Mirage scales

  • Thread starter Thread starter Trevor Calder
  • Start date Start date
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Trevor Calder

I've just replaced the boring black scales on my Mirage with ones of wood.
It was amazingly easy to do.

Anyone else done something similar?


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"..it is foolishness and endless trouble to cast a
stone at every dog that barks at you.."
 
I have a Mirage I bought expressly for that. I thought it might be reasonably easy so I asked about it on rec.knives. I got responses from (among others) Jim Hammond, the designer, who said it should be easy, and Russell Kay, who had actually done it. Actually, I think the Mirage scales are nicer than some, but they are still just black Zytel.

I haven't done it yet. I want to use something other than the black screws and I haven't found brass ones yet. Anyone know what size? 0x80 perhaps? I want to make the wood scales a little thicker than the Zytel, so I'll want slightly longer screws too.

If I give up on the rather light-colored wood I have in mind and go with a darker wood and also don't make the scales noticeably thicker, then I could still use the same black screws. I want to at least make a try at doing it this way, though.


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Paul Neubauer
prn@bsu.edu
 
Ever read Popular Mechanics?
One of the ideas we have and have already started are reader projects. So when ever you do a modifaction to any knife, we want to know! Then if you are able send it to us and we will make a story out of it. Cool huh?

Look for these stories VERY soon.

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
www.wowinc.com




 
I'm having Patrick at TripleAughtDesign do mine in green"jigged bone"[hello Les].It should be a thing of great beauty.

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have a"knife"day
 
I checked out the TripleAughtDesign web site and somehow missed the information on having them to replace the scales on knives. How can I find that information?

Lamar
 
Patrick just does knife work when he has a little extra time.Heis a very busy man most of the time.
PS Does very nice work.

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have a"knife"day
 
prn, it was those posts of yours to rec.knives that gave me the idea.
I started out making alterations to the clip, since I thought it a little loose.
Ended up a couple of hours later with a (IMHO) much nicer looking knife.
I've got half an idea to make several sets, and change them occasionally.

 
I found alum. handled Mirages for sale for $20! I'll have to get one now. E-mail me if you want to know where I saw this special deal advertized. Thanx.

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After talking to Paul and Trevor, we found out that the aluminum handled Mirage has screws that go from the front scales through to the back scales. So, the scales are not easily replaceable. If you want to replace the scales without much effort you need to purchase a zytel version of the Mirage. I am going to take the aluminum version apart and see if I can replace the scales but I have my doubts that it will be trivial. If Jim Hammond is following this thread then perhaps he can suggest what might be done. I figure that each single screw will need to be replaced by two screws and the spacers will need to be tapped.

Jeff Jenness

[This message has been edited by jeffj (edited 26 April 1999).]
 
I've never worked on a Mirage, but before making my own knifes I started by doing what you describe to about 35-50 Benchmades.

I agree that having screws from each side going into a metal spacer is the best approach, but if you want to go from one side to the other into wood, Micarta, or G-10, here's a tip: buy some thick-walled metal tubing about 3/16 diameter with an inner diameter smaller than your tap drill size. Then, drive this tube, like a pin, into a snug hole in the scale material (a little epozy won't hurt, though the tight fit should do) BEFORE shaping the scale. Then drill and tap the tubing. This gives you a secure metal lining for all of your screw holes so they won't strip; much better than tapping non-metal scale material.

For a nice fit, expect to profile the scales while they are on the knife, and remove a tad of the liners in the process. Shaping them "by eye" while they are not attached to the liners will never get as nice a fit.

Materials I had a lot of success with were aluminum, titanium, micarta, and Dymondwood, though the last one can chip or crack if the fitting process is rough. This is an easy and fun way to make your knife unique and learn a lot, too. Try to contour your scales instead of making them just flat like most production scales, add bolsters, or change the clip placement to suit your needs. The Mirage seems like an excellent choice for such treatment - if you have an idea, try it!

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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
 
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