Improvements/modifications to your Spydie

P

Peter Ervin

Joined
Oct 27, 1998
Messages
178
I have a Starmate that sees plenty of work. I would like to see a slightly wider handle so the blade has a little more room in there. As it is now,the blade is very close to each scale. It has taken a bit of tinkering to get it sitting in the center. The blade will rub the scale if you are a bit rough opening it or the pivot tension is too slack.
Anyone else made improvements/modifications to their Spyderco? What would you like to see Spyderco do to some of their current models?

Peter
 
The only improvements that I've had to make to my two stainless Spyderco's are to remove the SHARP edges and points from the handles.

(A little file-work, and sanding "here and there" really makes a difference!.
smile.gif
.).

------------------
Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
I'd like to see a Spyderco Wegner or Pro-Grip with a "frame lock" or "integral lock".

2d_edge
AKTI Member # A001059
My Knives Photos

---------------------
"Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty but only the pig enjoys it."
 
1. I'd like to see the thumb grooves on the Military less agressive. Sometimes the knife resists being pulled from the pocket due to the harsh angle of these ridges. To fix this problem, I carefully contoured the edges of the grooves on one side of the blade using a tapered diamond hone. Now I still get good thumb traction without the knife hanging up on the draw.

2. I'd like to see the spine and cusp rounded off on the Calpyso Jr. It's a bit hard on the thumb as is.

David Rock

------------------
AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.
 
David, I did the exact same thing on my Military. Made a really big difference in ease and speed of draw.
 
Made my Shabaria lefty friendly, am getting Paua inlay on a Renegade and will be replacing the scales on my large Centofante.
smile.gif
 
Peter
I am a big fan of all Spyderco knives and also Dremel tools. I have combined these two things to modify dozens of Spyderco knives. I only have five examples left as follows:
Top knife - Opening hole enlarged, handle reshaped, 1/2 spyder edge removed.
2nd knife down - 1/2 spyder edge removed, clip ground off.
Middle knife - handle reshaped next to the opening hole.
4th knife down - "hump" on blade removed
Bottom knife - 1/2 spyder edge removed, "hump" on blade removed, handle engraved.
The forms on the bottom are for cutting scales to fit various models. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=314358&a=4192287&p=24539564&Sequence=0
 
I had to break the entire inside edges of the G10 scales of my Militarys. They cut into the palms and fingers a bit when in the "white knuckle" grip. Some fine grit emery did the trick. And the usual grip/ friction tape applied to strategic areas of the pocket clip and opposite scale near the blade pivot.

L8r,
Nakano
 
Some very nice input. thanx for the time and candor. nice refinements (evolutionary steps?).

sal
 
Sal,

If you happen to have a stainless Native II nearby, take a look (and feel) of it, and you'll notice some VERY sharp edges, and points at the ends of the handle, and at the inside edges where the blade folds into the handle. (I also found this "problem" with my stainless Endura II, but not as bad as with the Native, except for the inside edges of the handle.).

Those gotta go, as the ONLY sharpness needs to be on the BLADE...
smile.gif
.

------------------
Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
I'd want some materils as option:

TITANIUM CALYPSO - I take whichever Calypso you make with titanium handles. Large Calypso ti would be the fulfillment of my dreams

I would also instantly order micarta handled Dragonfly.

Plain edged Ladybug would fill some of my needs. Maby it could be SS Lady. Sometimes I can't have any other knife but a keyringknife. However just in those days I seem to need a knife. Whittling with such a short plain and semi chisel grinded edge as is in ladybug is not effective. Effectiveness is what I now have used to expect from a Spyderco.

[This message has been edited by Tommi (edited 07-21-2000).]
 
After looking at BubbaBlades' post, and seeing what he did to some of his Spydercos, I also decided to enlarge (and "bevel") the thumb-hole in my Endura II. (My Native II is ok, "as-is".)

What a nice improvement!. (Darn, I just LOVE my Dremel-Tool!).
biggrin.gif
.
(Thanks for the "idea", BubbaBlades...).
smile.gif
.

Now I just gotta figure-out the best way of roughing-up the finish on the stainless handle (scales?) of my Endura II, so that it's not soooooo slippery...

------------------
Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663

[This message has been edited by glockman99 (edited 07-21-2000).]
 
I have two Starmates and a Military that I gave "The Treatment" to.
"The Treatment" is as follows:
I deepened the finger grooves on the exposed portions of the liner locks. See the pic of the Military at the top of your screen and imagine that exposed metal and scale on the other side shaved down 3/16".
The grips on these folders is now nothing short of outstanding IMO, and I now have a knife(knives) that I am more comfortable with overall.
The idea came from another Forum member about 11 months ago. Wish I could remember who it was. Credit where credit is due don'tchaknow!
Corduroy is the Forumite who came up with the idea for this modification. Here is a link to a much better description of how it's done:
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum20/HTML/000831.html


------------------
The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.
Sun Tzu

[This message has been edited by misque (edited 07-21-2000).]
 
I ground off the point of the choil on my Calypso Jr. I will likely grind even more off. I think it improved the comfort of thumb which used to hit on the point.

Bubba, thanks for posting pics. I may buy a Dremel and make the hole larger on my Wegner Jr. As it stands now my thumb some times slips off the small hole.



------------------
Roger Blake
 
I liked the older style Military with the grooves cut into the finger choil, so thats what I did to my new CPM440V one (If you do a search from last year I had a picture of it)

On quite a few others I have I added grooves to the thumb ramp such as the Military & Native have. Very easy to do with a steady hand & a Dremel. The one's I think it made the best improvment to is the SS Police & SS Endura.

Only other mod's have done is to take the black coating off some of the clips, on some of their knives I just like the contrast of it.



------------------
Keith
"War to the knife and knife to the hilt"
 
Well, here I am again!.
smile.gif
.

Last night I got BOARD, so I took my Dremel-Tool to my poor ol' Stainless Endura II (AGAIN).

THIS TIME I took "kdarmy's" lead, and cut grooves (9 of 'em) into the thumb-ramp. After a little "file-work", it looks (and feels) pretty darn good!.
cool.gif
.

Lets see now...I've taken the sharp edges and points off the handle (scales?), I've enlarged and beveled the thumb-hole, and now I've added grooves to the thumb-ramp.
(I still have to figure-out a good, simple way to rough-up the finish on the stainless handle, so it's not so slick...).

Sal, I don't think you'd even recognize this Spyderco as an Endura, anymore!.
biggrin.gif
.

------------------
Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663

[This message has been edited by glockman99 (edited 07-23-2000).]
 
Glockman - Sounds like an Endura with sunglasses on.

The eqivalent of a ramp job, slide job, packies, tritium sights, and a built in red light. Would that make you a "knife smith".

sal
 
Sal,

In reality, I AM a pistol-smith / Glock Certified Armorer, and I love to "tinker".
biggrin.gif
.

These stainless Spyderco's are GREAT knives, but even the BEST can be "improved" with just a little "tinkering", or "fine-tuning"...
smile.gif
.

------------------
Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top