Cuda Maxx 5.5 Mods?

G

Gadget54

Joined
Apr 19, 2002
Messages
264
Alright I broke down and bought one.

But it seems that nothing I buy is perfect when I first get it and it always could be a little better. I have this insatiable urge to tear things apart and fix them even when they are not broke.

What have you done to your Maxx?

I plan to bead blast the blue off the handles but what about smoothing up the action?

Any ideas?

TIA
Gadget54
 
So far I have taken the MAXX apart and used my Dremel tool to polish the inside of the frame where the blade pivots. I also polished the blade tang and pivot. I used some CRK flourinated lube, put it back together and she is smooth as silk! For the past two weeks I have been concentrating on the blade and using Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish to give it a mirrored finish.
 
Now thats a thought. Once I get it polished to my satisfaction I might send it off for the BC or newerDiamond coating. I understand the finish of the blade prior to coating determines the final look.
Black mirror would be AWESOME!:eek: :cool: :D
 
The Maxx blade looks really cool with the BC coating! I got to see one in Darrel's shop. It looks sooooo much better in person than in pictures.

I got an idea to some file work on the handle. Not sure what kind of pattern. If I can't think of anything good, I am going to bead blast the handle and then get it anodized again. IMO the beadblast has better feel than the smooth Ti.


My other idea is to use the belt stud Darrel made on another Maxx I have on the CUDA, I will then remove the horn from the side with the blade stop. This way I can wear it IWB and that horn isn't jabbing me in my chubby tummy all day. :)
 
I was thinking of polishing out the blade and then "jeweling" the false edge from the tip back up the top of the blade and the pocket clip.

I'd also like to polish out the tool marks on the blade.
 
Man after listning to all of you discribe what your doing to your knives, i realize im just a piker knife collector, thanks for all the good ideas though, now I just need to find out where you people send your knives to get all this stuff done....blade53
 
BC Coating? Where do I get info on this?

I like the Mirror black finnish idea.

How do you coat titanium black? I understand anodizing doesn't go black.
 
Where can I find more info on the Maxx. I can't find it on Camillus's web site.
TIA, Dana
 
Just scroll back in this forum a couple of months or so, there are several multiple page threads that are basically FAQs on the Cuda Maxx. One of them, I remember was started by Maurice.

Boron Carbide coating is done by an outfit called Bodycote (maybe BodyCote). Do a search for them and for Darrell G Lewis. He works for them and posts here and some old threads explain all about it. You may have to try some variations on the spelling of those names. or just search for boron carbide, and look for threads started by Darrell G Lewis to get the correct spelling.

The anodizing doesn't go black on titanium, it would have to be blasted off and BC coated to get black handles. The anodized handles on the Cuda knives are some combination of blue, purple, gray, and several other weird colors I have no name for.

As for who does these modifications, except for the BC coating, these guys are working on their own knives. I took the knife down and used a Dremel in a router table attachment to stone all the tool marks out of the flippers. Then hand sanded the blade flats.

BTW, the BC coating is not real jet black like a Benchmade coated blade, more like a very, very dark gray. Looks better than black in my opinion.

Oh wait, I may have lied to you about titanium not being anodized black. It can get pretty dark, if not black. It won't be on the Cuda
knives, though. I just got a Ralph 4" Maxx with a BC blade and the handles are very dark grey down the middle with hints of purple around the edges. Pretty understated compared to some of Darrell's knives.
 
P7020006Medium.JPG
You can see the first side I just got done doing. Kind of a rainbow effect. Well my dilema now is getting the back posts off the other side. How do you get them off? If you know anything about anodising you'll know you can't touch anything but Ti. If there is another metal in the solution the Ti will not color. So I am stuck with one colored side.

Stop by my web site.
An Experiment in Customizing.
 
If the screws are undone then there is just "pressure" left holding them in . . . that and maybe a little loctite residue. Should be able to tap them or tug with a pair of covered needlenose pliers.:D :D
 
Well it is not that easy on this one. A little pounding did nothing. I don't think pull out, I think they push out the back. I am hoping DDR lets us know how this thing is put together.
 
Boil them for about 5 minutes to make the loc-tite loosen up. I've had mine off and they do fit inside the hole. There is a bit of loc-tite holding them on I bet. Boil and then use those covered ( so as not to mar the post) needle nose or any pliers. Bet that will do the trick.
 
I think BC coating the handle in a gray color would look great. Has any one done this yet?
 
Folks if you've never tried "Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish" TRY IT!
This stuff is the absolute best polish I have ever found to polish up a blade. The MAXX is nearing mirror finished status and I am now thinking about a BC coating over the mirror finish. If the BC coating allows the finish to pretty much show through then it should look fantastic with a mirrored finish underneath it. What do think? Anyone ever had the BC coating on a mirror finished blade? Might post this question in the Blade Discussion section.
 
what about beadblasting the ti handles and having body cote do the handles and blade, maybe BB the blade too to remove logos, a 'black maxx' for real, and would be hard to tell from a custom, imho, thinking about doing mine that way, maybe polish out the horns on the blade too

hows it sound??

greg
 
That's more along the lines that I was thinking. I like the 'tactical' non glare look. Either beadblast the whole thing for that non-glare look or some how make it black. I'd like to see some BC pics over different surfaces...polished, beadblasted..

I will probably at this point clean up some of the tool marks and have it beadblasted.

I have had it for 2 days and even haven't taken it apart! I think I am getting better.

Gadget54
 
I couldn't stand it. I could hear it begging to be taken apart. SO I did, and while I was at it I started sanding out the tool marks on the guard/ears/flippers(whatever Darrel calls them).

So they look good now and then I think these things are slick, too slick. Maybe they should have some file work on them so in the open position my thumb doesn't slide up and over onto the blade. It would also help get a good 'flip' going.

Well now I have to learn to do file work!

Damn this disease!:rolleyes:

Gadget54
 
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