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MODIFICATIONS .. personalizing our knives !!!!

Many of us have dreamt of "improving" our knives.

Some have even implemented their improvements.

Here is a place to share and document those modifications.

Before & after pics are great .. I realize this isn't always possible .. I did some of mine years ago. A statement of design goals or modification purpose is a good place to start.

Identifying the desired changes & modifications is encouraged. As is a description of

the tools, any problems encountered, & methods used in the process.

A summary statement & pic of the final result will wrap it up !!

Also .. a place to share our mistakes.

Share what works & what doesn't.

Conquered a problem .. post a solution.

Up against a problem .. query for another's advice.

1 member likes this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on May 9, 2010 at 8:39

Dan,
Nice gesture and great work. I LOVE THIS GROUP! Something new and inspiring every day! Thanks for sharing.
Terry

Permalink Reply by AlecsKnives on May 10, 2010 at 20:40

Hi,
I just joined this group. I modified my EMERSON SUPER RAVEN. The original scales were G10. I rehandled it in French Walnut. It came out pretty close to perfect. Just a few minor mistakes, but I learned a TON doing it. I bought the knife from Ernie Emerson in NY 2 custom shows ago. I will get to show it to him in November.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on May 10, 2010 at 22:14

Alec .. that certainly turned out nice !! Prettier than G10 !!

"... learned a TON doing it." ..can't speak for everyone .. but, I learn something everytime I "improve" a knife .. I've been known to modify primarily for the learning experience ..

.. hoping to put together a place to share those experiences/lessons .. thanks for pitchen in !!!

Permalink Reply by AlecsKnives on May 11, 2010 at 2:13

Hi Dale,
Thanks. The g10 would definately be better in a swamp or other wet tactical situation. but since I probably will be ok with it having less grippy scales.... I love the way it did turn out.
THanks for making this group.
Alec

Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on May 11, 2010 at 2:41

Hi Alec,
You did an outstanding job on your Super Raven. The French Walnut is beautiful. I'm sure Ernie Emerson will be impressed!
Terry

Permalink Reply by AlecsKnives on May 11, 2010 at 3:09

Hi Terry,
Thanks. If I tell you... I did it with a sanding wheel on a drill clamped down and a dremel......i live in a medium sized apartment with 3 kids.... no shop. I wish I had a shop but still financially recovering from a nasty divorce. Being a "knife" person didnt make court any easier.... The French walnut is really pretty. It came out really well, a few little things. I need a belt sander/disk sander so I can flatten the insied of the handles. One side came out a little warped, but that wont happen next time.. i needed to learn. also there is a small stress fracture beneath the bottom screw on one side.... again... i needed to learn. My next one will be even more great. and I loved every minute of doing it.
Alec

Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on May 11, 2010 at 4:59

Hi Alec,
I hear you. My wife and I lived in a rented a duplex unit for ten years because we were gunshy about buying a home, after two bad experiences with recessions and lousy job markets in two cities we were living in. When we finally bought our home about 6 years ago, I started out working on knives with my electric drill in a drill clamp, and from there I added more power tools, including a belt sander, a drill press and others as I could afford them. ( Truth is, though, it seems like you're never equipped with all the tools you need.)
For knife scales, I still do it the hard way at times, using a sanding block and some non-slip rubber shelf liner to keep the material from slipping. Maybe the only advantage of doing it that way is that it's more gradual and controllable than a belt sander, which sometimes, before you know it, bites off more than you wanted to. BTW, my first belt sander was one I picked up at a Goodwill store. It was a handheld belt sander about 40 years old, and I put it in my vice upside down to use it on knife work. My shop is still pretty primitive in comparison to experienced knifemakers' shops, but it does the job. Anyway, keep up the good work. You're doing great!
Regards,
Terry

Permalink Reply by Daniel Howland on May 11, 2010 at 5:46

Greetings Alec,
Like you, I was in a similar situation, 19 years ago, divorced, little to no tools to work on my knives. I got married again to the girl next door that I grew up with, moved to New Hampshire, bought a house and slowly I built up my shop in my garage and basement to where it is now. It took me many years. I must say this hobby has helped keep my mind in a
my happy place.
Nice pictures, I like the look of the French Walnut, very good fit and finish considering what you had for tools. You are a true craftsman. I am curious what is the material in the backdrop of your photos? It looks like some kind of reptile skin.

Best
Dan

Permalink Reply by AlecsKnives on May 11, 2010 at 23:25

Hi Dan,
Thanks for all the good words and thoughts. I love doing crafts, and I dont know why, but making knives seems to be my favorite direction to go with it. I learned alot making those handles and if I were to do a second batch they would be alot better fit/finish. The material I photographed it on is a vinyl/fake lizardskin. I bought it at the craft store called "The Ragshop". That company went out of business and it is a real loss to me and my kids. We got everything there and there is nothing like it near us anymore. Hard to find alot of supplies for crafts nowadays. Even with the internet.
Thanks again,
Alec

Permalink Reply by AlecsKnives on May 11, 2010 at 23:51

Hi Terry,
Thanks for the good words.
I have always made do with what I could. I do love having a dremel. That is a great tool.
I will buy a Grizzly combo belt/disc sander this summer. I have a drill press I love that thing.. its a monster I got at a tool store. I have a scrolll saw I got at a garage sale-a sears craftsman and a piece broke on it... went to the sears website.. the only had ONE of those pieces left and werent going to make n e more... I bought it.. took the whole thing apart and now it runs like a charm. I have lots of tool tools but i dont have great knife making tools .. in time. I am going to go over to Bud Nealys shop and he is going to show me around over the summer. I cant wait for that. He and I have become friends.
Thanks again.
Alec

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on May 21, 2010 at 0:16

After doing almost 20 wharncliffe mods, I believe that I may have found my favorite subject;

I just got one of these in, this afternoon, and am going to make me a carvin' knife out of it. I'll post a pic, this weekend, of the finished knife.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on May 25, 2010 at 17:21

A couple of days late, but here it is.