my stubby Ontario TAK

Midget

Midget

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2002
Messages
2,806
so i got this knife as a factory second on ebay. not really that cheap though, i paid like 62 bucks for it... all well.

one thing i don't like about fixed blades for IWB EDC is they are so friggin heavy. unneccessarily heavy, IMO. i mean i like thick blade steel? but i don't want to comprimise on weight. i also hate it when the handle is like 2 inches longer than i need to fit my hand-- it's heavy and obtrusive for discreet carry. so i tried to modify my TAK to suit my needs.

heres what it looks like from the factory (pic from 1sks.com)
on-tak.jpg


here's what my stubby looks like.

tak2of5.jpg


takia1.jpg


basically, i just cut off/ground about an inch from the handle. and i took off a little of the "belly" of the handle. that silvery spot you see on the front was my "fix" of the factory second-- when it got to me the tip was strangely deformed.

i know it ain't pretty.. i need to learn to work with g10/micarta material better, but i lack the tools. i also could use a bead blaster. all well. it fits my hand perfectly, is cheap and bashable, so it's my perfect EDC. sort of. if i had a drill press, i'd drill a big hole in the handle blank to free up a little more weight. i like my fixed blades to be blade-heavy--for some reason that feels comfortable to me. i also made an IWB sheath for it, but it ain't that great.

any tips on how i could improve?
 
i already had some tools out and some confidence going, so i decided i wanted a real choil instead of that tiny one...

here's my second go at the stubby tak.

tak2fp1.jpg


tak6og6.jpg



and for reference, here's how much handle i took off the back end...

ratek6.jpg


i still need a beadblaster or something. and a decent way to dye the micarta black... and maybe i should do a better job texturing..
 
Cool job :) No lanyard hole though ? or do you use one.
Anyways good job on taking something you like and making it suit you better.:thumbup:
 
$62 and a few hours' work is small price to pay for a knife that really fits your hand and your needs. :thumbup:

Be warned, though... this kind of thing often leads to buying more tools and steel etc. and starting from scratch :)
 
hahahahaha... you got me there, gibsonfan..

a few hours ago i just blew 60 bucks at texasknife.com...
 
Midget said:
hahahahaha... you got me there, gibsonfan..

a few hours ago i just blew 60 bucks at texasknife.com...
Click to expand...

Heh!

I just a package from them containing a lil' dagger blade, handle scales etc. that my woman picked out :) Gotta make her one to justify making/buying myself a couple, y'know.

BTW, how much did the balance change after you ground in that bigger choil?
 
scottang1 said:
Very Trident looking. I like it! You're right, it would look good beadblasted.
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I was thinking the same thing. I really like it either way.:thumbup:

How did you deal with the heat when you were grinding? Or does it even matter since it's on the other end of the blade?(As far as a Heat Treat.)

oil
 
GibsonFan said:
Heh!

I just a package from them containing a lil' dagger blade, handle scales etc. that my woman picked out :) Gotta make her one to justify making/buying myself a couple, y'know.

BTW, how much did the balance change after you ground in that bigger choil?
Click to expand...

the handle is still pretty heavy.. after grinding the choil, the balance is *right* at the center of that choil. i'm going to take another half inch off the back end tonight...
 
OilMan said:
I was thinking the same thing. I really like it either way.:thumbup:

How did you deal with the heat when you were grinding? Or does it even matter since it's on the other end of the blade?(As far as a Heat Treat.)

oil
Click to expand...



i dealt with heat by quenching it like every 30 seconds in water. well, i did when i was cutting the choil.... when i was pulling material off the back end i didn't care as much-- i started two fires in the carpet. sigh.. i need a real workbench.
 
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