"Screws fall out all of the time & the world's in a perfect place"

[cpirtle]

I picked up a MT Scarab (Coyote Brown) with the intentions of it being a user knife. First thing I did was rip out the grip tape. I was going to make some Micarta inlays but decided for the time being I really like the milled out handles by themselves.

For the past 2-3 weeks I've been using the knife for some fairly ugly work while I'm in the process of revamping my workshop. It's cut a lot of dust collection hose, heavy reinforced tube and been around a lot of sawdust. Overall I've been really happy with how the knife has performed, never failed to fire or retract and is super handy to use. There are some scuffs in the aluminum finish and plenty of marks in the clip.

Today I had it in my pocket and when I took it out to put it back in the knife drawer I noticed one of the stupid proprietary screws had fallen out. So I checked my pockets, looked around the house with a flashlight and checked all over the shop. Even checked the shorts I was working in last weekend, no luck.

I got out my knife parts and found that a 2-56 button head screw replaced it almost perfectly, but obviously didn't match the rest of the screws. Next I went to Burns web page and was ready to order the "special bit" and decided to try and remove them on my own first.

Well, 4 of the remaining 5 screws were able to be unscrewed using a dental pick, they would have fallen out in few more days of use as well, the last screw was easily removed using a split ring tool. Not a single screw had lock-tite on it...

Now my Scarab is nicely fitted with stainless 2-56 torx screws that can be tightened as needed. If I make it to the Michigan show this weekend I'll try to get some gold or black ones so it looks better.

So, if you guys have a MT with proprietary screws and plan to use the knife - order the bit early so you can keep them tight (add some thread locker), or if you lose one it should not be much of a job to change them out with standard knifemaking screws.

You can order the bit here (this is the guy that makes them for Microtech)

 

[z537z]

fyi...MT bits also available here:
http://pvk.com/tools/

 

[Esav Benyamin]

What a great knife! It improves itself by falling apart

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Chad, how are the handles working for you with the inserts out, or did you replace them? What kind of blade play are you getting with all that work the knife has been through?

 

[Larry S.]

What a great knife! It improves itself by falling apart

What won't they think of next?!?!

EGADS....another learning experience?!?! :yawn:

 

[Esav Benyamin]

What are you doing up at this hour ??? I hope you're learning something ...

 

[Larry S.]

Keepin' da' world safe, bro.....jus' keepin' da' world safe!

a.k.a. working:yawn:

 

[Revierler]

I have my scarab for about 2 years now and used it, too. Not a single screw came loose. But i agree that these proprietary screws are a PITA.

 

[cpirtle]

Esav, I didn't think I would but I really like it without the inserts. It gives a nice surface for grip and does not chew up my pocket the way skateboard tape does. Right now there is nothing there, just the milled recess, maybe I'll do inserts later but I probably won't. Definitely not as high of a "cool" factor without them though.

I can try and post a picture of it this evening.

Like all OTF's mine had a little play out of the box, that has not changed at all since I got the knife. In fact, once I replaced all of the screws it got tighter because I snugged everything down.

I have a line on some gold plated 2-56 button head screws that will look great against the bronze handle color. I was going to use them this time but only had 5 and I needed 6...

Revierler, glad yours is doing well. I'll tell you one thing though - without the special bit it will be tough to tell if they're getting loose. After I lost the first one I could not tell by looking that any of the others were loose, all but one were.

 

[shaldag]

now this is useful innformation. Thanks.

 

[cdf]

I got a set of the Burn drivers , prior to getting my Microtechs . I've treated them with a dab of blue locktite . I have given thought to s#@t canning the silly screws , and replacing them with Torox .

 

[cpirtle]

Here's a scan.

Like I said, the ss screws don't fit in real well so I'm going to change them out with black or gold ones down the road.

 

[kgriggs8]

"So, if you guys have a MT with proprietary screws and plan to use the knife... "

This is good info, now I know what I will never be buying! Proprietary screws! When I hear the word "proprietary", I know who is getting screwed (pun intended).

Never owned a MT but it looks like I can do without. Besides most of the cool MTs I have seen were autos and that is the one knife law we have in Hoosier land. No autos but everything else is legal.