BM 42s Latchless...........

Dawkind

Dawkind

Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2000
Messages
13,025
Took a couple of minutes out of my busy schedule to whip out the hacksaw and shorten up my old, beat-up, 42s. It had a small air pocket on the end of one handle but nothing that would compromise performance. The blade/handle ratio is, IMHO, vastly improved and it flips extremely well. I carry it with the safe handle down and use a back-drop into a reverse ice-pick. No fuss, no muss.........I like the latch techniques but this is a lot of fun!!! It even fits the BM sheath now!;)
View
View
 
Not near as nice as the one Mr. Harvey did but it works real well. I use the small inclusion to spot the safe handle and just flail the hell out of it! :D
 
that was all done JUST with a hacksaw??

I'm seriously considering going into the basement and doing this now...
 
Pretty nice. I'm not certain of this, but I read somewhere that voids in aluminum (I realize the handles are Ti) can be filled with JB Weld and when dry, a scrap of aluminum can be rubbed on the JB Weld making the repair almost invisible. A pin of Ti could also be tapped into the void (drill the void slightly undersized first to fit the pin if the void is too irregularly shaped) and then ground flush with the surface. The JB Weld trick might work with titanium by itself or with aluminum rubbed on it. With a flipper it looks just fine as is, but if you wanted perfection just for the fun of it...
BTW what camera do you use for these wonderful photos?
 
I tried to saw off the end of the safe handle.

AN HOUR later I'm about a centimeter deep. Time to get a new blade!
 
What did you use to cap the bottom's of the handles off with,once you sawed the latch off?
Nice job by the way....peace
 
DD,
Get a bi-metal hacksaw blade to saw Titanium. They are about fifty cents more than high speed steel. Your life will be easier. The 42 handle's latchgate is what Stagger Lee is seeing as the end cap.
 
I should have said, if you're wanting to do this, cut the handle with the latch down to length first! You'll find that if you don't, the safe handle will be about 3/8" too long and you'll have to cut it again. There is a 'semi-circle' cast into the latch handle so it will have clearence when the latch rotates. By the time you cut the latch handle down and dress it to the point that cavity for the latch is gone, it's going to start getting thin. I'll have to admit I've got a BurrKing belt grinder and used a 60 grit belt to knock off the high spots and shape it and smoothed it up and radiused the ends with a worn out 120 grit belt. I did use a hacksaw, though, to cut the handles off!!! ;)
BTW what camera do you use for these wonderful photos?
Click to expand...
I've got a Sony Mavica FD-88 and it takes some of the best pictures I've ever seen. I use a tripod and no flash; you can't beat it!
 
Very nice Dudley...but don't you also make knives...? :) :)

Maybe a Dawkind bali is in the future... :)

-Michael
 
Originally posted by Chefget
Very nice Dudley...but don't you also make knives...? :) :)

Maybe a Dawkind bali is in the future... :)

-Michael
Click to expand...
Here are a couple I made last year. I've got 6 sets of handles ready for insert material but haven't been able to devote enough time to them, or much else as of late.............
View
View
 
A case of mistaken identity. The bi-metal hacksaw part was for Darth Detori. Dawkind, I forgot your initials are the same. How much metal is left after you grind to the bottom of the latch relief? Thanks for the camera info.
 
How much metal is left after you grind to the bottom of the latch relief?
Click to expand...
I didn't mic it out but my guess would be about 3/32". By the time I put that radius on the ends, I was getting close to the point of no return and that's why I left well enough alone and left the small inclusion in the handle.
 
Dawkind: if you ever start dabbling in custom balisongs let me know and I'll pick up a Scimitar, that is really sweet looking!! :D Of course, if you want me to test out the durability and see how long your balisongs last I am available to test them :D Thanks.
 
well my 42LL (I believe that was the title they were giving latchlesses) looks nowhere near as nice as Dudley's, but then again I don't quite have access to the same tools.
Still, I'm VERY impressed by the quicker speed! it's like.......DAMN! and to think the Tachyon will probably be lighter than it
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top