Pen becomes coping?

[pmew]

I have many a time considered turning pen blades into coping blades. I had a wee search but can only find one or two references on the forum. (My lap-top is in permanent use by the other half doing wedding stuff so I'm limited to a smart phone with tapatalk) does anyone know of a thread which discusses this or has anyone who reads this done it themselves? I've not modded a folder before although I'm relatively handy but I wouldn't mind hearing about experiences. I'm terrified ill regret it as soon as I've done it.

Answers on a postcard please.

 

[pertinux]

I'm currently out of postcards (I don't prefer others reading my mail, anyway), but I do know that Sturzi modified the pen blade of his Outlaw Jack thus:

Yay, after two weeks of waiting it arrived.
I always thought about modifying the pen blade on my white owl into a coping blade, but was afraid it would be on the short side. Since the Outlaw has a longer pen, I pondered for a while. Eventually I found the courage to disfigure a perfectly fine brand new knife.

Absolutely no regrets...

Is that what you mean?

~ P.

 

[r8shell]

I've thought about doing this as well, so I'd be interested in everyone's response. My advise, for what it's worth: experiment on a few Rough Riders, first. That's what I do whenever I get a wild hair to try my hand at tinkering (and scrimshaw)

 

[coffeecup]

I've converted a couple of broken pen blades on Barlows. It is a good way to return the blade to use. Just eyeball the angle and have at it with files, stones, or whatever you have.

 

[pmew]

Thanks guys.

Pertinux that is exactly what I had in mind, and coincidentally it's a #68 I was pondering on. I tend to use only the very point of my pen blades and the angle of the coping will benefit me as its a little too steep with a pen blade you-see.

Rough rider tests sound like a good plan. Sage advice, ill place an order or two I think...

Much obliged

Paul

 

[sturzi]

Thanks for digging out the images ~P.

Pertinux that is exactly what I had in mind, and coincidentally it's a #68 I was pondering on. I tend to use only the very point of my pen blades and the angle of the coping will benefit me as it's a little too steep with a pen blade you-see.

That's the same reason why I tried it. I didn't do it on the #68 because it would have been a bit short for me.

The good thing about it is that it's really easy to see how it will look like by just covering up what you want to cut off, so the chance you'll regret it isn't too big.
And it's easy enough, just one straight cut, no complicated curved swedges (well, you can if you want to ). I cut it off with the edge of a water cooled grinding wheel. But I'd think anything works, dremel, files etc, just make sure you don't overheat it (this isn't HSS). Then I finished it on sharpening stones and it's done.

 

[pmew]

Right. Gonna do it. I'm inspired. Now then which knife...

 

[richstag]

I would NOT suggest a dremel to cut it off. If you aren't experienced with grinding and you don't have a water cooled cutter like Sturz I would stick to files. 1095 has a low temper and it will be destroyed quick with a dremel.

Just throwing that out there. I think I destroyed a handful of knives learning to use grinders and the such. It can heat up in a blink.

When all I had was a cutting disk on a dremel a few years ago and I had to cut down a machete I cut and tried to keep it water cooled but I made sure to leave a good amount of extra steel to take off by hand in case the heat treat got wrecked along the cut.

Kevin

 

[sturzi]

You've got a point there Kevin, not a good idea if you haven't done it before. It requires a bucket of water and a LOT of patience, especially on such a thin piece of metal.

 

[richstag]

Yeah man. I learned on a few different grinders but actually the dremel was the worst.

When I cut the machete to a sheepsfoot the dremel was ALL I had a few years back and I actually put the knife IN water just barely submerged while I cut. It still took almost an hour.

Kevin