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- Nov 25, 1999
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- 1,499
CRKT Bear Claw customizing.
Reviewing some months ago Columbia River Knife & Tool Bear Claw knife http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001434.html I noted that some it's properties I do like considerably less. Here are results of my efforts to lighten this little but very useful knife and to make it a bit prettier what would not be the last issue, especially for ladies. I would like to remind that originally Russ Kommer designed this knife as defensive tool for ladies.
I replaced black Zytel scales with the ones of home-made Micarta in very light beige color. My intention was to make all in beige and golden color combination, so blackened screws should be replaced with brass ones. Unfortunately I couldn't match brass screws to screw holes, the thread of screw is untypical for Polish standards. Maybe in future I'll try to coat authentic screw headers with brass or copper.
Multi-carry sheath was a bit heavy and too thick for neck carry, so I made my own one using the same home-made Micarta as was used for scales but in thinner piece. This material is quite springy and being properly formed it holds the knife in upside-down position very securely. On the other hand it is pretty easy to deploy the knife. I formed my sheath directly on the blade using the opposite form made of thin cardboard.
I also replaced paracord with ball-chain in golden color. I do not know what the metal it is, it doesn't responses the magnet - so it could be brass or bronze. The rivets joining two parts of the sheath are made of brass plated soft steel.
As result the knife became noticeable flatter and lighter.
Is it prettier now - let everyone decide for him or herself. My wife said - much prettier and at least it is her knife, although she doesn't carry it.
After all was done I had an idea to reduce the weight of the knife skeletonizing the handle, this should make the package even lighter and more comfortable for neck carry. I didn't worry about handle's strength, it would be strong more than enough even with a lot of drilled holes. Unfortunately I couldn't do it because of very tough steel. No problems were with column drill in my friend's gunsmith's shop, but we have broke two bits and stopped this insensible work. Next week I'm going to skeletonize the handle using electro-erosion drill (not sure I'm naming properly this device in English).
Here is the result of our clumsy efforts. I had opportunity to check in practice how "week" is this "week steel" or "low end steel".
Some conclusions: think it was mistake to do all in beige-golden colors. First - these colors are slashing with light-gray color of bead blasted blade. Initially I had intention to polish the blade but my wife didn't allow, she likes this "velvet" appearance of fine bead blasted metal very much. Second - golden rivets and chain are noticeably changing color in contact with body, think nickel-plated ones would hold the surface more stable. Additionally seven rivets is a bit onto exaggeration side, five would be quite enough.
My next intention could be to make the same but in light-gray and silver colors using nickel plated chain and rivets, light-gray Micarta and striped from blackening screws.
------------------
Sergiusz Mitin
gunwriter
Lodz, Poland
[This message has been edited by Sergiusz Mitin (edited 06-23-2000).]
Reviewing some months ago Columbia River Knife & Tool Bear Claw knife http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001434.html I noted that some it's properties I do like considerably less. Here are results of my efforts to lighten this little but very useful knife and to make it a bit prettier what would not be the last issue, especially for ladies. I would like to remind that originally Russ Kommer designed this knife as defensive tool for ladies.
I replaced black Zytel scales with the ones of home-made Micarta in very light beige color. My intention was to make all in beige and golden color combination, so blackened screws should be replaced with brass ones. Unfortunately I couldn't match brass screws to screw holes, the thread of screw is untypical for Polish standards. Maybe in future I'll try to coat authentic screw headers with brass or copper.
Multi-carry sheath was a bit heavy and too thick for neck carry, so I made my own one using the same home-made Micarta as was used for scales but in thinner piece. This material is quite springy and being properly formed it holds the knife in upside-down position very securely. On the other hand it is pretty easy to deploy the knife. I formed my sheath directly on the blade using the opposite form made of thin cardboard.
I also replaced paracord with ball-chain in golden color. I do not know what the metal it is, it doesn't responses the magnet - so it could be brass or bronze. The rivets joining two parts of the sheath are made of brass plated soft steel.
As result the knife became noticeable flatter and lighter.
Is it prettier now - let everyone decide for him or herself. My wife said - much prettier and at least it is her knife, although she doesn't carry it.
After all was done I had an idea to reduce the weight of the knife skeletonizing the handle, this should make the package even lighter and more comfortable for neck carry. I didn't worry about handle's strength, it would be strong more than enough even with a lot of drilled holes. Unfortunately I couldn't do it because of very tough steel. No problems were with column drill in my friend's gunsmith's shop, but we have broke two bits and stopped this insensible work. Next week I'm going to skeletonize the handle using electro-erosion drill (not sure I'm naming properly this device in English).
Here is the result of our clumsy efforts. I had opportunity to check in practice how "week" is this "week steel" or "low end steel".
Some conclusions: think it was mistake to do all in beige-golden colors. First - these colors are slashing with light-gray color of bead blasted blade. Initially I had intention to polish the blade but my wife didn't allow, she likes this "velvet" appearance of fine bead blasted metal very much. Second - golden rivets and chain are noticeably changing color in contact with body, think nickel-plated ones would hold the surface more stable. Additionally seven rivets is a bit onto exaggeration side, five would be quite enough.
My next intention could be to make the same but in light-gray and silver colors using nickel plated chain and rivets, light-gray Micarta and striped from blackening screws.
------------------
Sergiusz Mitin
gunwriter
Lodz, Poland
[This message has been edited by Sergiusz Mitin (edited 06-23-2000).]
