folders: good steel + zytel

fishface5

fishface5

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I'm trying to think of good candidates for re-handling projects, i.s. knives that can be bought fairly cheap due to zytel handles but the blade steel is decent. Looking for bargains - aside from Spyderco, can anyone offer suggestions? Thanks!
 
fishface5 said:
I'm trying to think of good candidates for re-handling projects, i.s. knives that can be bought fairly cheap due to zytel handles but the blade steel is decent. Looking for bargains - aside from Spyderco, can anyone offer suggestions? Thanks!
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First that comes to mind is Cold Steel. I have a Zytel Voyager. Opinions vary, but I would say the blade steel is at least decent. CD prices generally aren't "bargains," though I would say that for Spyderco, too.

I don't have one but Ka-Bar makes a bunch of AUS-8 knives with Zytel handles that are generally well reviewed. Camillus, too, although theirs are 440. I think they all can be had for $20-$30.
 
Do you want nested liners, or just plain FRN scales? If you don't need liners, I'd second the Ka-Bar suggestion. A couple of their AUS-8 folders are really nice but they don't use liners. Don't know if that's a problem for your projects or not.

BM's Grips and mini-Grips come to mind, but I hear that they are real beasts to work with because of the nested liners.

IIRC, SOG has some nice VG10 stuff with Zytel scales and full liners. Those may be easier to work with if you're doing some rescaling.
 
Look at Kershaw's lineup for re-handle projects. The JYD2, Lahar, SpeeedBump (a little tricky), and others work great with new handles. Some of their G10 knives are very affordable.
 
Check out Ebay for some old Camillus blades left over from the end of that era a couple years ago. I bought a pair of S30V Dominator blades for $25. Of course they came without an edge, and no thumb studs, but those are things than any industrious person could remedy.

The blades were already heat-treated, and had the stonewashed look.

You can also find some Cuda Maxx 5.5" blades for around $40.

Kabar makes those AUS8 Dozier folders, which are pretty decent. Or you could go a little higher (okay, maybe a lot higher, depending on your wallet size) and get a Spyderco with a ZDP-189 blade and fix it up.:eek: Okay on rereading your post, maybe the Spydies are known.

Good luck, and make sure to show us what you end up with.

Daniel
 
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If you can find a Junglee Marshall with the Zytel handle that would be a good candidate.
I bought one for less than $40. The blade is AUS10 and is well made and heat treated. The handle was not designed well, but that is what you are going to replace.
 
fishface5 said:
Looking for bargains - aside from Spyderco, can anyone offer suggestions?
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aside from Spyderco, that will be hard

S30v

Native

VG10

Delica,
Endura,
Centofante3,
Centofante 4,
Dragonfly,
Assist,
Remote Release,
Rescue,
Native3


H1

Salt1,
Atlantic Salt,
Pacific Salt,
Saver Salt,
Tasman Salt,

May be I miss few more

Can anybody match???????????
 
firebert said:
The Lahar is VG10
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+1:thumbup: Good suggestion. It may have a G-10 handle, but it is a remarkable "bargain" knife with an excellent blade steel!

Jake Bauer said:
What's wrong with Spyderco?
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My guess would be that most FRN handled Spydercos are pinned construction, as in they're harder to take apart (see underlined portion below).;)

fishface5 said:
I'm trying to think of good candidates for re-handling projects, i.s. knives that can be bought fairly cheap due to zytel handles but the blade steel is decent. Looking for bargains - aside from Spyderco, can anyone offer suggestions? Thanks!
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BM Grips and Ritter Grips? BM 530? Boye folders with Dendritic Cobalt blades?

Regards,
3G
 
3Guardsmen said:
My guess would be that most FRN handled Spydercos are pinned construction, as in they're harder to take apart (see underlined portion below).;)
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I think the only pinned FRNs anymore are the Native, centofante 3 and 4, Dfly, ladybug, and salt series.

All the Delica/Enduras arent pinned. Lots of options right there. Taking apart knives isnt the best thing to do in the first place.
 
Jake Bauer said:
I think the only pinned FRNs anymore are the Native, centofante 3 and 4, Dfly, ladybug, and salt series.

All the Delica/Enduras arent pinned. Lots of options right there. Taking apart knives isnt the best thing to do in the first place.
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Who knows for sure. I was just speculating. As far as taking knives apart goes, you're right. However, there are some guys, like STR for example, who do it masterfully.

Regards,
3G
 
hey these are some great ideas guys,m thanks! Especially the Junglee Marshall (never even heard of that one before) and the Kabar Doziers. I'm trying to find a couple knives around $20 to start with, just so that if I screw up I won't be out too much $$, and if it works I have a knife with steel worth using. I'd eventually like to do a couple Griptillians as well, but first I need to go back down to basics - I tried to re-handle a Camillus Heat, with the recessed liners and A/O mechanism, and that just made me swear a lot and waste micarta. I'll go back to that one later . . . .
 
Jake Bauer said:
Taking apart knives isnt the best thing to do in the first place.
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Why not? Almost every knife I own has benefited from a tear down and tune up right out of the box. A proper reassembly fixes damn near all blade centering problems. It also allows you to loctite all the screws and get rid of that thick factory grease and replace it with something thinner and smoother.




To the OP though, look at Kershaw's lineup.
 
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