Gerber Clutch- remove knife & file?

[Lurker]

These are decent for a keychain tool and amazingly only $12 at REI on sale for a few more days.

The knife and nail file are not great and kind of useless for me due to other tools that I carry. It looks like they can be easily removed and the tool will be slimmer and lighter. It looks like T6 torx screws hold it together. Anyone tried this modification? Anything to watch out for?

Thanks.

 

[markwood]

I've one, and, without checking, I think the shape of the handles means that you wouldn't gain anything by removing the blade and file.

 

[Lurker]

To me, it looks like you can remove the torx screws, then the (black or red) scale, then the blade will come off, along with the back spring and the liner that is under it. Then you can put the scale back on. After that, the handle would be thinner and lighter. This is assuming that the screw can be tightened down to the lower level necessary. Not sure how that part works. Removing the file on the other handle should be similar.

At least that is what I think I am seeing. I have never modded a multi-tool or SAK like that before. I have a feeling it is harder than it looks.

I think the tool would be improved that way. Keep the good pliers and screwdrivers. Lose the blade and nail file. Slimmer and lighter package.

Ideally the tweezers could also be removed and replaced with another more useful item. Maybe something made from the file or knife. But that is more than I want to mess with at this point.

 

[Lurker]

This thread never got much discussion, but just to wrap it up neatly, I will say that I decided against this mod. One significant problem is that if you remove the liners as described above, on one of the handles, you are also removing the fulcrum for the back springs of the pliers. The fulcrums are integral to the liners. Normally the fulcrum is a pin near the middle of the handle, but on this tool, it is a piece of the liner folded over to support the springs. I also don't know what would be needed to shorten the hinge pins, but that would be another problem. And you lose the lanyard attachment. In the end, not worth the trouble in my opinion.