BM42 interchangable blades

blade_420

blade_420

Joined
Jan 15, 2001
Messages
2,353
One of the big selling points for the mod.42 is the fact that (someday) you can interchange blades.
Around when do you think they'll start releasing new blades?
about how much will they cost?
What type of blade would you like to see?

I'd have to get a weehawk tanto or cup bowie.

Just wondering...
Blade420


"too much self love makes you jelous of those who envy you."
 
I'd love to see a 42 offered with a weehawk tanto, but I think the interchangeable blade thing to be rather worthless really. I don't want 1 set of handles and multiple blades, I would just prefer more balisongs with differing blades introduced.
However, the last word I got about the interchangeable blades was basically "don't hold your breath." It seems it will be inefficient and expensive to do such an activity, especially considering the construction of the 42.
I did hear from sources inside benchmade that there were a few "special" balis floating around the office, but they said not to expect anything out of it, just possibilities.
 
I don't see how switching blades with the same handles would be bad, considering that they are Ti and there isn't a problem with "bad pins".
I would think that it would be pretty profitable if they made different blades, new pins (filework, colors)
How hard could it be to stamp out blades and grind them?
The tooling problem is with the handles, isn't it?
I think that BM would be missing out on a lot of popularity, and profits, if they drop the ball on this opportunity.
 
or, on the other side of the bagel,
Do you think that another company, custom or production, would ever get into making replacement blades?
 
I doubt seriously if any other company will produce blades for the 42 that would be up to the standards we would require.

You have to keep in mind that the only people that can currently disassemble a 42 are at Benchmade. I know of NO ONE else that does this. The pins are hydraulically pressed into the handles, thus they are damn near impossible to remove sitting at your house with a torx wrench and a couple blades.

Plus, many people would just assume to buy a whole new balisong than buy a half dozen blades that are essentially useless. And I refuse to buy blades that must be sent into the manufacturer to change out. To get pins that would allow you to do this, you would really sacrifice fit and be left with a knife that isn't as high quality as the current 42's and there have been a few people bitching about the current level of quality already.

[This message has been edited by tique (edited 01-17-2001).]
 
OK, I can see your point on that, I've never really ever tried to take my 42 apart, and have only ever used my torx kit fixing my truck, but it's only because I haven't had any problems with my knife.

So.... when do you think they'll come out with other knife blade shapes on new knives?
 
Again, I wouldn't hold my breath on new balisongs out of Benchmade for a while. If you are really interested in getting ahold of a high quality balisong with a different blade style, you can try to pick up an older BM/PC model, or you can go to a custom maker and have him make ya one.
 
At the Bladeshow in Atlanta, our friend Clay made two interesting discoveries: 1) you can't substitute a hammer for frys with your dinner. And, 2) removing the Torx (tm) screws does not allow you to disassemble a BM42.

Some people have reported success with a hammer and a pin punch. But, most people who have tried have been unable to disassemble a 42 even this way.

The pin is a friction fit and it is installed with press that applies hundreds of pounds of pressure.

It's not designed to be disassembled repeatedly.

Everytime this question comes up, I ask the same question: what do you want interchangable blades for anyway? Do you get up one morning and say, "I feel like a tanto today," and then wake up the next saying, "Today feels more like a bowie day to me."

The idea of interchangable blades has been tried repeatedly by many companies in conventional folding knives and none has sold well.


------------------
Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
I'm with tique, I'd rather see Benchmade or some other respected company put out various styles of blades in a complete knife. Like the Microtech that was mentioned some time ago.

My two cents!

Regards,

Sabo 29

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"Catch you on the flip side"!
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Gollnick:
Do you get up one morning and say, "I feel like a tanto today," and then wake up the next saying, "Today feels more like a bowie day to me."
</font>
Click to expand...

ummm.....yes. that's very much what i'm like. If I had a cell phone, i'd switch faceplates daily. One day i'd want a kris, another day i'd want a weehawk tanto

 
I'd like to make another point...I don't think that BM just stamps out their blades. I believe they are cut from stock (using lasers). I had said a while ago that I had spoken to a woman that worked for BM about new blade styles and when they would come out. This was at the NYC Custom Knife Show. Her response was that most likely the next blade style to be produced would be a bowie. She also said it might happen some time this year. So...we have about 340 something days left to see if that holds true.

Also, to repeatedly remove and replace pressure fitted pins would eventually ruin their integrety as far as ability to hold tight and solid. I can understand your point of wanting different blade profiles and it would be nice to be able to do it yourself. But I doubt that you would be able to unless you had access to a press. I haven't tried to take apart my 42 yet and don't think I will. Besides, if you took apart your 42 to interchange a blade yourself, you would void the warrantee that BM provides and I think that is also a reason BM isn't going to make the knife so that anyone with a torx driver can interchange blades. For now I think we'll all just have to wait for the next thing to come out.

Steve

[This message has been edited by epigram79 (edited 01-17-2001).]
 
I am a big fan of the idea of other blade profiles. I would like to see a bowie, a tanto, a weehawk tanto, etc.

As far as the idea of interchangeable blades, I just don't understand this. I would rather just spend a little more for a new blade WITH handles. That way, if I decided I wanted to flip a tanto, I could easily reach for it. I don't want to have to sit down and change it out each time, especially when it is so difficult do, AND the fact that it voids the warranty.

Just my 2 cents.

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John
Webmaster of BalisongFans
home.san.rr.com/balisongfans
 
I would like to have a bowie or kris blade on my 42 without having to drop $130 on a new model 42.On the other hand im not too fond of messing up the screws on my knife from repeated changes either.

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Blade
 
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