BenchMade 800 AFCK frame lock conversion

[STR]

Got this one in the mail this morning. I am expecting some titanium in the mail via UPS anyday so once I get the material I'll probably be ready to move on this one that is a well used M2HSS beauty I must say, and a blade that bites. These M2 blades from BM seem to have been done right because they have to rank as some of the sharpest knives I've seen or used.

Quite a knife here and should make one heck of a great frame lock.

From the looks of things this one should be one of those that can be modified but be able to go back and forth to the factory set up at will by the owner.

It will probably be a day or three but I'll get to it. Here are some before scans for the record.

STR

 

[STR]

Well scratch this one. I took the 800 apart to look at it as I was preparing to trace the pattern and discovered something I did not notice before. Its hard to explain but due to the way BM did the lock on this model I cannot do the frame lock without either having a laser to cut a curved cut or by changing the entire grip of the handle which would be less than ideal.

I didn't see it until getting it apart.

Sorry Kevin this dog won't hunt my friend. I'm afraid that trying would be a waste of some expensive titanium. As you can see from this pic, the lock is cut out with a laser by BM. My mill won't do that kind of cut unfortunately and the only way I could do it is to make a straight line. Even after tracing that on the ti and seeing what it would be its so inappropriately thin in my opinion, speaking of the width of the lock from top to bottom or if its easier to follow from the detent to the finger grooves to aid opening it that I'm not so sure it would be all that nice or if it would work. You see my cut off wheel is so wide compared to the cut you see here by BM that there will hardly be room left for the detent and to move it would make it so the blade skipped off it in rotation. Its a bad recipe for a less than ideal folder that I'm just not comfortable trying. Hope that explains it.

I can cut a straight line all the way but the area you are used to gripping and the area you see the dip and serrations on the lock to release it would all be up so high and the non lock side so low that the cut out would be visible from the non lock side. I fear it would also be a less than comfy knife in the hand.

I'll ship it back to you ASAP.

STR

 

[kda89508]

I think this just broke my heart. THANK YOU for the try Steve. I really thought that AFCK would have been great. THANKS AGAIN! Kevin

 

[untamed]

Ahhh shucks (er, my sympathies?). Was excited to see this one.