Drilling and tapping screw holes for pocket clip on Victorinox alox?

sogflash

sogflash

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Aug 28, 2011
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Has anyone here tried to drill and tap Victorinox alox scales to put a pocketclip on it?
 
The problem would be drilling and tapping a short blind hole (if you did not remove the scale). I have drilled and tapped pocketclip screw holes in Aluminum on Buck knives but only after disassembly. I used special drills, taps, and fluids as well as a hand tapper.View attachment 1542328
 
I recommended "SwissQlip", but then figured out that it doesn't work with Alox. :eek:
 
I would assume that if you choose a spot far enough below the pivot you could drill through both the handle scale and the attached liner, then run the tap all the way through.
 
View attachment 1542632
killgar said:
I would assume that if you choose a spot far enough below the pivot you could drill through both the handle scale and the attached liner, then run the tap all the way through.
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My Alox doesn't have a liner. The scale is only .064" thick. A #2X56TPI screw would only be held by 3 1/2 threads.
 
I believe there was a pervious thread about someone having luck doing this, I believe they drilled the holes and then epoxed the clip on along with the screws. As someone else mentioned theres only a few threads holding the screw in, so the epoxy helps keep the screws from stripping out.

I can't find the thread I was thinking of, but there's a user here that used to sell customized Alox SAK with pocket clips.
 
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For what it's worth, here's one thread on another forum, which details the steps to put a clip on one.

I haven't tried it, and this is no endorsement of the method shown. But it at least seems to show one way it can be done. The poster in this tutorial apparently didn't tap the holes in the Alox cover, as the steel screws would likely be self-tapping (done CAREFULLY) in the softer aluminum. Also used epoxy to reinforce the joint.

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php?topic=71060.0
 
I too have been interested in putting clips on knives, and discovered pocket slips as an alternative. It really opened up a whole world of knives with no clips. I chose a William and Henry Large Slip for my Benchmade 480, as it measured close to what Benchmade provided. Also fits my Boker Merlin-rosewood perfectly. Gave old school Farmer and Officer away to the kids, but assumption is your alox is thinner then those.
Searched with string <putting clip on Victorinox alox> and got a bunch of vidz on the tubes.
 
View attachment 1543288
TheJon said:
I believe there was a pervious thread about someone having luck doing this, I believe they drilled the holes and then epoxed the clip on along with the screws. As someone else mentioned theres only a few threads holding the screw in, so the epoxy helps keep the screws from stripping out.

I can't find the thread I was thinking of, but there's a user here that used to sell customized Alox SAK with pocket clips.
Click to expand...

Drilling and tapping Aluminum benefits from special drills, taps, and lubricants. Self tapping screws don’t qualify. If you glue everything up tight, you cannot fix a sprung clip very easily.
Somebody sells Alox SAK’s with pocket clips having an arced anchor with 3 screws. This appears to be a good set up, but the holes in the scale are most likely drilled and tapped before the knife is assembled. Not my pic.
 
tiguy7 said:
View attachment 1543288

Drilling and tapping Aluminum benefits from special drills, taps, and lubricants. Self tapping screws don’t qualify. If you glue everything up tight, you cannot fix a sprung clip very easily.
Somebody sells Alox SAK’s with pocket clips having an arced anchor with 3 screws. This appears to be a good set up, but the holes in the scale are most likely drilled and tapped before the knife is assembled. Not my pic.
Click to expand...
I

You know it's been a while since I last saw them listed for sale, but I thought he drilled and tapped them assembled, I can't remember but I think he stopped selling them because his source on the clips dried up?
 
TheJon said:
I believe there was a pervious thread about someone having luck doing this, I believe they drilled the holes and then epoxed the clip on along with the screws. As so
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TheJon said:
I

You know it's been a while since I last saw them listed for sale, but I thought he drilled and tapped them assembled, I can't remember but I think he stopped selling them because his source on the clips dried up?
Click to expand...

It’s really tough to drill and tap a short blind hole. Blind holes usually require a bottoming tap and you can’t start the thread with one. So you’re talking 2 taps for each of 3 holes, pretty labor intensive. Also because you don’t want to run either the tap drill or the taps into the blade, you’re looking at an even shorter hole.
 
I used some 1-72 screws in the Micarta handles on my AL Mar Falcon Ultralight to most a clip. The three screws hold the clip very securely. I've bent the clip several times and the screws didn't budge. I used a bottoming tap.
 
Phydeaux said:
I used some 1-72 screws in the Micarta handles on my AL Mar Falcon Ultralight to most a clip. The three screws hold the clip very securely. I've bent the clip several times and the screws didn't budge. I used a bottoming tap.
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I am glad it is working for you. I am not inclined to depend on machine threads in plastic to create a secure attachment for a pocket clip especially if the screws are removed frequently. To anchor machine screws in plastic, I like to insert Helicoils.
 
Most of the Vics I’ve seen with pocket clips weren’t using the factory alox scales.
 
Well there's a 3rd option from Lee D for OP, new scales with that clip! Some stabilized burled something and just the right clip. Hey just add a little piece of something into, onto, inside of, the scale for mounting clip?
 
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