Carrying a Tomcat II-your thoughts?

C

chance3290

Joined
Nov 30, 2005
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I carried a Tomcat for several years. Great knife. But when the lighter knives, with one-hand opening and pocket clips came out, I sold the Tomcat. Now I'm planning on buying a Tomcat II, with the thumb stud, so that takes care of the one hand opening.
I going to try to put a clip on it and carry it as an everyday knife.
I know I saw a company that sells clips and screws and I think they also sell an inexpensive tapping machine to get the screws going.
I'd like to get some input into this brain-child of my.
 
My concerns with this are:
  1. The knife is quite large and too heavy to be carried on the edge of one's pocket.
  2. With the super grippy Kraton slabs (with an aggressive diamond pattern), one will have difficulties sliding it out of a pocket.
  3. Of course, drilling holes in one's knife would likely void its warranty.
Without doubt, this knife cries out to be carried in a sheath.

The only way I could see this is to choose the cocobolo version.
 
Thanks Ron, I know this is a NTB idea (NTB=Not too bright) but the Tomcat is such an elegant blade. It well deserved the blade of the year award.
Does anyone know if there is a knife with a similar blade (bowie-type) that is a bit lighter?
 
If you can find one of these, "SOG Magnadot", it should fill all your needs, it is much lighter, but tough as they come I hear, no clip though, sheath carry.

I just did a search on google and there are lots of them out there to find.

Click on "more images" at bottom of SOG page....

http://www.sogknives.com/sermag.htm

Pics below are courtesy of our forum buddy and SOG "collector" Wildmanh (Heber).

http://kydance.net/~heber/site/md.html

Hope this helps.

Robbie Roberson;)
 
Robbie's correct. The MagnaDot is just about the same size and because of the Zytel handle, is a lot lighter. That knife, in my opinion, makes a great outdoor folding field knife.
 
Pretty easy to do if you have worked with drills, taps etc.

I have tapped zytel and it taps easy, just don't drill holes too big or they will strip out.

The trick is to super glue a clip where you want it and then drill pilot holes, remove clip and tap, insert clip/screws, cut screws off inside with a dremel cut off wheel if needed.


Robbie Roberson;)
 
The MagnaDot does put a new spin on your question. Following the concerns above, number by number, I'll update them for this knife:
  1. Size and weight: Still a concern, but less so due to the reduction in weight. But it still is a bulky knife, so it will take up extraordinary amounts of upper pocket area. You might want to try the knife there first for awhile (rig it up somehow to have it ride in the same place). For most people, they'd say it's too much knife for a pocket...much less hanging from the lip of a pocket.
  2. Kraton slabs: No longer a concern due to the Zytel material of the handle is nice and slippery (this is unless the Zytel is aggressively textured).
  3. Warranty: Still a concern and will likely void the warranty.
Robbie's installation advice is great. A major concern for me would be the screws. They WILL strip out over time and use. Because of the bulk and weight of the knife, along with the fact that the clip isn't being designed into the structure of the knife (thus the weight/size issue isn't being considered at the time of design and being fully tested on dozens of knives to get it just right), there will be "ton's" of stress on the screws of the knife clip that will be done without fully testing it in advance. Those screws will take all of the stress from riding on the pocket and more so, the stress of putting it on and taking it off the pocket. If I were doing this, I'd find screws with the deepest threads possible. In addition to the tips Robbie said, I'd strongly recommend using a very strong adhesive to set the screws (there is a permanent LocTite).

Spencer deliberately chose NOT to put pocket clips on these huge knives. He knows the stress of their size and weight just can't support a clip.

If you are dead-set to add a clip to a SOG knife, I'd consider one of their smaller folders (like the Stingray, Gentleman SOG, or SOGwinder 1).

Hope this has helped. [Sorry if I've thrown a wet rag on your project.]
 
Magnadot is a great (lighter) alternative - also half serrated, if you don't mind that. Depending on what you want, they are great or a pain. :) I'd like to find one of the plain edged ones too...:confused:

It is however, as Ron pointed out, bulky for a pocket (5/8" thick and 4 7/8" long).

For modifying for pocket, I'd suggest the AirSOG (see thread nearby...):D
 
I'm finding it impossible to find a SOG Stingray...either Kraton or Coco ....
Anyone have any help with this...
Thanks,
John
 
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