Stripped and Naked

XMP

XMP

Joined
Feb 9, 2007
Messages
1,655
NO, not that; one of my two tan RC4s.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I promised to update my plans to strip one of my two desert tan/green canvas RC4s. As you'll recall I did that because I really wanted the canvas scales with the stripped blade, rather than the grey linen.

My photography as usual is pretty mediocre, but the photos begin with the rough steel which was under the powdercoat and then proceed through 400-1000 grit sandpaper and culminate with the final product. All the work was done with hand sanding.

The final product was very satisfying. I have the nice grippy canvas micarta with the naked shiny steel. As a by-product of hand-sanding I have a pretty decent convex edge too.
 

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Here is the final phase of sanding and then the finish product next to its similarly stripped half-brother, the RAT3, on my recent outing.

The most difficult part of the process was getting the scales back on the knife without overhanging one side or the other.
 

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makes me wonder what an rc4 would look like with the scales removed and a paracord wrap in place...

shade
 
Looks very good. The more I see post like this, the more I'm tempted to start modifying some of my own knives. If I read your post right, you didn't start sanding until after the powder coat was removed. If that is the case, how did you remove the powdercoat?
 
I had been thinking about doing this too. Nice work and it looks good.

I think I'm going to keep the black on. I really like the way the logo pops againsts the black and so far the coating seems pretty tough.
 
Seahawk said:
Looks very good. The more I see post like this, the more I'm tempted to start modifying some of my own knives. If I read your post right, you didn't start sanding until after the powder coat was removed. If that is the case, how did you remove the powdercoat?
Click to expand...

Places like Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. sell paint/epoxy strippers that remove the coating in about 15-30min. They are like a goopy gel that you brush on or immerse the blade in. The steel underneath is really rough -- it almost looks rusty. But a little sanding will shine it right up. Then you can either leave it shiny or let/apply a patina/antique-looing finish to it.
 
XMP, that looks great! I'm a big fan of the GCM over the grey.

I keep saying this, but I have 2 RAT-3s and will experiment with one. Are the scales glued to the tang? Or is it just held on by the screws?
 
If I ever strip an RC blade I will probably leave the coating under the scales for added protection from the elements...Looking cool ! I like it ! Great job ...
 
Thanks for the comments.

The scales aren't glued on; there is temporary loctite on the screws that breaks loose fairly easily.

Tony, although I did strip the coating all the way, since I wanted the spine and pommel to be stripped, after I sanded it down I applied a mustard patina to the tang under the scales, so I shouldn't have to worry about rust.

For me this is just about the perfect knife: the toughness of modern materials and technology with the look of classic carbon steel.
 
XMP said:
Tony, although I did strip the coating all the way, since I wanted the spine and pommel to be stripped, after I sanded it down I applied a mustard patina to the tang under the scales, so I shouldn't have to worry about rust.
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I like the stripped look a lot (I'm no a fan of coatings either though they do have a very practical side) but a mustard patina (or any other) will not be a guarantee against rust. If there is a chance water might get under the scales I think you need a better solution. I don't know the best answer to that, but even wiping the tang with oil or your favorite rust preventative before re-mounting the scales would be a big improvement IMO.
 
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