Campanion Braided D-Guard - pics!

[Climber]

After attempting to alter physics by drilling thru my 0170-6C steel Campanion blade at the ricasso to put in a talon hole, (ala Busse) all to no avail, i realized just how much harder that steel is than any commercially available drill bits.
So i asked Will Fennell how i could do it; he says, well, i don't know how you can after that stuff is hardened. Hmm; now i ask.
So i promised Will that i would produce some pics after i figured out this problem... here they are, if the posts work!
i grooved out four places, two grooves per handle slab, for the paracord to exit for braiding purposes.

Inside handle-slab view:
<img src=http://members6.clubphoto.com/_cgi-bin/fetch.cgi/////clif397844/Jun_29_2001/jpg/2/2.jpg>

Edge-On to see Paracord exiting handle slabs...
<img src=http://members6.clubphoto.com/_cgi-bin/fetch.cgi/////clif397844/Jun_29_2001/jpg/4/4.jpg>

"Full Package;" if you look close, you can see where various drill bits "walked" in their refusal to bite into the 0170-6C steel; only surface coating is marred... sharpie permanent marker will deal with that ...!
<img src=http://members6.clubphoto.com/_cgi-bin/fetch.cgi/////clif397844/Jun_29_2001/jpg/3/3.jpg>

The braid-grooves work, they are out-of-the-way when using in all hand positions, & functions beautifully in concert with my beloved Campanion...!

{i think i'll do this with ALL my Beckers...! When i get'm !!!}
Climber Clif

 

[Lukers]

Hey Clif,
Now I get what you are talking about. That is very cool. Be sure to bring that down tomorrow when you come, along with your swiss army knife...I gotta surprise for ya man. It will be cool to see how the companion works with the D guard on. Also bring your 9 along too.
Again, Clif that is very cool. I think that you could put a hole in the metal if you wanted to. You might have been able to submerged the blade in water while taking the temper out of the handle steel with a torch. Maybe that would work for Beckers steel...I don't know. Can't wait to see what you do with the rest of the Becker line! See ya...Luke

 

[dogboye]

It's a little late now, I suppose, but you might be able to drill through the guard with a cobalt drill bit. They are available at my local Lowes home improvement store, so they are bound to be available at almost any home improvement store. A little expensive, though.

 

[Climber]

Tried Cobalt; tried M7 Industrial Tool Steel bit; tried titanium; tried carbide; every bit in the hardware supply store, i tried! Couldn't do it. This was with my heavy-duty industrial 1/2" chuck drill press, too. Alas... it drove me on to find my clever solution, tho. so not too much loss, all-in-all. i like it "lots."
Climber Clif