The whole 'kit' and kaboodle...

SharpByCoop

SharpByCoop

Enjoying the discussions
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 8, 2001
Messages
12,336
Last week I finished this knife up. It's a www.Knifekits.com EV-4N1 kit with my handiwork. Lot's of it, too! (You REAL knifemakers get more respect from me with every project I do!)

My objective was to personalize and style this knife as 'my own' custom. I got it!

Here's the extra's I performed:

Specially cut blade with a small cutaway on the spine for fingertip control on close work.
Serrations for the thumb, filework for pizzazz!
Hand rubbed blade finish (Final finish: I cheated with a rotary abrasive flapper tool!)
Hand rubbed liners on the inside.
Black/blue micarta with an oval carbon-fiber inlay. (Wrong material for this. Plus this was a *little* over my head in execution.)
Hand-rubbed bolsters with an opposed grain to the blade.
Cut the ambi-thumbstud down on a lathe on one side, trimmed the top and checkered it on the using side.
Cutaway port for liner lock and thumbstud, rounded the liner edge.
Shaped and cut the provided straight clip keeping with my filework theme.

As I've already found with my first kit (DDR-2) the final working action is absolutely top rate. It fits together beautifully, and locks up tight and precise. Really a quality piece. I probably spent over twelve hours reworking and assembling this, but I had fun and frustration all the way! (Inlays are a mutha'!)

I have a good selection of rotary tools and a belt sander. That's what it took. I hand profiled the male and female inlays to a pattern. Not perfect, but--whatever!

I'm proud of my work, and am readying for another! :D

Coop

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You say it's not perfect, but I'm definitely impressed. I've been contemplating buying one(several) of those knife kits, but I haven't taken the plunge yet. Every time I see one posted I get closer to it though. Keep posting your work. It looks great.
 
Originally posted by Blade747


My objective was to personalize and style this knife as 'my own' custom. I got it!
Click to expand...

Coop, you certainly achieved your objective! Awesome work there, very impressive!! Thanks for sharing pics.
 
That's some real nice work Coop - the filework looks like it was done by someone who's been at it for years! Just be careful not to get that pocket-clip hung up on your britches :eek:
 
That looks GREAT!!

>>>I have a good selection of rotary tools and a belt sander. That's what it took.<<<

Ya, OK, Keep it up and you'll have no garage space left and a HELL of a lot more equipment!!! :)

What's next??

Neil
 
Nice! I like the deep filework on the blade, and from those pics, the fit of the inlay looks pretty darn good.
 
Very nice! Looks like a wigged out LCC. I especially like the pocket clip and the inlay.

Zero

Edit: they don't make lefty kits, do they? By lefty I mean the linerlock...
 
Thanks, guys!

Yeah, the filework is the highlight of this particular piece. I cut a bunch of experiments on some 1/8" aluminum stock for ideas. Stumbled upon this pattern in the process. (Couldn't achieve the vine look so I had to make up my own!)

Wulf: It's all about STYLE! So my jeans are all ripped up--I'm lookin' GOOD! ;)

Neil: Can you believe I SOLD my Bridgeport last year? What a loser..... (It didn't fit in my bedroom any more!):D

Burke: Close fit? it's amazing what a tube of superglue can forgive!

Zero: Nah, I don't think so. Ask Darryl Ralph for his thoughts on the KnifeKits forum over on CKD. Maybe you'll get something!

See ya,

Coop
 
Man! I take off to Central America . . . first hour I get my ISP hooked up and start answering email . . . I find out that you have been busy!
Great job man! I brought 3 more kits with me down here and a bunch of titanium . . . now to learn how to make em now myself!
:D ;) :D
 
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