Can a Griptilian be modded for slimmer handle?

L

Lavan

Joined
Nov 8, 2000
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2,301
OK, I'm obsessing on this. I really like my Ritter-grip. I also really like my 910 Stryker. I like the blade of the Ritter and the handle of the RSK.

I keep looking inside the Grip and I can see the casting web of the scales and they look too thin to just sand down the scales without thinning them too much.

I considered removing scales, filling the web with glass and THEN thinning. But then I think the glass would be only adhering to the sides of the webs and be weak again.

Even considered wood. But I think the wood being not backed with liner in the rear would tend to compress to a split.

I would GUESS that BM makes the axis lock frames identical width on all their knives with the only variance being between large and small. Is this correct? If so, what BM scales would fit directly on a Griptilian frame and still give proper blade clearance? If any.

Maybe a slab of G10 with proper spacers and open back would do it?

Cut out for the axis stud of course.

Any bright ideas out there?
:confused::confused::confused:
 
Sure SEEMS like it would be feasible. Wish I had a CADCAM or whatever they call those milling things. G10 with the right spacers and it should happen.

:):confused:
 
I've seen reworked grips where the scales have been replaced with G10. One on british blades and soemoen there linked to some USN examples
 
It can be done with g-10, but it apprears that no one is willing to do it anymore. People say that its just too time consuming. Personally, I have a Ritter mini and I love it. Just wish it had g-10 scales. So I ended up buying a bm 14210. Def not a ritter, but at least its about the same size as a mini-grip but its g10.(No the blade does not swap over, well I haven't tried it anyways.)
 
The scales are a recurring topic with Griptilians. There's a lot of them out there now.

It seems to me that if all the grip scale complainers banded together, they could get BM to do a limited run of scales in G-10. We probably couldn't be picky about colors and what not.

And if BM balks at making and selling "parts", it would be worth it to me to buy another griptilian with the scales I want and swap them myself to my ritter grip. BM has been willing to do limited runs for many vendors before. If we have to go through a vendor, Heritage Sports has done limited runs like this before.

Phil
 
I had one Mini Grip sent to me from the Netherlands by a guy that tried what you are suggesting. In the process he ruined the handle on his knife. Its very easy to do the way its built. He tried to thin the body, the hollow spots in the molding showed their ugly face. He tried to make a choil more to get his index finger in a better spot and exposed the axis springs.

I would leave well enough alone. I got your email. Typically I refuse to work on knives of any kind with nested liners where the body of the folders or overscales are messed with. I don't have the equipment to nest the liners like that in a new set, and even if I did no one would want to pay me for the time it would take to do them. I tend to keep it simple and focus on bare bones users.

One other thing to watch on those axis locks with thinning the handles down is that you will end up making the axis release buttons stick up so high sometimes that they become almost too easy to accidentally disengage. You are better off letting them stay as they are. I have one BenchMade/Mel Pardue 550SBKSL Griptilian in camo handle and combo edge black blade in 154CM steel. I like it fine, but its not their best work in my opinion as far as the handle goes.

In fact I could say that about all the Griptilians even though they work fine for many folks. The handle feels cheap to me even though I like the color pattern and camo of the one I have. One of other things I don't care for is the nested liners which are not, in my opinion as appealing as full steel liners which would make the knife a lot stronger. If that knife was built like the HK 14210 or 14200/205 I think it would be a heck of lot better and I'd probably have more than just one Griptilian. I'd gladly pay $30 or more dollars for the upgrade personally.

I'm sure the handles are strong enough for use and the lock certainly is as we all know but I doubt in a free weight test that there would be little surprise when the plastic gives way to the nested liners moving inside under the pull of gravity. Its my guess that the plastic or whatever material those handles are, would be the first thing in the system to give out from the stress. Its just a guess though and some of these man made materials are surprisingly strong so it may be stronger than it looks but it sure looks thin and feels cheap to me.

STR
 
I agree with your observation and that is exactly why I asked.

Do you think any OTHER BM scales would fit?

I am ...assuming... that the mechanism is the same on all the axis knives.

:confused:

I also considered the length of the studs and could see that being another "problem."

Ah well. Back to pouting.

:)
 
My suggestion would be, for a few dollars more you can get the presidio, which has a similar blade profile and handle shape, but has aluminum scales. Its not the same, but it is close.
 
Chase Axxin of Chax knives used to do custom grips for the Griptillians but quit because it was so hard and time consuming to do them. (actually he'll still do custom scales for the Grip if you want them bad enough to pay $250 bucks:D)

I posted this pic in another Griptillian thread earlier and thought I would post it here as well. It's definitely the best looking custom scales I've seen on a Grip. Unfortunately, the fellow who posted this didn't say who did the work.

bm5505ct8.jpg
 
The Presidio "looks" just as thick.

How about thinner models? Would the Ritter blade interchange?

:confused:
 
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