Fallkniven U4 half-stop mod.

[Stelth]

I recently purchased a Fallkniven U4 because I wanted a small knife with a wide blade...something I could stick in the change/watch pocket of my jeans. When the U4 arrived it filled the role I expected but it wasn't perfect. My biggest complaint is with how the back of the blade sticks out like a little step when it's closed. It's not a deal-breaker, but if they could have made the handle more arced it wouldn't stick out like that. It tends to snag on the inside of a pocket. There's nothing I could do about that, but I believed my second complaint was fixable. I thought the blade should have a half-stop. Although this isn't a one-hand knife I can still open and close it one-handed. The problem was when closing itwith one hand, the blade got uncomfortably close to my finger. It also seemed a bit unpredictable. A half-stop, I reasoned, would eliminate the chance of it accidentally closing on my finger. With some apprehension I disassembled the knife and wrapped the blade in masking tape so I wouldn't cut myself. I then got a piece of sand paper and while holding the blade pointing up, I sanded the rounded bottom of the tang until I had a barely perceptible flat spot. I figured I'd probably reassemble it and then find I'd have to repeat the operation until it stopped like I wanted but I'd rather take off too little than too much. Even though I didn't think it would be enough, I polished the bottom with a fine emery cloth and then I ran it on my strop with polishing compound. To my surprise, this tiny modification worked perfectly the first time. Now, on closing, the blade catches in a 90° position like I wanted. Mission accomplished. Now, if only I could make a zytel handle that covered that damn little "step".

 

[bonzodog]

Sounds like a great mod,any pictures!!

 

[Stelth]

Sounds like a great mod,any pictures!!

Thanks. I would have needed a really good macro lens to show the difference and I'd also have needed to take a before pic, which I didn't do. With the knife reassembled you really can't really see anything.