SOG Flash II Conversion to Assisted + Auto Tutorial

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kel_aa

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Oct 1, 2004
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SOG Flash II Conversion to Assisted + Auto Tutorial

Video:
http://www.filecoast.com/?pg=file&c1=2317965264&c2=H22PBv2E

Those of you mechanically-minded will probably figure it out on your own. So this is for those who need a little inspiration.

The knife utilizes a coil spring as the drive mechanism and a piston with a linear (coil) spring as a detent and lock. The coil spring doesn't need to be touched and in fact is a little difficult to reinstall. The work will be done on the piston and the scales.

A top down look on the piston and the thumb button:
flashpiston.jpg


It can be seen that the thumb button has a notch that engages the piston in pulling only, that is it is free-sliding in the forward direction.
Now the piston requires different stroke lengths to overcome the detent and to unlock the blade (close the blade). Specifically, the stroke length required to overcome the detent is greater than that required to unlock the blade. The slot in the scale to accommadate the thumb button is for obvious reasons only long enough to effect the latter. The idea is to increase the amount that the thumb button can be pulled back, and this can be solely done by lengthing the slot toward the end of the handle by maybe 2.5 or 3 mm. Just file away lengthening the slot toward the end of the handle. Note that on the inside of the scale the thumb button travels in a provided channel. This will eventually limit the movement of the thumb button unless you lengthen this too. So to sum up you can add the Auto function by cutting the slot provided for the handle a little longer towards the end of the handle.

You can decrease the amount you need to lengthen the slot (to a degree that you don't need to lengthen the recessed channel on the inside of the scale) if you fix the thumb button to the piston with some epoxy such that it is maybe a millimetre forward of the position that it would normally engage the piston. This is the approach I took, so I created almost a mm of extra stroke length with the epoxy and additional 1.5 - 2 mm by lengthening the slot. Since now the thumb button and the piston are fixed together whereas before they were free-sliding parts, some additional filework on the slot might be required as it possible that the fit is tight.



PS: I'd except SOG being an American company to use English units, but a 2mm hex wrench happens to fit perfectly. All the screw heads are one size.
 
Since I designed the Flash conversion I guess I'm qualified to comment.
Interesting tutorial. You are making it way too complicated, and I don't think epoxying the button is a good idea. Your way may work, but it is nothing like my conversion.
Bill DeShivs
 
Since I designed the Flash conversion I guess I'm qualified to comment.
Interesting tutorial. You are making it way too complicated, and I don't think epoxying the button is a good idea. Your way may work, but it is nothing like my conversion.
Bill DeShivs
Click to expand...

I have no knowledge other than that others have done it. So I investigated a little with the parts in my hand and it is what I came up with. Thank you for commenting; your perspective is unique in that you have the benefit of knowing what I do while I do not know what you do.
 
It's interesting how many different ways it can be done. I had a customer once who had a few knives converted. Then he decided to do them himself, after seeing mine. He frantically emailed me, asking if I would fix the couple of dozen knives he had screwed up. Of course I said "No."
BTW-I charge $25 to dealers for the conversions.
Bill
 
If you are not specifically addressing Mr. Bill DeShivs, no "kit" is required. The knife goes for something like 35 dollars from Amazon, and you need a file, sharp edge, and some epoxy if you follow this plan.

As for the Trident, I have never played with one. It is advertised as with an "Arc-Actuator", so I'd assume it is not the same setup.
 
I never tried a Trident.
Kel-aa: you forgot to tell them about the safety!
Bill
 
For $25 and a SOG Flash you can find out! I can't give out all the secrets.
Bill
 
I was interested from an engineering point of view. If I wanted to find out I would just get one which was modified and see what was done. It is however very bad form to basically critize a free provision of information and then end with "I can tell you a better way if you pay me." especially since Bladeforums has a strict non-sales promotion without membership. You then turn what is essentially a free tutorial into a ad for your service/product.

-Cliff
 
Kel-aa: you forgot to tell them about the safety!

There is nothing to be said of the safety. It is not affected.
----------

Cliff, you certainly have more guts than I to pick this fight. I thought I implied I put my money where my mouth is as far as information goes, but I was coy about it.
 
