Inserts....info please

Y

yozuri82

Joined
Feb 13, 2002
Messages
95
Hi, I just received a MT knife with those skateboard tape inserts on the handle. I was just wondering how people change the inserts on their knives. Do most people send them off to a customizer to put them in?? How reliabe would a replacement insert be and How much am I looking at if I do decide to change those skateboard tape inserts. I have seen some with, if I remember correctly, rayskin inserts or something like that. I think that a good tough rubber would be better than that skateboard tape.
Any info fellas??
Thanks a bunch.
 
I have some mt's with ray skin inlays and one with gold lip mop , at one time a great guy offered his services on microtechs and thats when I got mine done.
The skate bord tape comes out pretty easy but most are shollow cut outs and you need something thin to fit right , the older ones were deeper and allowed more room for inlays.
heres a good post on inlays and while your there take a look around.
http://www.microholics.org/cgi-microholics/ib312/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=12;t=2572
 
Your lucky day! I just got through replacing the skateboard tape inserts with some rayskin inserts on my Amphibian. I simply took out the skate board tape and placed it on the rayshin ant cut it out. There were two pieces to do and there wasn't much in the way of curves. The rayskin's thickness is greater than the skateboard tape and comes out level with the handle. Now you may be asking yourself, "How did he glue those inserts in?" I used, and don't laugh, some quick set JB Weld. This is steel epoxy basically and when dry it is almost black in color. What this did was too fill a couple little gaps I had and upon drying there are no longer any gaps and you would need a magnifying glass to tell. All in all I was EXTREMELY pleased with the results. If you want to give it a go yourself I got a little bit of the rayskin left I would gladly let you have. Just let me know.
 
Hi, thanks for the great responses.

Thanks a bunch Artsig..you have mail. :D

Does anyone have any closeup pictures of their inserts??? Are there any other popular materials that people use?? Any more info, pictures, or ideas would be greatly appreciated. :)
 
If put on using an epoxy such as JB Weld, you'll probably destroy them in getting them off. You could immerse them in a paint stripper (or a methylene chloride? solution such as Attack), which would, after some period of time (1 day), loosen the epoxy. I don't know what effect it would have on the inserts, though.

Howie
 
Strippers won't damage a metal handle. If the handle is some form of plastic or resin, it would.

Howie
 
I've done a number of inserts but usually prefer micarta with tapped screws to hold them in. I've never really trusted adhesives to hold on handle materials.

Not hard to do, just need some Micarta, jewelers saw, files, sandpaper and a drill/tap. Take your time and check your fit often.


cqd_red.jpg


socom_inserts.jpg
 
yozuri82 said:
Hi, thanks for the great responses.

Thanks a bunch Artsig..you have mail. :D

Does anyone have any closeup pictures of their inserts??? Are there any other popular materials that people use?? Any more info, pictures, or ideas would be greatly appreciated. :)
Click to expand...


Here is a link to Matt's site with pictures of inlays he did in the past, to bad he doesnt do inlays anymore.

http://www.artofthehide.com/photos.html

Materials, carbon fiber, mother of pearl , abalone , leather of all types , Ivory , wood are some I've saw used but anything else that looks good is fair game.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top