Can you tap G-10?

[kindred_spirits]

I would like to install a tip up clip on one of my knives, but the skeletonized steel liners prevent me from putting it where I want to. Can I tap G-10, and will the threads hold? I would be putting one in the G-10, and one in the liner. Thanks.

 

[yablanowitz]

Yes, you can tap G-10. It is not noted for thread-holding ability, though. Good luck.

 

[kindred_spirits]

Thanks. How are the clips on the Military and Para Military installed? Are there screw inserts?

 

[rebeltf]

I have one knife off the top of my head with tapped G10 , word of advice - do not get intyo a habit of screwing and unscrewing , get what you want where you want it and let it be , I also recommend some good thread lock.

 

[StretchNM]

I've tapped 1" plastic underground tubing (drip system) as I'm sure alot have, so I'm confident you can tap G10 for some nice, fine threads. Like Yablanowitz suggested though, it may not hold the clip for long. I'm sure you suspected that already. I like your idea of hunting down some inserts so you can screw your small screws into....now THAT sounds like it'd work. Good luck finding the parts.

 

[Dog of War]

Like others have said, G-10 can be tapped but won't be very strong. Installing tapered threaded inserts from the back side is a much better way to go. But the good thing here is that you can try tapping the G-10 to see how it works, and it won't prevent you from putting in threaded inserts later if the G-10 strips.

 

[yablanowitz]

Thanks. How are the clips on the Military and Para Military installed? Are there screw inserts?

Both of them are tip down only, and both have the screws threaded through the G-10 and into the steel liner under it. Neither has a full length liner to provide steel at the butt end for tip up carry.

 

[kindred_spirits]

Cool, thanks for the info guys. I'll give this a try and let you guys know how it works. The knife is a Kershaw JYD II.

 

[STR]

I have one knife off the top of my head with tapped G10 , word of advice - do not get intyo a habit of screwing and unscrewing , get what you want where you want it and let it be , I also recommend some good thread lock.

I agree that it can hold if you don't make a habit of taking your screws in and out. FRN actually holds threads better than G10 or Micarta but all three can work if you follow some simple steps.

1) Based on my own experience here I'd say never use loctite or super glue in the holes. I used to recommend it also but it backfired. What I've found is this. If you do use thread locker you risk tearing out the threads the moment you do back out a screw and they will not tighten again or will be very prone to stripping easier afterwards. If they don't get pulled out the first time it will damage the threads enough that the hold is weakened.

2) Never overtighten the screws. This will tear out the threads easier than the glue will.

3) As already stated don't make a habit of taking the screws in and out a lot.

For what its worth if you do strip one you can always break down the knife flip the scale around and drill a 1/8" hole very shallow. Then buy ya a 1/8" diameter pivot barrel which is tapped for the same 2-56 screws most pocket clips use and you can slice off a very thin end cut off the barrel and insert that end cut thin piece in the 1/8" hole drilled on the underside of the scale. Then repeat for the number of screws needed reinforced. Tighten your screw down into the inserts and you have a metal backer behind the scale for each screw. If you cut it place the cut side down because its rougher and sometimes will have a little nub if you cut it thin enough to just leave a part sticking out when you break it off rather than cut it off. This broke off part sticking out acts as retention on the G10 to hold it from moving when you tighten the screw. Be aware that the same rule applies about removing the screws though because the backer threaded inserts can fall out without the screws there to retain them. In this case with metal you can then use loctite with little worry.

STR

 

[phatch]

The original BM AFCK was tapped into G10. After a while they went to inserts on the G10 to hold the screws and have done so on subsequent knives where a screw needs threads in the G10.

Lesson learned. You can tap G10, but it's not durable.

Phil

 

[rebeltf]

STR said

1) Based on my own experience here I'd say never use loctite or super glue in the holes. I used to recommend it also but it backfired. What I've found is this. If you do use thread locker you risk tearing out the threads the moment you do back out a screw and they will not tighten again or will be very prone to stripping easier afterwards. If they don't get pulled out the first time it will damage the threads enough that the hold is weakened.

Great point , as it could backfire.