Help adding a thumbstud?

[batosai117]

I can say from doing it 3 or 4 times that it is a royal PITA

I used my dremel, my DeWalt drill, a barrel of elbow grease, and some Cobalt drill bits (cobalt can drill through hardened steel, and can be found simply at Lowes or Home Depot).

I would recommend just drilling a hole to the size you need, then use a two part thumb stud, then you could cut the threads to the desired length and put them together.

I even used diamond bits, but they are pricey and if you aren't careful, the "bits" will disappear very quickly. I would recommend getting used to the flipper, because each time I did this it took a couple of hour long sessions (your hands will get tired). I'd say roughly 2-3 hours just to get that damn hole

Take care, J.

 

[Phillip Dobson]

I can say from doing it 3 or 4 times that it is a royal PITA

I used my dremel, my DeWalt drill, a barrel of elbow grease, and some Cobalt drill bits (cobalt can drill through hardened steel, and can be found simply at Lowes or Home Depot).

I would recommend just drilling a hole to the size you need, then use a two part thumb stud, then you could cut the threads to the desired length and put them together.

I even used diamond bits, but they are pricey and if you aren't careful, the "bits" will disappear very quickly. I would recommend getting used to the flipper, because each time I did this it took a couple of hour long sessions (your hands will get tired). I'd say roughly 2-3 hours just to get that damn hole

Take care, J.

WOW. Next time just use a straight-flute, solid carbide bit. It only takes a few seconds. You do need a solid drill press and some cutting fluid, though.

I'd also recommend just getting used to the flipper.

 

[golden chicken]

Ok guys, it's finished! I did exactly what I described yesterday. I took my air cutter and cut a slot in the spacer, then used a file to straighten it all out and clean it up. Then I spray painted it black. I went back to the hardwarde store and got another set screw, so now there's one on each side. Total cost, $.89 plus tax.

I agree with Bill1170, that I'd be better off with a stainless spacer, but i wasn't able to find one at my hardware store.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbIgKs5XRMU

I'm thinking I might just have to get used to the flipper. The thumbstud fails to completely open the knife about 80% of the time, whereas the flipper opens it every time. The thumbstud appears to be very sensitive to the angle at which you press it.

I will say that my Shallot opens with much less authority than my Blur does. :grumpy: I also can see that the paint isn't going to hold up to repeated use, but that's okay with me.

 

[SPXTrader]

That's not a bad job. Looks good!

As for the difference in speed of opening, Kershaw tunes each model to what they think is appropriate for the design. Blurs do open faster than the Shallots.

 

[golden chicken]

Yes, I had read that the torsion bars are tuned. I fiddled with the framelock and it seems to open quicker, and engage more often, even with the thumbstud.

 

[cotdt]

[post deleted]

 

[Dog of War]

As for the difference in speed of opening, Kershaw tunes each model to what they think is appropriate for the design. Blurs do open faster than the Shallots.

Interesting. I've never handled a Blur, but the 3 Shallots I own sure bang open with authority ... so much so, it seems weird when I carry a Leek with its much 'softer' opening.

golden chicken, I think you'll grow to like the flipper; just give it a little time.

 

[golden chicken]

sooo...a little update after two quick sharpening attempts, one cleaning attempt and EDC for the past week and a half or so...

the recurve makes for an interesting but not impossible time of sharpening with my lansky kit. the last half-inch of the tip seems to form a less agressive edge angle, but that's okay with me, as i think a higher angle means better edge retention.

i took it apart for the first time to clean the pocket lint out of it and found the torsion bar to be a stunningly simple mechanism. also, after fiddling a little with the pivot screw, this knife now snaps open with as much authority and speed as my blur.

i find myself using the flipper and my thunbstud about equally now, depending on how it happens to fit my hand as i draw. sometimes the thumbstud gets slightly caught in the hem of my pocket, so the flipper works better in that case.