There was certainly no sales pitch on my part. I simply said that I don't divulge everything I know.
I wanted everyone to know that I personally don't think this is the best method to convert these knives, though it may work just fine- I don't know. This is a pet peeve of mine, as there is only one person that I have trained to do conversions, but several people are selling conversions-not that I have any corner on the market. It is very easy to ruin a SOG attempting conversions. Safeties don't work, blades are loose, knives don't lock open or closed properly. Properly converted knives don't have any of these problems.
As far as epoxying the button forward, here is the problem: epoxy breaks loose eventually, sometimes for no reason at all. It is not necessary to use epoxy if the knife is converted properly.
I personally think it "in bad form" to ask how I convert these. I convert them for a modest profit, do a good job, guarantee my work, and am protective of a few of my methods. I have spent countless hours giving tutorials and advise to cutlery enthusiasts, so I don't think there is anything inappropriate.
Bill
 
Kel-aa
After you have done a couple of these, you will find out that the tiny safety detent ball disappears with alarming frequency. I'm proud that you are experimenting with these knives, and wanted you to know that you haven't got it figured out yet. It's not as easy to figure out as you may think, and it does require some finesse to accomplish properly. Of course I am critical of your work- what if a lot of people followed your method, and their knives didn't work? The conversions might get a bad reputation as being unreliable, etc. Mine work, and work correctly-and they keep working. These are great little knives.
Bill
 
Bill DeShivs said:
I personally think it "in bad form" to ask how I convert these.
Click to expand...

When you publically critize someone showing others how to do it for free you can obviously expect for your assertions to ask to be supported. If you don't want such inquisition then don't make the accusal of inferiority. If someone critized your work I would assume you would readily ask them to clearify as to how it was at fault and how it could be improved.

-Cliff
 
This is cool and all but isn't it just a little illegal? I'd hate to see what happens when a cop pulls this out of your pocket at a trafic stop especially if your not active duty military, LE, etc.
 
All the world isn't the US. In Canada even the regular version is technically illegal. About the only folder which are actually legal in canada are classic slip joints and SAK's. Any knife which can be opened by use of inertia is illegal. They are for sale openly, but you can't use that as a defence.

-Cliff
 
After you have done a couple of these, you will find out that the tiny safety detent ball disappears with alarming frequency.

Yes, the same here. I put it in a bag if I want to reinstall it later, but I'm satisified with the safety as it is. To clarify I meant it is not affected as in everything still lines up for the safety lever to function properly.

I'm proud that you are experimenting with these knives... I am critical of your work- what if a lot of people followed your method, and their knives didn't work? The conversions might get a bad reputation as being unreliable, etc. Mine work, and work correctly-and they keep working. These are great little knives.

I don't have a problem with you maintaining your practices and prehaps your reputation and the reputation of the product. But I personally want the choice to exist for someone to try it themselves or to have it done "professionally" and with full guarrantee as by someone like yourself. I am providing some information to show that the DIY is a viable option.

As for the legal aspects, considerations for those of course must be made. I present a technical matter, not anything else.
 
Cliff- Critiquing is not criticism.
Kel- I hope you don't think I was criticizing. I was suggesting there was more research necessary if you were trying to use the method I use. I can assure you it is simpler and probably more reliable. You'll figure it out on your own. The basic principles are correct, but it's not necessary to lengthen the slot.
Bill
 
Kel- I hope you don't think I was criticizing. I was suggesting there was more research necessary if you were trying to use the method I use. I can assure you it is simpler and probably more reliable. You'll figure it out on your own. The basic principles are correct, but it's not necessary to lengthen the slot.
Click to expand...

Everything else being equal, there would certainly be advantages to not having to do this. But I cannot to use your method if I do not know what it is, can I? I didn't take anything you said as criticizing myself or my work. But it would be irrevelant in any case, as each person can take what they wish from the discussion.

As far as I'm concerned, I had an objective (to convert it to an functionally effective auto), and it was accomplished. Others may of course take inspiration and/or seek alternate methods [that will prehaps lead you to results closer to that of Mr Bill DeShivs].
 
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