Pacific Salt modification question

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gadgetgeek

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May 19, 2007
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I'm looking for a folder to take with me to Australia, and was looking at the pacific salt, as I'll be using it mostly for fishing. With recent concerns regarding Aussie knife laws and "tactical features" I figured I'd shave off the spyderhole, and add a thumbnail nick.

This leads me to my main question, does the pacific salt "walk and talk" like most lock-backs, ie, would it be very hard to flip, drop, or open with other one handed methods, or would it be a very flick-able knife?
Also for those of you with H-1 knives, would a dremel, diamond burrs and lots of time be a reasonable method, or is the steel too hard to make that work?
Thanks!
 
gadgetgeek said:
I'm looking for a folder to take with me to Australia, and was looking at the pacific salt, as I'll be using it mostly for fishing. With recent concerns regarding Aussie knife laws and "tactical features" I figured I'd shave off the spyderhole, and add a thumbnail nick.

This leads me to my main question, does the pacific salt "walk and talk" like most lock-backs, ie, would it be very hard to flip, drop, or open with other one handed methods, or would it be a very flick-able knife?
Also for those of you with H-1 knives, would a dremel, diamond burrs and lots of time be a reasonable method, or is the steel too hard to make that work?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

The new production Salts have screw pivots, so if you get a recent production model, you can tighten the pivot to adjust the "flickability". Your tools should work for the modifications you propose (I've done something similar on a Native in S30V which is much more wear resistant). Be advised that shaving off the Spyderhole will sacrifice about 40% of the blade's strength according to what Sal has posted in the past.
 
I'm not worried about breaking it too much, I tend to be pretty gentle on my knives.
Does the backspring provide any resistance? or is it all about the pivot tension?
 
The backspring does provide closing bias and resistence to opening. Mine will snap shut from about 30 degrees. However, it is designed to be opened with one hand using an opening hole close to the pivot, so the amount of spring tension to be overcome is not that high, and I can open mine with a hard wrist snap. Lightening the blade and tightening the pivot may be enough to prevent inertial opening, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
 
Removing the material to eliminate the Spyderhole would leave very little left before the bevel starts. I doubt anybody would look at a knife modified as such and not think "that knife looks very weak". Sure, there's knives that are thinner and narrower (a "Vicky" for example), but they're also more flexible and/or not meant for harder use.

Instead, I'd recommend trying something to fill the up the hole so it's not useable as a thumb-opener. Preferably something you could remove when you get back to the States.
 
jayteeemem, I'll be living near Brisbane, probably the sunshine coast area, so I do most of my fishing there, or out on fraiser island. I'd probably carry in pocket.
Planterz, I understand what you are saying, but I can't see myself beating on the knife hard enough for it to matter. In my opinion, most knives are over-built for my uses, so lightening it up a bit won't be a big deal. but thanks
 
Nice choice of fishing spot. i think if you got stopped and searched as long as it wasn't auto I dont think its opening method would really be of consequence. I'd leave it unmolested and make sure you get a yellow one as they look safer. That's why mines yellow :D

Not EDC'd by me so not a big deal. Enjoy ur trip and knife. Make sure you have some Bundy :barf:
 
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