New Handle Slabs for a Spyderco Lava

SwimmingBird

SwimmingBird

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
501
I was looking around your blog and I found some G-10 and Micarta handled Lavas you cooked up a while back. I'm interested in getting something similar done to my primary Lava (I picked up a couple spares since it is easily my favorite pocket knife).

I'm open to suggestions about what material you would recommend. From what I've experienced, I think I prefer the smoother feel of Micarta (like on a Spyderco Street Beat or a Mini Persian).

Now here's the weird part...I like how weighty the Lava is, but I'd like a grippier/more scratch-resistant handle material. I'm certainly open to unlined Micarta or G-10, but I'm also interested in discussing using liners of some kind. I've done a little research, and it's my understanding that your preference is going unlined. I like the idea of following your lead here, as you seem to know your stuff, whereas I'm still pretty new to the knife world.

Thanks
 
Hi swimmingbird. I appreciate your asking me about it and coming in to visit my forum I really do. However, I'm booked out into next year currently and am not taking on new work of this type currently. Mostly its due to whats here waiting to be done that I can't get to just yet for a multitude of reasons I won't get into but I would recommend contacting Southard Knives and asking Brad about doing this job for you. I've seen some of the ones he did and maybe he could fit that in far sooner than I could. http://southardknives.com/

I appreciate it but I quit taking on new work for now with the exception of smaller jobs I can get in and out of here rather quickly. I'm staring at six month turn around times currently and thats about two months out of my comfort zone.

Hope you understand

Thanks again

STR
 
Oh yeah. By the way. Its not so much that I'm opposed to liners. I like em fine and have done them both ways. I just felt that it was needless weight you didn't need in a knife that size since its so small and compact the handles are more than rigid enough to be quite strong allowing no flex really to speak of.

However, with that said if you liked the weight of the knife and wanted to keep some of that I'd say use stainless over titanium and probably something .050 thickness or slightly more. This would put some heft back into the folder.

I liked the black textured G10 versions I did the best and felt that was the ticket but any textured G10 would be great. For smooth models I really liked one I did in burgundy micarta which turned out rather nice too though.

Anyway, Brad can do this also and if time is a factor I'd say at least ask him about it.

If you just want me to do it though I'd suggest checking back with me probably in Feb. next year. I should be caught up by then. :D

STR
 
Awesome! Thanks for getting back to me so soon.

Time isn't a huge factor, but I'll probably go ahead and shoot Brad an email and see what's what on that front. Approximately how expensive is this sort of modification? I'm especially interested in either G-10 or Micarta slabs over liners, but I'd like to get a ballpark figure for the unlined versions as well...

My immediate inclination is to wait until February, but I'll see how I feel about that after I get in touch with Southard Knives. Frankly I wouldn't mind sending you my Lava sooner rather than later and you could just work on it whenever it was convenient or you felt like it. Like I said, the time frame isn't a huge deal for me. It's more something I know I want done sooner or later, and while my preference is sooner, later is also fine :-)
 
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I apologize to disappoint you. I'll be happy to look at your job when I catch up and it means a lot to me that you thought to ask me. I'm just back logged now with stuff still here I really should have gotten out of here but I've had some delays that were unforseen with my waterjet service and a break down as well as some equipment problems of my own I had to deal with and some shows that came up causing some delays with materials shipping. Other than this my usual turn around is not as bad as its been here from mid year to now.

STR
 
I looked around his blog, and found an example of a pair of Lavas he did. SS liners, micarta, and wire clips. They look pretty incredible, but we'll see how things turn out.

Thanks again, I really appreciate how helpful and considerate you are.
 
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