my sar5 is cooler then your sar5 :p

Last Visible Canary

Last Visible Canary

actively parsing hurf durf
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
4,577
IMG_5368-1.jpg

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it's about 80% better then it was in it's factory form. the other 20% I didn't account
for when I first sent in the design, and really couldn't have known until it was finished.
I'm going to keep it as is and see if I get used to it, but I may end up modifying it myself
to keep time and money down. The mod's would include cutting off the tail end of the
handle, so the butt would be right up next to the 3rd tube fastener, replacing the handle
scales with wood (because that's what I have), maybe a dual tone pecan or a bloodwood/purple
heart mixture, and moving the ricasso edge of the handle forward to cover the index finger,
and be at the edge of where the original grind was.

that would help to reduce the handle thickness a bit, move the weight forward, give a
rounder less edgy surface for the index finger, and lighten/shorten the entire package.
as it is it suffers from a bit of handle heaviness.

IMG_5365.jpg


I'm thinking this would be a cool scale pattern:
IMG_5345.jpg


we'll see though... I may find that I like the extra handle space.
 
Great mods. If mine had been like that, I would still have it! That grain pattern is fantastic :thumbup:
 
Very cool idea Canary!!

Here's mine, courtesy of Ban and his brilliance!!
attachment.php
 
Nice mod bro, that seems like a much improved blade!

Keep us posted about the handle mod, that one sounds really interesting.
 
This one is the COOLEST so far!:


Jeepnut22 said:
Ban and his brilliance!!
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Click to expand...



I will mod mine some day and similarly will be taking some weight and meat out of the handle. Personally, I like the blade as is a LOT.... Well, I like the shape and convex from the factory. But, once stripped, satin and full convex, then it will be "RIGHT". :thumbup:
 
DWRW said:
This one is the COOLEST so far!:


I will mod mine some day and similarly will be taking some weight and meat out of the handle. Personally, I like the blade as is a LOT.... Well, I like the shape and convex from the factory. But, once stripped, satin and full convex, then it will be "RIGHT". :thumbup:
Click to expand...

prettiest, definitely, BUT - mine is one of the only existing busse's with a 4-5" blade that has a guard, a standard drop point or clip point style blade, and no choil. from the shop no less :D

things like the war boar don't count because they are such specific use blade profiles.
 
The lack of a guard is the Sar5's most endearing quality. Well, that and the beefy handle.
 
Last Visible Canary said:
prettiest, definitely, BUT - mine is one of the only existing busse's with a 4-5" blade that has a guard, a standard drop point or clip point style blade, and no choil. from the shop no less :D

things like the war boar don't count because they are such specific use blade profiles.
Click to expand...



Don't get me wrong. I LIKE your Mod. It was a well thought out mod that appears to have given you what you want. A guard and no choil.

I personally am very fine without a guard on the SAR5. And in my honest opinion I don't see any "significant" functional or safety advantages of how you ground the blade back to create the guard.

* I have NO problems with it either though and whatever works for you. I have quite a few "Great" knives with similar guards. :thumbup: - Your knife is like many of my Bushcraft styled knives, but with a very long handle. Similar to my Bark River Aurora which is a VERY good knife! However, for my Bushcraft styled knive, I personally prefer the spear-point.

From your drawings and based on probably having to grind down your guard about .1" - .3" from the initial edge, the finger "stop" of the original SAR5's blade was actually a more pronounced feature to prevent fingers from sliding forward than your current guard (IMO). The only advantage I see of the guard is eliminating the sharp corner of the blade near the index finger - which could have been easily accomplished by dulling that corner.

I actually like the size, shape and weight of the existing SAR5's blade a LOT. For the most part, I just feel the handle is too big, bulky, heavy and longer than needed.
*** AND I love the fact that it is a smaller INFI blade without a choil!!!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

You had to reduce the blades size considerably to creat your guard. That said, I still think the blade you have left is still a VERY good blade shape. :thumbup: I just don't think I want to change my blade so much. For my collection, the existing SAR5's blade is unique and I like it as it is.

However, I DO like the modification you did to the handle. I have pretty good size hands and I can handle the overly-large SAR5's handle just fine. But, I think it is larger than it needs to be and doesn't feel or balance how I would prefer. Your mod reduces the size and weight of the handle. I will eventually reduce the size and weight of my handle and have previously drawn out some mods to my SAR5's handle not too different from what you came up with.

For my concept, I have also reduced the length. I don't have a problem with the lengih, but it is added weight and size that serves no purpose to me. I am typically very comfortable with about 4.0 inches or so in what I call the grip area = area between peaks. My mod shows 4.0 inches between the "new" peaks. The existing SAR5 grip area is at least 4.75" long - way longer than I need.

I have drawn in an extension tab at the pommel for hammering and crushing. I am not sure if I would keep it and consider it an option. I think I will shape the tang and pommel with it, attach the scales and use it for a while. If I like it, I might leave it. But, it is much easier to grind off later if I don't want it than to add it back. ;)

I would also like to skeletonize the tang with some holes if I can drill them out without too much problem. I have not yet tried drilling through INFI.

Anyway, here is close to what I had in mind for my SAR5 mod someday (below yours):

Busse-SAR5handlemodsbyLastVisibleCa.jpg


.
 
I've cut my index finger on gaurdless blades with as much curve to them as the unmodded sar5. any time where large amounts of grease are present (in this case it was frozen/cold chicken fat), in my hands there has to be some kind of gaurd, even if in this case it's there just to tell you to let go before the blade hits your finger.

I very much like the idea of a shortened handled, but I think I'm going to just replace the scales with thinner wood to reduce the handle weight, so I can keep from modifying the blade/handle (to keep the warranty).
 
so, after doing a lignum vitae handle incorrectly on this one, I redid the handle in micarta.

the lignum vitae handle:
zzzIMG_5776.jpg


the problem:
zzIMG_6283.jpg


lignum vitae is often taken as a miracle wood, free of all defects and negative characteristics and reactions. it is far from that - it will warp, check, shrink and move just like any other wood. Being that this was neither seasoned or kiln dried, it did just that, shrunk. I should have used purpleheart, since part of the stock I have is kiln dried. but, I got to do what I wanted to do initially (but didn't have the money for), which is micarta, screws and stand offs.

zzIMG_6286.jpg

zzIMG_6287.jpg

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the rope pattern is done by hand with a ruler and permanent marker for layout, and a dremel. it's far from perfect, but it's definitely better then flat micarta.


now that I see what the stand off and screws set up is like, I will never use any kind of epoxy/pin set up ever again. this is just soo much stronger, easier to assemble and disassemble, and cleaner working.
 
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Nice mods everyone.

I'm still trying to pluck up the courage to skeletonize my SAR5 to take some of the weight out of the handle.
 
The SAR5 is cool because it was cheap enough that people don't mind trying out mods. :cool:

I like the stuff LVC does with his Busses, there are few other folk here who put so much thinking into their knives. :thumbup: Most of us just use 'em. :p

Custom makers will often use a tapered tang to address balance issues, especially if they are stock removal makers. The bladesmiths tend towards partial or stick tangs, I seldom see a full tang with slabs over on the Custom forum.

but this might be the prettiest SAR5:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634311&highlight=cowboy
 
Have to admire all the SAR5's that were modded in this thread. They all look good in different ways....Let's just PRAY that the Janitor Hisself is reading and studying this thread an all the comments contained herein. They SURE WOULD make a nice SAR4!!!
 
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