Does anyone currently make scales for the skelly warden?

EZ Bake

EZ Bake

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Mar 5, 2009
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I've used the search function on this site (and google-site-searched bladeforums.com), so forgive me if this has been asked/answered, but is there currently anyone making either G10 or Micarta scales custom fit for a Skeleton Warden?

Seems like it could be done - even if you had to puzzle-piece the center together so that the scales had something to bite into. I know the Rat cutlery/ESEE scales are easily removable via threaded barrel connectors and pan-head screws that you can readily find at hardware stores, so it seems like someone could put something together for a Skelly Warden that would be similar in that it would be user-replacable (not that its necessary with INFI, and I understand why ESEE does that with 1095), but still - that seems like the sort of good idea that I should be able to google and then plunk down a credit-card and then enjoy - yet I don't see an option anywhere out there.
 
Busse would probably do one for you, but you would have to ask them! Emailing Garth would be your best bet. You could also buy a Game Warden with handles already attached.....That would probably work for you too since they have them in all sorts of variations.
 
I'll probably be of no help at all here but I've wondered about this also. The size of the Game Warden and Skelly are about the same. I'm wondering if the GW scales could be modified to fit the Skelly. I purchased the GW mainly because I wanted handle scales. I've never held a Skelly, the handle shape may be too dissimilar. Might be worth an email to Busse. I've purchased ready made scales for the Spyderco Mule from Halpern Titanium (which I really like) and just for fun have ordered a different set from Custom Scale Division in Germany (they have a large selection of replacement scales for quite a few knives in a number of materials). So both companies have the ability to make them (as I'm sure Busse does also), but at this time, you may be looking at a custom job. I purchased the removable scales for my Izula. They are very nice and also straight forward. If you have the time and inclination you could probably get some material and follow a similar design for your Skelly. Mike
 
Well with the skelly, there isn't really frame. How would you plan on attaching the handles on? To be honest, you are better off just buying a GW with scales on it. The one you have I think was ment to be thin for ease of carry. Cause I think besides wrapping the handles, I think it would need to be filled in before holes could be drilled and handles attached.
Dan
 
I've wondered this also, and after some thinking, it wouldn't be that hard. You just need to find micarta scales and sand them until they meet the outline of the handle.

Drill (?) where the pins are going to go and use a screw system to attach them and I think you're golden.

I can see someone turning the Skelly into a Bark River ish Necker style knife.

Google it, I think it could be done easily.
 
This makes a big difference as far as gripping is concerned. I know it's not what you're looking for,but it's an easy alternative.
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I've owned a Game Warden and a couple of Skeleton Wardens so I know there is a difference in handle-design between the two (the full-tang design on the GW is not open like the Skelly - its completely solid except for the spots where the pins go through so as to hold the pins/scales in-place).

Mine is currently wrapped in cord but I wanted something a little more significant than that (plus, cord gets pretty nasty if you use your knife and get it dirty - like for food, or cleaning fish, etc...). I use my knives, so I want something I can easily clean and get back to sterile or at least not-stinky/nasty.

I spoke to the guys from Busse when they were down at the Wannamacher Gunshow in Tulsa this last week and they said that Busse couldn't put scales on a Skelly (and I understand that Busse isn't in the business of making user-removable scales for the most part - they like their open pins and that's cool).

When I said "puzzle-piece" the scales onto the Skeleton Warden, I meant that if you could mill one or both of the scales on the inside so that they were contoured to fit down into the skeletonized tang/handle of the Skelly (like a puzzle piece or an odd-shaped peg in an odd-shaped hole - this would keep them from moving around after mounted) and then counter-sink the inside to hold a couple of barrel-connectors, and then drill from the outside for the appropriate pan-head screws, you would essentially have a knife that you could either use as a Neck knife, or one with scales and the user could remove/add the scales as they wished (sort of like ESEE's Izula).

I've got a machinist friend and have talked to him about this, but it would be hard to trace the Skelly's frame and then enter that shape into a C&C machine (so it honestly sounded easier to do free-hand on a small manual mill).

I might have to get with my machinist friend and give this a try to see what the results are.
 
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EZ Bake's "puzzle-piece" is what I was thinking but did not manage to state. It would be a personal project in the beginning (material is not that expensive so mostly just time - as long as you're not paying for machine time). Once the CNC mill was programed you could more easily make more. A computer aided design system (CAD) user could "draw" something up fairly quickly. I have not been around CAD systems for a number of years and don't have access now but I'm sure there are a number of skilled CAD designers attached to Blade Forums that, once having the SW in hand could create the layout for a CNC mill. Like I said, it would be a labor of love in the beginning - but then, maybe a business for the entrepreneurial?
 
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Here are a few pictures of a couple Skeleton GWs that I did. I filled in the cutouts with JB weld and drilled the fastener holes. Then made new handles for one and reused GW handles for the other.


DSCN2881.jpg



DSCN2886.jpg



DSCN2884.jpg



DSCN3177.jpg



DSCN3187.jpg



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They are epoxied on, not removable,The hollow pins are flared to keep them tight,and not shown in the pic are 2 inserts that are fitted into the cut out portion of the tang that the pins go thru.
 
OK - I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty darn impressed with those, but I want something user-removable, so I may borrow your idea of putting plugs into the skeleton-openings and then drill holes in them and using a barrel-connector and pan-head screws, add whatever scales I can shape to the outside of the tang.

That sounds easier than attempting to shape the scales to fit inside the skeleton-openings puzzle-style.

I'll post pics when I'm done, but I'm now wondering if it will look half as good as some of the examples above.
 
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