Modifying handle of a Kershaw Ricochet

[Norcaldude]

I have this old Kershaw Riochet which is a pretty neat little knife but the thumb stud is small and it's a pita to open. I'm thinking of trying to sand (?) a bit of a groove into the G10 right where the thumb stud is in order to make opening it easier.

I'd like the finished product to not look 'home made'. I am hoping it is possible to get the G10 back to looking like it does now. Is it possible to polish up G10 after sanding it? Any other tips or suggestions?

Here are a few pictures of the knife.

Smaller pictures:

original size images:

http://i.imgur.com/DNgmnV4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2wuL8Li.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/VmiD3Fr.jpg

 

[killgar]

I have done what you described on a few g10 handled knives. It's relatively easy to get a nice result if you have the right items, and if you are careful.

I prefer to use a file to make the thumbstud groove. Either a round file (round like a rod), or a half-round file (flat on one side, rounded on the other).

It's also possible to make a groove by wrapping a piece of sandpaper around something round (metal rod, wooden stick/dowel) and use it like a file. You just need to use a coarse grit paper to cut the groove (maybe around 150 grit). If you use too fine a grit the paper will easily clog and it will take a very long time to make the groove.

After you get the groove the way you want it you just sand the groove with increasingly finer grit papper until you get the finish you want. Same with the rest of the handle. I recently finished making some g10 handle scales (with a thumbstud grove), and I finished sanding with 400 grit (that's where I was happy). By using increasingly finer grits you can easily achieve a "polished" finish on your handles, or as close to "polished" that you want.

And on an important note- g10 dust is not something you want to inhale. When I work with g10 I do it outside, with a shop fan blowing across my arms to blow the dust away from me, and I wear a piece of thick cloth (heavy cotton t-shirt) around my face covering my nose and mouth to avoid inhaling any dust. The fan may be overkill, but you get the idea. Take necessary precautions not to inhale any dust, and make sure there isn't anyone else around to inhale the dust either.

Good luck.

One of my recent projects-

 

[Rich S]

I've also done what Killgar has done with several of my thumb studs, including a couple of Kershaws. Very easy to do; I used a round file for my first one, but discovered that a sanding drum wheel on my Dremel works a lot faster and easier.
Rich

 

[Norcaldude]

Thanks for the suggestions, both of you.

 

[CelticCross74]

Kershaw only made the Ricochet for one year because the G10 shaping and polishing was all done by hand and prohibitively expensive labor cost resulted. You are very brave to try and attempt to match the polish of the rest of the handle. Good luck. It is going to take you a long time