Knife modding by committee/GAW

HeathH, looks like a good candidate for a rebuild and considering your previous work there's going to be one very happy winner! Looking forward to the WIP pics.
 
JTB_5 said:
You can always take the 2nd most popular choices where the 1st make for an ugly combo. It is hard to believe a knife can cost so little!
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I like that idea, we will see how it plays out... hardwood is making an upswing :cool: I actually love natural micarta - I just about have this one finished after some time in the shop last night

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I mostly just think if we're gonna do bolsters we should mix it up a bit...


I was out for a while tonight and left the GAW knife soaking in wd40. Snap is acceptable on both blades, although the main is a bit weaker. The blades are fairly full, and the patina is AMAZING. I've never seen springs so jet black. The grinds are about what you'd expect (off, but thin).

But there's trouble in paradise! I pulled the shell covers off and found extensive rust damage to the liners under the shells. I may be able to clean it off if reusing the stock liners wins. There might not be enough material left over once I get through the red rust... The more troubling thing is this:

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Pretty bad bend in the main blade. I may try to gently straighten it, but I give it about a 50/50 shot at snapping :eek:
 
redsparrow said:
HeathH, looks like a good candidate for a rebuild and considering your previous work there's going to be one very happy winner! Looking forward to the WIP pics.
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Thanks for the kind words! I'm really hoping it turns out - it's a neat old knife
 
That bend will come out with some very careful work seeing that its closer to the tip. Or it snaps and your out $4 but at least you tried!!! As for the liners, if they are shot could you trace them out on some brass sheet and create new ones?

Matt
 
66sprint6 said:
That bend will come out with some very careful work seeing that its closer to the tip. Or it snaps and your out $4 but at least you tried!!! As for the liners, if they are shot could you trace them out on some brass sheet and create new ones?
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I pretty much got the bend out last night by putting a crescent wrench on it and very gently tweaking it. Thankfully the steel seems fairly soft, so no issues with breakage! There's still a slight curve, but it's not hitting the liner anymore, but I don't want to press my luck.

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I think I'm going to have to cut some new brass liners.. it's not looking good for g10. I did some scrubbing last night and the stock ones are awfully thin awfully thin. I've had bad luck cutting brass in the past and always ended up frustrated, with mangled liners... but I'll take a crack at it!
 
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HeathH HeathH -thanks for the updates! I’m sure if anything happens, someone will donate a knife for consideration! Hardwood with G-10/Micarta bolsters would look fantastic. Yellowheart turns on a lathe real well. If you had a piece of wood a little over-sized you could turn it and get four semi circles to use for scales. Takes a real nice matte finish, but I’m sure it could be polished up pretty nice.
$.02.
Thanks, Neal
 
Heck yeah man, thats close enough and MORE than useable!!! I know what your saying on cutting liners, if you have access to a bandsaw or even a jigsaw you can get close enough then grind them to final shape or if you have to cut them and bend/twist them they will hammer flat with soft blows and some eyeballing. Judging by pics of your other projects, I have full confidence that you can make this happen and end up not only with a knife thats useable again, but one that will compete for pocket time in most folks rotations! I LOVE modding older, otherwise useless/worn/tired folders so this thread has and hopefully will continue to be fun to keep an eye on!

Matt
 
66sprint6 said:
Heck yeah man, thats close enough and MORE than useable!!! I know what your saying on cutting liners, if you have access to a bandsaw or even a jigsaw you can get close enough then grind them to final shape or if you have to cut them and bend/twist them they will hammer flat with soft blows and some eyeballing. Judging by pics of your other projects, I have full confidence that you can make this happen and end up not only with a knife thats useable again, but one that will compete for pocket time in most folks rotations! I LOVE modding older, otherwise useless/worn/tired folders so this thread has and hopefully will continue to be fun to keep an eye on!

Matt[/QUOTE)
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Yep! I think I will try tacking the brass down and knocking it out with a jigsaw. I don't have access to a bandsaw. I'd love one, but I don't know where I'd even put it! I've been thinking about trying to mount my jigsaw to a router table and rigging up a guide for the blade, but I haven't taken that step because on some level I like being known as "Heath, the guy with all 10 fingers"

I was in the neighborhood of the wood shop today ~ added a poll of hardwood options to the top of page 1!!!
 
HeathH said:
Yep! I think I will try tacking the brass down and knocking it out with a jigsaw. I don't have access to a bandsaw. I'd love one, but I don't know where I'd even put it! I've been thinking about trying to mount my jigsaw to a router table and rigging up a guide for the blade, but I haven't taken that step because on some level I like being known as "Heath, the guy with all 10 fingers"

I was in the neighborhood of the wood shop today ~ added a poll of hardwood options to the top of page 1!!!
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Wowee, cast my vote for Purple Heart. Love that stuff, and I have a fixed blade with it on there.
 
I voted for walnut. For the moment it is tied for the lead! I am sure that will change, but I am a sucker for walnut.

I also support the idea of a wood handled shadow. My 2015 bladeforum knife is my daily carry. Nothing has been able to dislodge it for long since I got it.
 
HeathH said:
Yep! I think I will try tacking the brass down and knocking it out with a jigsaw. I don't have access to a bandsaw. I'd love one, but I don't know where I'd even put it! I've been thinking about trying to mount my jigsaw to a router table and rigging up a guide for the blade, but I haven't taken that step because on some level I like being known as "Heath, the guy with all 10 fingers"

I was in the neighborhood of the wood shop today ~ added a poll of hardwood options to the top of page 1!!!
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A jeweler's saw or coping saw will work wonders with thin brass. And they can be had for cheap.

Not a powered option, but I imagine for something as small as a knife, doing some things by hand would be preferred.
 
I'm in!
I actually like the "as is" Imperial a LOT :thumbsup::thumbsup::rolleyes:, but it's fun to look at the opinions reflected in the polls.
I voted for my favorites among the choices offered (but without looking at the various polls in advance, I think some of the choices I made shouldn't appear on the same knife :eek::().

- GT
 
Hickory n steel said:
Brass is a good idea.

Maybe you should skip all the other stuff and just go with a hardwood shadow pattern with brass pins and liners ;);)
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I love shadow patterns! I want to get to the point where I'm nailing the birdseye/bushing pivot before I'm willing to do one that'll go out into the wide, wide world though. I'm sure a direct pin-through wouldn't hold up in use. Micarta is tough enough to handle it. I think I've found a bushing that would work, but I need to try and carry a couple.

Maybe another GAW?

Pàdruig said:
A jeweler's saw or coping saw will work wonders with thin brass. And they can be had for cheap.

Not a powered option, but I imagine for something as small as a knife, doing some things by hand would be preferred.
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Yeah, I think the slow/steady method is best in a one-off capacity. Last time I tried a coping saw on brass it didn't end well, I probably need to pick up some finer blades.
 
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