Titanium Scales - Texturing

T

Tensaw

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I have several titanium frame locks with smooth scales that feel slick in my old, arthritic hands. I was thinking of sending them somewhere (modder) for the scales to get a nice, simple pattern applied. I've looked at the World of Knife site and came away confused and a little intimidated. Before actually calling them, I thought I'd ask the forum for direction. I'm assuming WoK does good work? Any other modders to consider? I don't want to sell the knives, but I can't enjoy them as they are.
 
Tensaw said:
I have several titanium frame locks with smooth scales that feel slick in my old, arthritic hands. I was thinking of sending them somewhere (modder) for the scales to get a nice, simple pattern applied. I've looked at the World of Knife site and came away confused and a little intimidated. Before actually calling them, I thought I'd ask the forum for direction. I'm assuming WoK does good work? Any other modders to consider? I don't want to sell the knives, but I can't enjoy them as they are.
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Curious to see what folks come up with, as I too would be interested. I tried some Ripp's Garage scale covers on a Sebenza, it added texture, but it also made it a pain to get in/out of the pocket, as it was too grippy. I also have a few with very aggressive texturing in the titanium, and that too seems to be a bit too toothy - so a happy medium like you've asked about has my 👀
 
Check this out for DIY:

JACKMANDU said:
I got a sebenza 31 glass bead blast in yesterday. It was a little too slick for my liking. Particularly pulling it from the pocket and re gripping to deploy the blade. My sandblast 21 has more grip. So I decided to go crazy with my dremel cut off wheel. First I tried for a starburst pattern. That didn’t look great so I added more cuts in the other direction for this spiderweb pattern. It is super grippy! Then I tried my hand at some color with a torch. Overall I’m super pleased with this impromptu tinker session.
View attachment 2979542
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Hope you don't mind, JACKMANDU JACKMANDU .

The best engraver I know is Chip / WValtakis WValtakis , for more complicated things ....
 
ferider said:
Check this out for DIY:



Hope you don't mind, JACKMANDU JACKMANDU .

The best engraver I know is Chip / WValtakis WValtakis , for more complicated things ....
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I like it, but my DIY skills are limited these days. My glass blasted CRKs feel pretty secure. It's knives like McNees, Hinderer, Chaves, Griffin, Spartan. Even contoured scales like the Berg Blades Alpha can be pretty slick. I've had spine surgery to correct an issue that caused some nerve damage that resulted in neuropathy in my hands and feet. I'm getting better, but it's a slow deal and some days I avoid carrying certain knives.
 
Tensaw said:
I have several titanium frame locks with smooth scales that feel slick in my old, arthritic hands. I was thinking of sending them somewhere (modder) for the scales to get a nice, simple pattern applied. I've looked at the World of Knife site and came away confused and a little intimidated. Before actually calling them, I thought I'd ask the forum for direction. I'm assuming WoK does good work? Any other modders to consider? I don't want to sell the knives, but I can't enjoy them as they are.
Click to expand...
Way of Knife is an option. RCO_customs on IG (Ted) is another. AR_customknives. Cap_City_Creations is another. River's Edge Cutlery does some custom work. Another option is aftermarket scales with more texture. Whether those options are viable will depend on what you are looking for and willing to pay. You may be reluctant to spend $200 to mod a $200 knife, for instance.

I hope you find what you are looking for! Good luck.
 
WoK is $55 per scale for laser engraving titanium scales. That seems fair to me. I have had work done by them before, G-10 however, and I liked the quality of their work.
 
Before you spend a lot on mods you might get some rubber stair tape (not the sandy stuff which is painfully gritty) and apply it at least to the show side scales and see if it helps and how much traction you need. Most engraving is pretty superficial.
 
fishface5 said:
Before you spend a lot on mods you might get some rubber stair tape (not the sandy stuff which is painfully gritty) and apply it at least to the show side scales and see if it helps and how much traction you need. Most engraving is pretty superficial.
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I have been considering something like Cat Tongue grip tape or Traction Grip rather than carving up the scales. Both are easily removable.
 
Also if you are artsy and handy with an exacto knife, you can cut the tape into a design -- although the more delicate the design the shorter it will survive intact!
 
Not helpful on who to use for modding but I applied gun grip tape on my phone 3 years ago and it has help up well with lots of daily use and carry. It would be a good option for flat scales until you can sort out the texturing you want. It's under ten dollars for a 4 inch by 9 inch piece and it is a nice texture without being too grabby and I believe you can get other colors ,( I used black). Good luck finding someone to texturize your knife!
 
Does anyone know of a reputable knife customizing shop (scale texturing, ano, polish) in the SW Ohio area?
 
DennisM said:
Does anyone know of a reputable knife customizing shop (scale texturing, ano, polish) in the SW Ohio area?
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River's Edge is in Hilliard, which may not be close enough, but they are in Ohio. FWIW, I have always had positive experiences with that shop, but I haven't had them do any mod work for me.
 
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