How to get into knife modifications?

[Kw4]

I am interested in getting into knife modifications but I don’t really know where to start. I would love to hear advice on where to go from here.

 

[Stumpy72]

I don’t know if your question is going to be answerable. I think most people get knives modified so the knife gains (or loses) some given characteristic(s). I don’t remember having seen anything about modifying for the sake of modifying, without any specific objective being the reason for the modification. That being said, check out the “Custom” area in the Benchmade website and the “Build” area in the Olamic website. Those two areas show available options for customization of some of their products and you might get some ideas there. Happy hunting!

 

[BitingSarcasm]

Handle mods are an easy way to start. Buy some knives with light-colored scales, and dye them a color you like. With a good dremel you can use cutoff wheels, grinding stones, and sanding drums to change blade shapes. Opinels would be a good way to start inexpensively, and I find that the Spyderco Salt series is very forgiving to the learning curve. Expect to screw up a lot, especially at first, and use the search function to research the Maintenance, Tinkering, and Embellishment subforum. This one is an old photo, of a Salt that got the Kahr Delica Wharncliffe tip.

 

[Kw4]

Thanks, yea I was going back and forth between getting a opinel and a mora especially a carben steel one to do some patina work. By the way what type of dyes do you use?

 

[Wowbagger]

I am interested in getting into knife modifications but I don’t really know where to start. I would love to hear advice on where to go from here.

You aren't going to like what I'm going to say but :
I kind of think if you didn't grow up with a hacksaw and a hand drill in your hand turing your bicycle into a chopper because the adult guy next door has choppers and watching your Dad, or uncle or _____ (fill in the blank) and emulating them while you were a little kid.
Well . . . this could be tough . . . and dangerous.
Using power tools, for the first time, around long, sharp edged objects is a recipe for stitches (or worse).
. . . whhhhhoooooooooo. . . maybe take an adult night corse in metal working / welding so you get to play with real tools before tacking the knives.

I mean if you were already up to speed on the tools you would be doing the work on knives and talking about little problem that have tripped you up.

I have to work with new people at work every year that just cannot handle tools and don't "get it" they do damage and get hurt and just waste everybody's time and money and then disappear into the sunset to try to get some other job.

That said, the top knife mod tools for me are :
Dremel tool (backed up by air powered grinders, bench grinders with specialty cool grinding stone wheels made for work on edge tools, corded electric sanders, a small drill press. I don't have much use for cordless tools . . . super expensive and the battery is always down if one doesn't use them daily to make a living. Corded tools are more powerful, more reliable and less expensive. Yes I have cordless tools.

Diamond files and diamond paddles.
Some small, quality, woodworking hand saws and a small hand plane or two. Add to that a wood rasp or two.
It is too much to list exact examples. I mean . . . my mods may not be your mods and to use these tools it would be hugely useful to you to have grown up using them so . . . you don't have to "practice" with each tool on your project.

Sorry if this is discouraging.
Maybe I don't understand your post and I'm way off base.
What say you ?

 

[Kw4]

First off thank you. I have been around saws, power tools, etc. I am definitely comfortable with a Dermel. I was just wondering where would be the best place to start.

 

[DeadboxHero]

First off thank you. I have been around saws, power tools, etc. I am definitely comfortable with a Dermel. I was just wondering where would be the best place to start.

Start on cheap knives like you said. Then Branch out from there.

 

[Kw4]

Start on cheap knives like you said. Then Branch out from there.

Gotcha

 

[kvaughn]

Files and sandpaper. Go slow. Learn more.--KV

 

[BitingSarcasm]

Thanks, yea I was going back and forth between getting a opinel and a mora especially a carben steel one to do some patina work. By the way what type of dyes do you use?

I used Rit dye to turn the yellow Salt reddish. FRN takes the dye pretty well, and pale G10 will also take a surface color. It never turns out quite exactly like you think it will, it's an organic process. Pink G10 hit with black dye turns purple, for instance. For wood, I use Miniwax stain for just about anything natural wood color; if they don't sell just the right color, you can mix darker pigments with natural until you get what you want. The rule of thumb for dyeing or staining is start light and work darker to the color you want, because you are not going to get lighter. There are some bleaches and spirits that take color, but they sometimes mess with wood grain or impair the ability of wood to take new stain. And synthetics can be structurally harmed by some of the chemicals involved. Always test first, if you can. Or just dive in and take what you get.

 

[Ebbtide]

Modify your own knives.
Take and post photos.
Ask for criticism.
Keep at the above, in time, if you're any good, people will ask for you to mod their knives.

 

[Mo2]

Make sure your not experimenting on other people's stuffs. Check out YouTube lots of vids of how to do knife mods. Make sure your taking into account things like blocking off the detent and bearing races when doing stonewashing or other blade finishes and stuff like that. Also prep work is often over looked or not done to the full extent for anodizing etc so that's something to look into.

When asking for criticism goto real knife people and tell them you want to get better and be honest. Too many people will just say this is fine. And that's not acceptable imho.

 

[kniferbro]

I would start with changing handle colors (dye) and finishes (patina, polishing, stonewashing etc.) Once you're more familiar with that stuff I feel like inspiration on what to try next will just kind of come to you.

 

[tiguy7]

View attachment 989162 View attachment 989161 Here are 5 knives that I modified to have clip points using a 1X42” Rockwell belt sander with a contact wheel.

