If that is the case I'm sure you are correct.
Ok the liners are going to be a tough chore for you. I'll explain that at the end.
To move the shackle and install a new removable adjustable barrel for a novice without a lot of equipment I'd do the following:
Its very hard to take the heads off those FRN folders without damaging the sides. So, much so its nearly impossible really. I usually use a thin kerf cut off disc and a variable speed dremmel to remove the smaller head size. Get one on the mandrel that is used and small from being cut with so its not as big around and you can use that cut off disc to take off the head without too much damage to much more than the washer underneath. You'll discard that anyway. Be very careful about too much lateral stress on the blade once you get the head off. Use a punch to pop that out. Be prepared for when you take the blade out for the spring to fall out of the folder and make note of how it goes in and out.
You will need a 1/8 dimeter carbide drill from Jantz supply, part number TD608 after you get the blade out. Use that, preferably in a drill press at high speed to drill out the hole in the pivot of the blade to that new size. You might tape off the edge first though or wear heavy gloves. Once done dip the blade in some water to cool it off. Since there is a hole there already it won't get real hot though.
Once the hole is redrilled you need a 1/8" pivot barrel and two screws. Test the fit of that in the new hole. If it doesn't slide right through you may need to do a bit of reaming and you can probably do that with the drill bit you used in a pinch if you have nothing else.
Once your new 1/8" pivot barrel slides in and out easy set the blade aside and redrill the hole in the FRN and perhaps the shackle also in this case.
Then you can screw one screw into the barrel and stick it in place in your handle with the blade, and shackle as you want them. Do this while depressing the lockbar down of course and once seated mark the other non screw side of your pivot barrel where it will need cut.
At this point you can then take the barrel back out and with some small vice grips to hold it securely use the same cut off disc or a new one to cut off the excess and smooth the end to rid it of the burr that will form from cutting it off. You will then need to dawn gloves and drill a 3/32 hole in a sheet of brass or scrap metal very, preferably a piece fairly thin. Stick the screw through that hole you drilled and cut it using that same cut off disc about in half holding it in place with the gloved thumb because it will get hot. Let the disc do the work it won't take long if you take it easy. Once both screws are cut to length you can then install the pivot in the blade and shackle mounted on the opposite side while depressing the lock bar and tighten it down a bit to test fire the lock up and see how you did. If it all goes well then I'd recommend using it for a bit, seeing if one or both screws loosen and if so either loctite it with some blue loctite or ream the pivot hole somemore so the barrel isn't moving when you rotate the blade opened and closed.
For liners to be installed you will need to discard the old FRN after you cut each side off the spacer in the rear and remove and metal in the folder. You will need both scales to trace out the liners, and the now separate spring holder spacer to trace a new one out of metal. You will have to make more than liners because you have and FRN spring holder too no doubt in that knife so you are looking at needing to make that also and that is a bear to just jump right into. Not something for the novice I'd say. Cutting thicker titanium or stainless is quite hard to do unless you have a bigger quality band saw and some bi metal blades or access to a laser let alone to a very specific shape with the proper angle cut for the spring to work as it should.
Should you decide to go there It requires a digital caliper to measure the thickness you need and then some tools and additional barrels or the ability to thread holes after drilling them to make it all work.
Then of course you have to make new scales or you would use slab handle thickness titanium or stainless to build the knife handle over.
Its about like making a knife really because you are basically short of grinding the blade and lockbar out after tracing and cutting those out.
STR
