Skeletonizing a Vantage

S

Silverdagger

Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
633
I was watching nuthinfancy reviewing the Buck Vantage series. He had mostly praise. He did say he wished the liner had been skeletonized. I don't own one, but might buy one, if I can make it lose weight.

Is this something you could do yourself? How would you do it. How much weight would the larger model lose without strength or structural integrity being threatened?

Just some food for thought. This looks to be a simple fix for weight loss on an almost perfect knife.

Any thoughts or discussion? Anyone want to be a guinnea pig? Knife is cheap enough that even if you mess it up it won't break the bank.
 
They really arent very heavy to begin with...noticably but not substantially lighter than a 110. With thier slim line design they give the impression of being lighter than they actally are--If you get what I'm fumbling to say:confused:
 
Silverdagger said:
I was watching nuthinfancy reviewing the Buck Vantage series. He had mostly praise. He did say he wished the liner had been skeletonized. I don't own one, but might buy one, if I can make it lose weight.

Is this something you could do yourself? How would you do it. How much weight would the larger model lose without strength or structural integrity being threatened?

Just some food for thought. This looks to be a simple fix for weight loss on an almost perfect knife.

Any thoughts or discussion? Anyone want to be a guinnea pig? Knife is cheap enough that even if you mess it up it won't break the bank.
Click to expand...

Why don't you give it a try and let us know how it works out. ;)
 
I have to finish watching his loooong video, but I'm assuming he says it's too heavy. My scale says my Avid is 4.1 oz, no way I think it's too heavy. You could drill the liners, just take the scales off and drill through both sides at the same time. I would stay away from the lock area.

All I'm going to do to mine is make some custom birds eye maple scales for them.
 
The Vantage is really a great design,and be aware nothing in life is perfect.Trust me,(if it works don't fix it!)
 
skyhorse said:
The Vantage is really a great design,and be aware nothing in life is perfect.Trust me,(if it works don't fix it!)
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LOL skyhorse, that sounds like personal experience. I just noted that nutnfancy said he wished it were skeletonized, and wondered how would be the best way to do that. The lower end models are cheap enough to experiment.:thumbup:
 
This may be a costly process, since you'll eat through some bits drilling through stainless steel.
 
You nailed it SD,personal experience.I have butchered many a knife over the years! I believe the last one was a Boker Top Lock. TTT is right,not many drill bits are up to the task.A really great design like the Vantage,has a ton of thought and planning built into the knife,also the liner lock side of the frame could possibly be ruined by drilling holes.
 
Take everything that NUT says with a grain of salt,,,,




one about the size of a golf ball. :grumpy:
 
Just in my own experience it will take several carbide drill bits,good ones will cost more than the knife!
 
Don't even bother. I don't see any reason at all to think it's a good idea to skeletonize the liners. Why create multiple hard-to-clean places for all sorts of dirt and crud to build up for a negligible weight savings on a knife that's pretty light to begin with?
 
Blue Sky said:
Don't even bother. I don't see any reason at all to think it's a good idea to skeletonize the liners. Why create multiple hard-to-clean places for all sorts of dirt and crud to build up for a negligible weight savings on a knife that's pretty light to begin with?
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It's not very light... it's like 4 ounces. There are much lighter blades with the same blade length.
 
cotdt said:
It's not very light... it's like 4 ounces. There are much lighter blades with the same blade length.
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Probably the best idea would be to buy one of them instead, rather than butcher up a Vantage and try to make something out of it that it's not.:thumbdn:
 
How much weight do you think a few holes are going to gain you? The trade-off just isn't there, IMO of course.

4 ounces? Years of 110's and 112's just may have jaded me into thinking 4 ounces is feather-like. :D
 
Yep,sure seems lighter than that old 110 I had on my belt for years back in the day. I have the Avid,and can't see anything not to like about the knife.
 
:confused: I don't understand all the obsession with lightness. Heck, I'm 67+ years old and I can carry a 110 or even an Alpha folder (8 oz.) all day and never even know it's on my belt. I carried a big old Case folding hunter at work for years and never even thought of it as heavy.
 
Plumberdv said:
:confused: I don't understand all the obsession with lightness. Heck, I'm 67+ years old and I can carry a 110 or even an Alpha folder (8 oz.) all day and never even know it's on my belt. I carried a big old Case folding hunter at work for years and never even thought of it as heavy.
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and here I thought I was the only one here older n decaffe. :D
and you go and beat me by 3 years...
 
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