Modified Production Knives (traditional only)

I’ve shown this before, but in my excitement for this thread, here’s my modified #8 opinel. Not visible, a stainless stop pin in the blade well. It’s not perfect but maybe this is my step into more expensive mods.
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YNq5pYv.jpg

ymTLAz8.jpg

JnpNpdh.jpg
 
Will Power said:
Yes, a very tight fit :cool: GEC Masters of the Single-Spring?;):thumbsup:
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Yes. I had two but sold them both as I’m not a huge fan of the California clip and the pulls were on the light side, but this made me want to get another one just because I found it amazing how close everything was but still centered with very little rub. This is one where you are definitely going to get rub 99 out of 100 times and on the one you don’t it’s because it’s in someone’s safe.
 
EngrSorenson said:
I’ve shown this before, but in my excitement for this thread, here’s my modified #8 opinel. Not visible, a stainless stop pin in the blade well. It’s not perfect but maybe this is my step into more expensive mods.
m55AgvT.jpg

YNq5pYv.jpg

ymTLAz8.jpg

JnpNpdh.jpg
Click to expand...
Yes, didn’t you fully make that handle? I saw your progress pictures before but never saw the finished product. Looks great
 
J jsdistin thank you very much! I'm proud of my little project. it was a real PITA, but the only things original production there are the ferrule, locking collar, and blade. Yes, I made the handle from scratch using a 2x2" block of padauk I was gifted for Christmas a number of years ago. I grain-matched the pieces across the 1/8" gap. I think Opinel is missing out on a small niche market- selling just the hardware. I like to tinker, but I hate the idea of buying a perfectly good opi just to make useless beechwood scraps.

hornetguy hornetguy - I just rediscovered an ancient-looking Camillus electricians knife which I had discovered amidst a bunch of neglected things of my late father. I have no clue what it's story is, but the screw driver blade, liner lock and bail need to go, and the delrin covers could use a swap. The liners look a little bent up somehow (or at least not flat)- I might end up fabricating new ones. I think I've discovered my next project knife, inspired by how yours turned out.
 
EngrSorenson said:
I just rediscovered an ancient-looking Camillus electricians knife which I had discovered amidst a bunch of neglected things of my late father. I have no clue what it's story is, but the screw driver blade, liner lock and bail need to go, and the delrin covers could use a swap. The liners look a little bent up somehow (or at least not flat)- I might end up fabricating new ones. I think I've discovered my next project knife, inspired by how yours turned out.
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I imagine yours will be much nicer than mine... I think you will like the size of the finished knife. I was surprised at how much smaller/more compact it felt with the screwdriver gone. I have 4 or 5 other electrician knives... I might just do another one for kicks..
 
Sacto said:
I just finished up this one. Camillus tl-29 blade delete and rehandle with orange micarta and white liners. When you let your kids pick the handle material, you end up with bright knives, but I like it.
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that looks like the same one I'm about to modify. Any tips or tricks?

Great job, by the way!

Edit: Sacto Sacto what size pins did you use? I think I’m going to need pin material.
 
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EngrSorenson said:
that looks like the same one I'm about to modify. Any tips or tricks?

Great job, by the way!

Edit: Sacto Sacto what size pins did you use? I think I’m going to need pin material.
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Thanks. It should be pretty straight forward. Sometimes I pound a utility blade between the blade and liner to cut the pins to take it apart, sometimes I grind down the head of the pin and knock it out with a punch, sometimes I break off the scales and cut the head of the pin off with a Dremel and knock them out with a punch, whatever seems to go easier. If you can’t see the pivot pin, you can knock out the other two and rotate the handles around and it should become visible.

I’m not sure if it matters or not, but I try to keep the blade with the right backspring just so they don’t get mixed up. Make sure you scuff up the liners and the inside of your handle material before you glue so it sticks better. I use 3/32 pinstock. It has worked for the pivot and spring pins on all of the Camillus, Imperial, and Klein tl-29 type knives I have done.

The only other tip I have is that I’ve been saving the liner lock liner and making bottle openers out of them. They’re not the best opener ever but they work pretty well. I’ll see if I can dig up a picture.
 
Sacto said:
I just finished up this one. Camillus tl-29 blade delete and rehandle with orange micarta and white liners. When you let your kids pick the handle material, you end up with bright knives, but I like it.
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That is excellent! The kids have great taste! Just try to lose that one.... I dare ya ! I really think that is an excellent choice of scales.... especially for a working kind of knife.
 
hornetguy said:
That is excellent! The kids have great taste! Just try to lose that one.... I dare ya ! I really think that is an excellent choice of scales.... especially for a working kind of knife.
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Thanks for the kind words. I’ve been having fun learning on these tl-29s and I like letting the kids have a little involvement by picking the handles.
 
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