Camp knife bail dilemma

[Railsplitter]

I've performed nubectomys on my Cadet, Recruit, and Tourist, because the nub digs into my palm when I use the main blade.

On the other hand, I cobbled up fabricated a replacement bail for my old SI when we started using it when canoeing. (I had removed it when I was carrying the SI all the time.)

You did a better job on the nub than I did. I didn’t have the courage to get as close to the liners as you did. Nice work!

 

[evergreensSequoiaseucalyptusandOaks]

Has anyone else every made bails out of finishing nails, enjoy and appreciate the aesthetics of their bails on collectible scout knives, have actually purchased some knives over the past few years missing their bails, more than once or twice, and have actually made a very good representation and replacement match to their originals, out of your run of the mill finishing nails, they make a pretty good bail ~ really nice job on the "SIP" ~ always like tying on a strand or cord of some type to them too ~ they make good key chains too ~ "Scout Knives".

 

[Headwinds]

You did a better job on the nub than I did. I didn’t have the courage to get as close to the liners as you did. Nice work!

Thanks! Just needed a small bench grinder, a file, and enough patience to go really slowly. I wouldn't have dreamed of trying it on anything collectible or valuable.

 

[Old Hunter]

nubectomys

Sounds like you must be a surgeon on the side (or a linguist!) Nice job on the "nubectomy"!

 

[Headwinds]

Sounds like you must be a surgeon on the side (or a linguist!) Nice job on the "nubectomy"!

Thanks! (I'm afraid that as a surgeon I'd make a good linguist, and as a linguist I'd make a good surgeon.)

 

[5K Qs]

Has anyone else every made bails out of finishing nails, enjoy and appreciate the aesthetics of their bails on collectible scout knives, have actually purchased some knives over the past few years missing their bails, more than once or twice, and have actually made a very good representation and replacement match to their originals, out of your run of the mill finishing nails, they make a pretty good bail ~ really nice job on the "SIP" ~ always like tying on a strand or cord of some type to them too ~ they make good key chains too ~ "Scout Knives".

Never tried finishing nails; sounds like a good idea.
I got this Colonial Forest-Master when I was a kid, about 1960; it was my first pocketknife. Somewhere along the way, it lost its bail. I replaced it about 10 years ago using part of an S-hook I'd bought for toilet repair. It doesn't look very good, but it's perfectly functional.

- GT

 

[Hickory n steel]

Why do I remove the split rings? Because they serve no purpose for me. None of the things you mention pertain to my knife usage.
And I just don't like the rings rattling around in my pocket. I've even considered grinding off the little tab the rings attach to.

Unless I've got a lanyard or fob attached, I don't leave them on either.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I don't really utilize the bail on any of my knives that have them except for the electricians knife that's attached to my tool pouch which has a clip especially for it, but I just think bails are cool and like having the option that the bail offers.