 

[Wowbagger]

I have been around saws, power tools, etc. I am definitely comfortable with a Dermel. I was just wondering where would be the best place to start.

Very cool !
OK I can relax now.

One mod I do a whole lot is thin the knife blade just behind the edge which improves the performance immensely. I can't put enough exclamation marks after that.

Take a look at Mr Ankerson's test chart if you haven't already. The truly outstanding performers are not only super steel with a superior heat treat but they are DANGED THIN behind the edge. On the order of 0.010 inch down to 0.006 inch or six thousandths for those not used to looking at these sorts of numbers.

The average off the shelf, good sized folder, will be around 0.020" and even as fat as 0.030"

This >>>>Link will get you to the Ankerson chart. Page down to where it says "Same method as above, but with a coarse edge, 400 grit".

Notice the same alloys cut much more rope once the behind the edge dimension has been much reduced.

Another mod is to put a sharpening choil on the rear of the edge (though this can hang up on stuff that you cut like cardboard or cloth.

I mod most of my Cold Steel Triad Locks by disassembling the knife and modding the parts so the action is more friendly : Unlocks with less thumb force, once the lock comes fully out of the notch a bit of modding can make the act of folding the blade lift the lock up so it is easier to close. Hard to explain; stare at it until you see how this can be done.

Other mods :
I like to turn a second blade in a Trapper from a spay into a Warrencliff (have to add a new nail nick or slot for your finger nail).



Or remove the spay blade entirely. I just cut it off; these knives are under a hundred dollars so, to me, not worth taking the knife apart to remove the blade and do it right.


To make my Grail I took a handle off a fixed blade that I liked (totally love) and put it on a flipper that I really like :





. . . and all like that there . . .

 

[DeadFall27]

Ill do my best to answer your question, but I really dont know what kind of answer you want.

Do you have tools? Dremels, belt sanders, file, Vices etc are all very nice things to have.

What kind of mods are you looking to do? Are you looking to cut down existing blades and handles? Moras and Opinels are fantastic for that. So are the Ontario USAF Survival Pilot Knives. You can mod the living heck out of those. Do you want to just do handles? There are very good places that sell moras (for example) with no handles and you can make your own handle and sheath, or you can cut handles off of certain models if you'd like. Condor has a couple models they sell without handles too if youre into full tang stuff.

What kind of knives are you looking to mod? The kind of knives youd like to work on will give you a general direction of where to go and what kind of mods youd like to attempt. I like hidden tang knives, so some full tang blades I like but hate the handle end up becoming hidden tangs sometimes. I'm about to cut up and regrind my Condor Bushlore because I dont use it alot and I know I cant sell it in its condition.

Dont be afraid to mess up or go slightly beyond your skill level. I am finishing a puukko I can post pics of later that was way above my skill level in my opinion before I finished it. I thought I messed it up 3 times and was able to save it and be happy. Be ambitious, go with your gut, and mistakes teach you alot, dont be scared of them.


Cheers buddy, I just got back into this kind of stuff myself. Enjoy it!

 

[Mo2]

Get some really cheap knives and start on those. Mora's, opinel, Walmart. Know what steel will do what (carbon vs stainless vs tool steel)

 

[Wowbagger]

I am interested in getting into knife modifications but I don’t really know where to start. I would love to hear advice on where to go from here.

I'm afraid this thread is just a black hole.

The place to start is to pick up a knife and use it.
One is either drawn to it or neutral to it or
. . . wait for it . . .
put off by it or pissed off by it (knives that have silly thick blades have that effect on me (on user knives; art knives are another category that's all fine)) or better yet inspired by it
which
is the point where one reaches for the drawing pad or goes straight for the abrasive cutoff wheel (attach the dambed wheel to what ever you like)
and starts to actually . . .
. . . wait for it again . . .
. . . here it comes. . .
THERE ! I can see it coming way out there on the bend in the road . . .
Modding the dambed knife !

Until the OP actually gets to this point we can't help him.
This thread is starting to drive me nuts.

Modding ? I'll show you modding.
Today I am off and will spend some time in the shop, after honey DOs of coarse, putting these ebony scales on this, my Grail / Love this Knife, folder.

I passionately love this knife and every time I pick it up and use it I want a thicker / wider place to grip it. That and I don't have a single ebony handled knife and I dig ebony.

Here that :
Passsion
Dissatisfaction
Desire
Infatuation (with materials and design elements)

That's how to get into knife modding . . . you can not help it . . . you are compelled to do it you can't live without it.



Three Brad Zinker Urban Trappers. One is a little bit different. Can you pick it out ?

 

[Ebbtide]

Well, just so we don't have wowbagger go completely starkers
... here are a couple "before and afters"
I'll start with a simple "spruce up"
Before

After (with my own self made sheath)

Another Western... Before

And after the "Bagwell Mods"

An unfinished project from a friend who passed away

After...

All ya gotta do to do it is to do it.
Its the doing that holds the joy, not the end result. If you enjoy the work the results will come.
If you rush to the end, the results will show that too.

FWIW, the only power tool used was my hobbyist table top drill press.
Files, sandpaper and elbow grease did the rest.

 

[Wowbagger]

Well, just so we don't have wowbagger go completely starkers
... here are a couple

Thanks !
I feel better now.
Good fix up / mods !
The stars on the sheath I like too. Just right some how.