Customizing Production Benchmade Knives

[giantrobot]

Hello-
I hope this is an OK spot for this post.

I am a huge fan of Benchmade Axis lock knives, but really dislike their style. I am more a fan of the Spyderco all-polished-silver styling.

I there anyone out there interested in customizing some benchmades for me with new, polished scales/handles? I would love to commision someone's time.

Specifically, the 921 is what I would like to modify.

Thanks!

 

[giantrobot]

Or similarly, is toget rid of the colored coating on these handles and polish it to a shine? Someone in a local shop used something called an "Eraser" to get the black coating off one of his karambit blades. Would this work?

Again, I am trying to modify one of these so that it is all polished silver:

 

[F. Allin Kahrl]

Someone in a local shop used something called an "Eraser" to get the black coating off one of his karambit blades. Would this work?

Maybe. He might have been talking about an Eraser Block, also called a "Hand Block" and available here. It's a soft abrasive block that conforms better than sandpaper to what it's being used on. It'd probably work to take that anodization off the scales. Then you'd have to polish them up again. But be warned, most anodization is harder and more wear resistant than the aluminum under it. Once you take the anodization off and polish up that aluminum, you won't have nearly as durable a finish anymore. You'll end up repolishing it frequently.

-Allin

 

[bartblade]

ok if i were you i would take it apart and trace some outlines of the handles; making sure to get the holes on there too make lots of coppies. then i would go and find some scrap steel, cut out the paper templates and glue them on with elmers glue, drill the holes and cut the new handles out and replace them for the old scales and finish with sandpaper and a buffing wheel. to get the axis hole you precicly drill about 2 holes 1 at each end and then use either a file, dremal, or hand saw to make the two meet. and if you don't like it but it fits then you have yourself a template that you can clamp and cut out the next 2.

 

[giantrobot]

Maybe. He might have been talking about an Eraser Block, also called a "Hand Block" ... You'll end up repolishing it frequently.

-Allin

Thanks- Actually, the Eraser was sold in the knife shop. It was pretty small, and looked like the erasers that you get as a kid at the stationary store. It was specifically for knives. I just Googled a bit and think that it might be like this?:
http://www.knivesplus.com/lansky-knife-sharpener-lk-201511.html

About the polishing:
When you say i will need to repolish it frequently...
I am not looking for it to stay mirrory really, I just want a silver knife. I dont mind if it gets a bit beat up. However, I also dont want it to be dull and grey like a Baseball bat. Would that happen?

Also, I just got my mini-skirmish and I am thinking of polishing the Ti handle.

Possible?

ok if i were you i would take it apart and trace ... then you have yourself a template that you can clamp and cut out the next 2.

Bartblade:

That actually sounds awesome. I might eventually try that. Does it need to be stainless or can it be some other stock...and what stock would I use?

 

[Chiro75]

I would bet that the aluminum they use in handles is probably heat treated. If it isn't, you could use 6061-T6 in the same thickness. This is probably going to be tougher than it sounds, though. You could also get titanium and do the same thing. YOu can polish titanium, too. Like aluminum, though, it will get messy-looking quite quickly. You could probably beadblast the aluminum scales and they'd still be more or less silver. I don't think aluminum darkens as much when blasted as titanium does.