My mod idea. (thoughts welcome)

[Stirling3749]

Okay so before I get too excited about this I figured I ask around here to see what you guys think.
This is going to be my new camping SAK for whittling and finer woodcrafting. I plan on making a pair of rosewood scales for it.

1st layer: large blade, small blade
2nd layer: file, awl
3rd layer: saw, chisel

The awl will have to be made from a fine screwdriver since the regular sewing eye version is too thick for a saw or file layer.
Also the absence of a corkscrew or screwdriver means I'll need a liner without that gap and I assume also a backspring to accommodate this.
I'm told that Rotokid has unusual parts like this but I havn't asked him yet. If I do end up having to find one myself which models should I look for? I don't know allot about discontinued ones.

I've been toying with the idea of incorporating a firesteel striker on the back of the blade layer but I'd still want the solid scales without the gap so maybe a nail nick? the idea seems a bit complicated so not sure yet.

Also, this isn't that important but figured I'd ask while I'm here...
Is it possible to replace the small blade with an electricians blade? I notice it appears on the SwisschampXLT but on a different layer.

Any thoughts on this little project of mine would be greatly appreciated.

[jazzbass]

Couple thoughts -

- AKAIK, 91mm Vics don't have a blade layer without a backspring tool (corkscrew/phillips) like 84mm do. So, no factory solid rear scales and no flat backspring. Since you're making your own scales that's not a problem, but I don't think you'll find a flat backspring like you're thinking of.

- You can use an Electrician's blade instead of the small blade; I have actually done this. I used the thinner 1.6mm Electricians Blade from the 84mm Electrician. The SwissChamp XL/XLT/XAVT knives use the 93mm Alox version blade, which is 1.75mm thick. You do have to drill the hole out to 2.5mm if you use the 84mm blade; this is easily done with a carbide drill bit.

- if you do a firesteel on the back of the blade layer, one option would be to shape it a lot like the early style square phillips drivers. When closed, these pretty much fill up the entire area of the opening and make it like there is no opening in the back.

Good luck with the mod.

[Gareth]

Sadly I think jazzbass is right about the blade backspring.

I was given a tiny firesteel that fitted into the coils of the corkscrew so that might be an option, though obviously that's not exactly what you were thinking about.  you'd have to ask Neil where he got them from.

[tattoosteve99]

Couldn't you use a back spring from the file or saw and just thin it down and reshape the profile? I think that would work. Lots of trouble by it's possible.

[Stirling3749]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Hmm I don't know why I thought there were 91mms made with no back tools on the blade layer, maybe I misunderstood something I read somewhere.
Have to say I'm a little disappointed but there has to be a way... there just has to be.  lol

Couldn't you use a back spring from the file or saw and just thin it down and reshape the profile? I think that would work. Lots of trouble by it's possible.

That sounds interesting. Has anyone heard of this being successfully done?

Actually for my purposes I think the liner is more important than the backspring. With a gapless liner I could just cram a cleverly shaped piece of metal in the space where the corkscrew/philips would be. No?
But as far as producing the liner goes I'm stumped.

[tattoosteve99]

Gapless liner? Have to say that one stumps me. Let me check my tool bin and see what I can figure out. I'll try to see what I can find out and see if the backspring idea will work. Also you can thin down a awl if you need. There is a penny thickness sander tutorial here somewhere.

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

An easier option might be to install a square shank Phillips to create a smooth profile.

[Stirling3749]

An easier option might be to install a square shank Phillips to create a smooth profile.

That sounds like the simplest way yet. Are those old square phillips' hard to come by?