My (slightly) modded KF4 beater (with story).

NeitherExtreme · **on:** August 05, 2007, 02:07:20 AM

Well, this is an old beater by now, but I figured I'd snap a few pics for you guys since it's kinda unique. I got this thing cheap off ebay a while ago, not really expecting to like it much. At that point I only had my semi-retired PST and a Charge TI which I thought was the only tool I'd ever want

. As soon as I got it I filed most of the yellow layer off the scales, partly with the diamond file on my Charge, and then with a dremel tool when I realized the Charge wasn't the right tool for the job. I never really cleaned up the little edges and hard to reach spots, but started carrying it and quickly decided I loved this tool.

Last winter my wife and I spent five months doing volunteer work (mostly teaching English) in Kyrgyzstan, and this was the tool I carried all the time, and it saw lots of work. Things around there don't run the same way they do in the Western world. Much of their country was built during the Soviet era, and has been minimaly kept up or updated since the colapse in '91. One funny story was when I was stuck outside the office we worked at holding a poorly made skeleton key that wouldn't work. A few minutes with the file and I was inside!

My host family loved it, but I couldn't bear to part with it, and when I found some real Vic SAK's in a nearby city, I bought some of them as gifts. Living so close to China, they pay attention to where things are made, and were happy to have Swiss made knives, and I was happy that their gifts would last forever without any upkeep (which isn't so true with LMs).

The only thing that hasn't held up is the pivot on the pliers. The round peice in the middle just kinda spins in there, so sometime they are too tight and sometimes too loose. No real complaints though, I used them well. When I realized they had been discontinued, I bought a backup grey KF4 so I'll be covered for a while, till I buy the silver one I saw at the factory... ;D

Here's a few pics, not great quality, but you get the idea.

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #1 on:** August 05, 2007, 02:09:43 AM

KF4 closed.

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #2 on:** August 05, 2007, 02:10:21 AM

Dirty yellow edges!

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #3 on:** August 05, 2007, 02:10:53 AM

One more just for fun.

Anthony · **Reply #4 on:** August 05, 2007, 02:49:05 AM

Cool story...what are some other things you used them for out there? If the infrastructure itself was old, the actual tools people used must have been really old.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #5 on:** August 05, 2007, 02:51:22 AM

That was a really cool story. It's nice to see a tool that is well traveled and has a story to tell.

My big question is, do you miss the ruler?

Def

J-sews · **Reply #6 on:** August 05, 2007, 03:14:04 AM

Cool story Luke! Do you have any pictures of your time in Kyrgyzstan?

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #7 on:** August 05, 2007, 04:01:53 AM

Corrugated: Yeah, some tools were old, but even more than that- they were cheap. Like most of the things that you could buy there, it seemed like it was the bottom-of-the-line Chinese stuff that was left over after the rest of the world had their pick.
Def: No, I haven't missed the ruler!

J-sews: Why yes I do! I'll post a few here for anyone interested. If you have a weak stomach, maybe you shouldn't scroll down to the last one! ;D

Something I forgot to mention was my reasoning behind carrying the KF4 as opposed to any other tool. First, it was non-threatening, no locking blade, short blade. Second, it could slip in my pocket and not get noticed by any police/millitary types who might be interested in having it. Third, it had lots of tools in that small package. Turned out to be the perfect tool for the occasion.

Here's a typical street:

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #8 on:** August 05, 2007, 04:03:58 AM

Some scenery from near the city we were in:

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #9 on:** August 05, 2007, 04:04:31 AM

More Scenery:

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #10 on:** August 05, 2007, 04:05:32 AM

A typical holiday spread. Here I am with my host brother, sitting on the floor as usual. Notice I'm wearing my coat inside, they don't really heat their houses as much as we do, and it gets really cold!!

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #11 on:** August 05, 2007, 04:06:33 AM

Speaking of holiday food, a lot of these showed up around New Years!

;D Fortunately I didn't see this on my plate!

