What materials have you re-purposed for liners?

CoolBreeze135

CoolBreeze135

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Oct 23, 2014
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Hey folks! Just curious what materials you have used to make liners for your Becker (or other) scales? I am asking partially because I am interested in making some myself, and also because I'm curious how creative you people have been! Post pics if you have 'em!
 
I have not done it yet but I bet the cutting sheets bought at your local grocery store would work fantastic. Almost indestructible and a really good thickness--and they come in a variety of colors!
 
I seen people use DVD cases, empty soap bottles, those flimsy three-ring binders. Any piece of flat plastic will work fine.
 
Dollar store cutting boards - like bush said, lots of colors (but I couldn't find any orange locally).

DVD/CD/Blu-Ray cases - look good and are the perfect thickness for me. I used a green Xbox case for my 16.



Home despot had big orange storage cases on sale over Christmas; I hacked it up and cut some out for my 4. Looked ok, still had some white spots from cutting, but I went over them with a heat gun to even the color out. Not quite as bright orange as I had hoped for.



I think Slice used a plastic Tide jug to cut his liners out. Still need to try that out.
 
The DVD cases do seem to be a good thickness! I'll have to try those out. I thought about the cutting mats, but the ones I found were a little on the thin side.
 
An assortment of colors can be had in the form of plastic bottles - I've come across dark blue, light blue, several shades of green, yellow, red, orange, and white, to list a few.
 
So what's the best way to shape this and get smooth edges? The tide bottle is a great idea I have an empty one down stairs and love orange!
 
I used scrap kydex before turned out ok but I think there are far better materials out there. I'm going to try the bluray cases next.
 
gtblade said:
So what's the best way to shape this and get smooth edges? The tide bottle is a great idea I have an empty one down stairs and love orange!
Click to expand...

Take the scales off,
hold one down tightly against a piece cut from a bottle,
carefully trace around, not forgetting to mark the bolt holes
cut the piece out with your most easily controlled cutting implement
drill out or whittle out the holes
sand down any line tracing marks to almost gone
reassemble
and
finish sanding to flush with fine grit sand paper

Repeat for the second liner.
 
I tried making my first set of liners for my 16 tonight. Used a clear DVD case and cut them out with an exacto knife followed by sanding. It improved the feeling of the tweener handles immensely! It's crazy how much of a noticeable difference it made. The thinness of the handles was my only complaint about the 16. Liners seem to completely fix this. However, I now have an aesthetic issue. The liners I made are pretty ugly. I'm usually not a form over function guy, so I'll keep them for now. I wish someone sold liners with a good fit and finish. Aikiguy, how did you get yours to look so good?

Here's the evidence.
fd156724240f303c21ddfdad8216f2f1.jpg
 
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Hey do t worry CB, mine looked like that too at first. Keep upping your sandpaper grit - I think I finished at 1000 or 1500? - and then a few passes with a heat gun (or maybe a hair dryer) and it should get rid of all the white spots. I took everything off the knife and just sandwiched the liners and scales together when I did this. Helped keep the coating intact around the handle.
 
I have only used re-purposed material for one set: a well loved cutting board (more like "cutting sheet") under scales on (one of) my 16 ('s). Used a yellow board, but the color really doesn't pop. I don't really care that much.

24259905925_254dac8866_b.jpg


Most of my other liners were made from new shower pan liner (come to think of it, that is re-purposed - I guess I was thinking recycled - since it's being used for an unintended purpose....) which is gray but has the added bonus of keeping the steel under the scales dry (so far) and adding a little shock absorption. Also used has been red plumbing gasket material, which is a little thicker.

My 17:

23321672039_4095c1ccd2_b.jpg


My only large Becker with liners, the 21 (with VZ G-10 scales)

23684704275_1e1ddb6c16_b.jpg


This one has maple liners....;) but they're epoxied to the katalox (Mexican Ebony) scales so...not such an easy project.

19018512414_2de9c9ee4c_b.jpg


Honestly, I like the shower pan liner more than anything for its cheapness and extreme ease of installation. I also like its "just right" thickness for the tweeners and how it provides a little vibration damping (OK, I can't quantify that, but it feels pretty good in my hand) as well as how it seems to keep the bolts from loosening up (I punch out undersize bolt holes for water infiltration prevention and grip) since it's hard to find stainless hardware that doesn't sit proud of the tweener scales.

Pic, but the project thread is here:

14937622179_a01dee829e_b.jpg


I like liners on the tweeners, but not on the full size Beckers, for the most part - tho they work well on the RBK for me. FYI, the shower pan liner is on a roll at the Gnome Despot and costs almost nothing; it'll liner MORE than a few knives. I bought a 1'x3' piece (I think) for less than $10. I've given plenty away, used it for about a half dozen knives...and I still have some left for at least a dozen more. If you don't mind gray, it's the shizznit.
 
Aikiguy said:
Dollar store cutting boards - like bush said, lots of colors (but I couldn't find any orange locally).

I think Slice used a plastic Tide jug to cut his liners out. Still need to try that out.
Click to expand...

I did! worked well, was a tide pod jug and pretty thin too so if you only need a little or just like the look, its nice...

zzyzzogeton said:
Take the scales off,
hold one down tightly against a piece cut from a bottle,
carefully trace around, not forgetting to mark the bolt holes
cut the piece out with your most easily controlled cutting implement
drill out or whittle out the holes
sand down any line tracing marks to almost gone
reassemble
and
finish sanding to flush with fine grit sand paper

Repeat for the second liner.
Click to expand...

I use a spare set of scales, do the holes first, then sandwich the material in and cut/sand to fit.
if your handle is stripped, this method works well for a great fit while on the knife.
a razor ran along the handle gives an almost exact fit.
sandwich them in one side at a time makes the work a bit lighter than both together
then put your good scales back on...

ive posted this many times on here...but...
thrift store Rubbermaid utensil drawer dividers
$.50 each, cool colors, multiple liners can be made
soft and easy to work with
some materials ive tried is too brittle and cracks or breaks, these work great
mustard, avocado, coral, orange, red, white, chocolate, navy....just about any color if you hit enough stores
 
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I've done mostly DVD cases or plastic binder covers myself; but you can also remove those white craze/distress marks in the plastic with careful heat from a lighter to help get the shiny. The tops from the shaved deli meat containers work well also; but you'd have to eat a fair amount of vacuum-sealed ham to get two of them.
 
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