly depends on some very precise machening and fitting of parts. Just because a blade, liner, scale, or whatever else is made to the same specs doesn't ensure a good fit and operation. What would happen if a knife frame made by Kershaw left the factory with the scale clearances at the upper limits of acceptability, and the aftermarket blade was made at the lower end of acceptable limits? The fit and function would be way off. There really is no good way to ensure that the parts will fit together as they should unless they are individually fit together and tested.

I would also guess that there isn't enough interest to pay for all of the costs of developing such parts. I am sure that the cost of setting up and manufacturing a run of blades for a knife would be very high. While interest in the general idea might be enough, it would be hard if not impossible to find agreement on a partuicular model. You need to think about how much the aftermarket part would cost, would you want to pay more for an S30V blade than you did for the knife? Also many times if there is enough interest in seeing a particular knife with different handle scales or blade material the manufacturer will run a limited edition or something.

Changing handle scales isn't all that big of a deal. I have done some scale swaps on knives, it is possible with some skill and practice. In fact there have been threads on the modifications members have made to production knives.
 
Patapsco Mike said:
Seems like there is a giant market for this sort of thing, so why doesn't it exist (or does it and I don't know it). ...
Click to expand...
If there were a giant market, Bladeforums is one place that would publicize it.

There are guys out there who will customize a knife for you, but the idea of a business stocking different materials already made up for the variety of knives available, handles, blades, etc., is daunting. And customization can be expensive. How much did your shotgun or car cost compared to your knife?
 
Erik hit the nail on the head. Even with something simple like a fixed blade knife, to make interchangeable scales or something is really tough because if the tolerances are off just a touch you'll notice it. And interchangeable blades in locking knives would be nothing but a nightmare. Knife companies would get sued left and right because of failing locks and that kind of stuff.
 
At least - Camillus could offer after market micarta scales for the Becker line.
Or somebody could. I know this would be a successful after market product.
 
On the other hand, customizing your own handle scales for the Becker knives would be pretty easy, compared to many others.

Some knives, like the CRKT Grant Hawk DOG lock and the Bark River Evo-1 come with alternate sets of handle scales, and you can even get a customized front plate for a Sebenza.
 
Thanks for the replies- I hear what you are saying.

Esav- my shotgun retails for $800, but my cell phone was free and I can replace just about everything on it using aftermarket parts (even the internal software that runs the phone).

Tolerances could be met by an aftermarket supplier just as easily as they could by the manufacturer. Actually, one would expect aftermarket products to have even closer tolerances- otherwise why bother? After all, Kershaw doesn't fit each Leek blade to each frame- both are made in giant batches and just slapped together. No reason why some other company couldn't reverse-engineer the blade. And I can't imagine Kershaw would care, as you need to buy the knife anyway and it would just generate additional interest.

I would think the companies that could most easily take advantage of this would be the manufacturers themselves. Kershaw could easily sell an S30V blade- or BM sell different scale colors- separately, just as Remington sells spare barrels.
 
I think that you might be missing another important point here, and that is MONEY. It is what makes everything go or not go as the case may be.

Lets say that there was some way to manufacture the parts to a close enough standard that it would work well. How much would it cost, and how much would it need to be sold for to make a profit? Then how many people would be willing to go out and buy a $50, then throw another $50 or $100 into it to customize it? If you are spending that much money why not just go ahead and buy something closer to what you wanted in the first place. I just think that even if it were possible to make parts that fit properly it would be to cost prohibitive to really be a good business move.

Just out of curiosity to you know what kind of tolerances we are talking about here that would mean the difference between a safe working knife, and one that doesn't work? We can only mass produce things to within a certain degree of precision.
 
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