J-sews · **Reply #12 on:** August 05, 2007, 06:38:08 AM

What are those....Cow Heads!!?? For New Years?

prime77 · **Reply #13 on:** August 05, 2007, 06:42:35 AM

Great story and pics NeitherExtreme. I like the look of the bare metal KF4.

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #14 on:** August 05, 2007, 03:31:06 PM

Quote from: J-sews on August 05, 2007, 06:38:08 AM

What are those....Cow Heads!!?? For New Years?

Of course... when do you have your cow heads?

Def

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2007, 09:05:39 PM

Quote from: Defender on August 05, 2007, 03:31:06 PM

Quote from: J-sews on August 05, 2007, 06:38:08 AM
What are those....Cow Heads!!?? For New Years?

Of course... when do you have your cow heads?

Def

Some of us at least pretend to be civilised

Bloody colonials

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2007, 09:28:42 PM

Civilized? This from the country that produced Monty Python and The Weakest Link?

And lets not even start on the Who!

Def

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #17 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:22:58 PM

Quote from: Defender on August 07, 2007, 09:28:42 PM

Civilized? This from the country that produced Monty Python and The Weakest Link?

And lets not even start on the Who!

Def
BOW CHICK A WOW WOW ;D ;D

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2007, 10:24:18 PM

Quote from: micky d on August 07, 2007, 10:22:58 PM

Quote from: Defender on August 07, 2007, 09:28:42 PM
Civilized? This from the country that produced Monty Python and The Weakest Link?

And lets not even start on the Who!

Def

BOW CHICK A WOW WOW ;D ;D

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #19 on:** August 07, 2007, 11:21:26 PM

I don't want to know why you have pictures like that handy!

Def

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #20 on:** August 08, 2007, 11:51:14 AM

Quote from: Defender on August 07, 2007, 11:21:26 PM

I don't want to know why you have pictures like that handy!

Def

I'm single and I'm lonely ;D

J-sews · **Reply #21 on:** August 08, 2007, 11:54:13 PM

Yikes! I would have to be EXTREMELY lonely before I would keep that picture around!

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #22 on:** August 08, 2007, 11:58:04 PM

Up until now, I didn't know there was that level of loneliness!

Def

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #23 on:** August 09, 2007, 10:37:37 AM

Quote from: Defender on August 08, 2007, 11:58:04 PM

Up until now, I didn't know there was that level of loneliness!

Def

I think I've reached that new level, and it's dark in here

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #24 on:** August 09, 2007, 02:27:48 PM

Another thread, shamefully lost, long before it's time!

Def

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #25 on:** August 09, 2007, 09:54:13 PM

Quote from: Defender on August 09, 2007, 02:27:48 PM

Another thread, shamefully lost, long before it's time!

Def

so anyway back to the modded kf4

J-sews · **Reply #26 on:** August 10, 2007, 04:15:06 AM

Quote from: micky d on August 09, 2007, 09:54:13 PM

so anyway back to the modded kf4

No wait, I want to go back to the cow heads!

Mike, Lord of the Spammers! · **Reply #27 on:** August 10, 2007, 11:02:24 AM

Quote from: J-sews on August 10, 2007, 04:15:06 AM

Quote from: micky d on August 09, 2007, 09:54:13 PM
so anyway back to the modded kf4

No wait, I want to go back to the cow heads!

NeitherExtreme · **Reply #28 on:** August 10, 2007, 10:36:52 PM

Quote from: J-sews on August 10, 2007, 04:15:06 AM

No wait, I want to go back to the cow heads!

Good for you, I was happy to leave them in Central Asia! Eww! My wife and I were leading a group of six, and the other guy's host family butchered a sheep, and he got to nibble on that one evening. We were all lucky that none of us were served horse!

Edit: He got to eat the sheep's head, lungs, and other things that he couldn't name.

J-sews · **Reply #29 on:** August 11, 2007, 03:49:10 AM

I can understand people eating those animal parts if they are hungry enough, but it sounds as if they are saving the gruesome parts for holiday celebrations?

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My (slightly) modded KF4 beater (with story).

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