Modded Strider PT

[Chiro75]

After being inspired by pics of Eddie Baca-ized Strider PT's, I figured I'd try it to mine. I still need to counterbore the pivot, which is riding on the surface, so the head will be flush with the new scale, but here's what I did:
1) Replaced the black G-10 scale with natural translucent G-10 (looks like a cutting board in some of the pics, but it's hard to photograph)
2) Replaced the button head/pan head/whatever head screws in the scale with longer flat head 2-56's. I spun the screws on my drill press with a maroon Scotchbrite pad to give them a turned/machined look.
3) Unbeknownest to me, the back spacer is integral with the scale. It's machined from one piece of G-10! So, luckily I just happened to have some precision ground G-10 that was perfect thickness. It was a PITA to hand grind to match the original, but I got the job done eventually.

I didn't want to mess up the bead blasting on the Ti, so I didn't file the traction notches as well as I could've, nor is the backspacer perfectly flush, but it's as good as most of the factory knives I've seen lately! Definitely a fun little project.

 

[nenofury]

Very Cool!

 

[Chiro75]

Thanks! As a break in my routine with knifemaking, I think when I get all my orders filled and shipped I'm going to make a template for the backspacer and scale out of steel, harden it, then I can use them as drill guides, file guides for the traction notches, and get the backpacer and scale material flush with the knife's spine, then I could sell the scale, backspacer and screws as a little DIY kit. Like I said on Badlands, it sounds like fun, but also a quick way to spend a lot of time and effort to make very little $$. Oh well.

 

[infamous]

That's not a bad job Chiro75.
Your last response detailing your future project sounds as though it will have successful results, and your own DIY kit could be a good thing.
From the projects I have seen of yours, you are quite a skilled maker.
Great pics by the way, good close ups illustrating all the detail.

 

[Chiro75]

Thanks, Infamous. The pics are actually pretty terrible, but this stuff is hard to accurately photograph. SOmeone on Badlands said it looks like a cutting board, which it really does with the lighting I used! It's the same stuff you see Ansø and Wilkins and others use quite a bit of. Came off really white-looking in the pics, though. :grumpy:

I don't think I'll get too into producing too many kits, but I may do a few for something fun to do. I may do a plain Ti on (although that would look weird with a blasted frame and a satin scale) and I might try out something that I'm pretty sure has never been done before in knives, which I'm keeping secret for now...

 

[knifetester]

Nice work Chiro!