And so it begins.... (My adventures into Alox!)

[Syph007]

I have been giving the USPS a big thumbs up so far, since over the last 3 years of shipping out SAKs to the US, none gone lost or damaged... until last week!   

It looks like someone bloody stabbed the package, or swung a pickaxe?  Is that standard USPS procedure? We like to take a few swings with a pickaxe into the mail just to see what happens....

The customer was happy to swap scales himself to repair the problem so I shipped him out an new set of scales and he is happy. 

I guess I shouldn't complain about 1 damaged package in 3 yrs, but wtf...

Probably took a bullet and saved the mailmans life

Ha! That would be a much better story.

Hey, I'm that guy!! I'm very happy indeed. When I first noticed that mark I thought to myself maybe I can live with it, after all this knife was to be a user. A replacement for a well worn red cadet. But there was just something about it that bothered me. You know new knife and all. Anyway Syph007 immediately offered to make it right even though it wasn't his fault. The man will have more of my business as soon as I can save the cash for my next mod. I been very busy but will get some pics up as soon as I'm able. In the mean time I'm carrying this beautiful tool every day at work and loving it.

Hey welcome to the forum.   Hope you dont mind me using your pics, I wanted to show the damage that poor SAK endured.  I got to all this effort to polish everything and the post office goes and does that!

[whill44]

Hope you dont mind me using your pics, I wanted to show the damage that poor SAK endured.  I got to all this effort to polish everything and the post office goes and does that!
[/quote]

I don't mind at all. The polish still looks great and the quality shines through. I'll tell you I wasn't sure about the size difference from a cadet to the pioneer but the scissors make all the difference. 

[Syph007]

Project potato masher worked great!

Sorry for the crumby cell phone pic, but you get the idea. 62 naked SAK scales! 

They are going for black/blue/gray.  I had 10 sets of gray ages ago and rarely they were asked for, but recently Ive had alot of requests.  Also what is interesting to me is red used to be the most popular but now it is black by a wide margin.

[jrp316]

Also what is interesting to me is red used to be the most popular but now it is black by a wide margin.

There you have it, folks. Black is the new black.

[Syph007]

Someone wanted a dual blade BO setup with serrations so I got to do that config again.

He was ok with a non BO'd metal saw, but it does bug my OCD a tiny bit.   I tried BOing a new style one and it didnt turn out, the old ones work fine though but arent as good of a file. 

[TazzieRob]

These BO tools with coloured alox scales make me think of sports cars with black alloy wheels. Not really my thing, but very nicely done. I still may commission something from Syph yet. The black scales with red liners and standard ss tools is 

[Syph007]

I'll state for the record that I am not a big fan of G10 at all.  Its ok, but to me its just reinforced plastic and plastic on knives well just isn't my thing.  Which is why I love alox SAKs so much.  Swapping nickel silver or brass liners for plastic to me is a downgrade, but this is a relatively easy way to get colored liners without having to anodize Aluminum ones.

Now Ive had enough people ask me for G10 liners on alox mods over the last couple years that I finally caved and did a 3 color run of G10 liners for some people that wanted them and also as a curiosity and waterjet test of the material.

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I was really curious about delamination of G10 as its a problem with some materials and waterjet.  You can see here where the jet pierced the material the delamination was significant.  Unfortunately that means I could not cut the holes and could only get the profiles done. 

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The orange liners I think would look pretty nice with HA black scales, so I do want to build one of those as a test.  I imagine if I wet sand the edges and then wipe with acetone that should give the waterjet edges a smooth look.

So this was the biggest waste of money since I started modding.  I dont like G10 at all, and I knew I didnt, but I had to go do it didnt I.      

Since they are a loss overall as I think I paid $3 per cut, and I have no use for them, if anyone wants any you can have them cheap.  Let me know if interested.  I like metal liners and will stick to those.

[captain spaulding]

Well at least now you know. Mistakes are the best way to learn.

[rickinFL]

Are they .40? 
How do you line them up for holes?  I've always predrilled mine and shaped using liner/spring.  I think I have a set of ti that you may have cut along with birds head and I've been wanting to drill the drills but a bit intimidated and would hate to ruin them. 

Did you cut the birds head as well?

[Syph007]

Are they .40? 
How do you line them up for holes?  I've always predrilled mine and shaped using liner/spring.  I think I have a set of ti that you may have cut along with birds head and I've been wanting to drill the drills but a bit intimidated and would hate to ruin them. 

Did you cut the birds head as well?

Yep they are 0.040".  I only had these cut not the spacers for the blade tip.

Yes putting holes in liners are a pain!  Here is how to do it though. Yout need to make what I would call a drilling jig board. 

Use a stack of 3 or more stock liners as the template and clamp them to the fattest end first and use those as a guide to make the first hole.

Once you have a hole in that end, you put a dowel pin (or broken drill bit) through that hole and the templates and mount that on a board.  Then you carefully drill 2 more holes in the board not the liners, to hold the liners overs the part to be drilled with just a tad of tenstion so they dont move.  Then drill the last 2 holes.

[rickinFL]

Very cool system.  Once again go above and beyond to help.  As always, much appreciated sir.

I will be able to use broken bits.  Not sure how they last you so long but 15 or so cuts is all I can manage before I hear that tear generating crack.  I am sure there is far too much vibration in my press.  Need to bolt that sucker down one of these days.

[Syph007]

Ok here is a picture blast of today's work...

[MadPlumbarian]

Another beauty syph! JR

[Syph007]

[Syph007]

This one has a whole pile of tools. 

[MadPlumbarian]

I'd say! Just swap out the pruner for the can opener, and the awl for a file and you got the Pharmber! Nice job! JR

[sir_mike]

I'd say! Just swap out the pruner for the can opener, and the awl for a file and you got the Pharmber! Nice job! JR

That would be a nice setup for sure!  I would carry it!

[MadPlumbarian]

I'd say! Just swap out the pruner for the can opener, and the awl for a file and you got the Pharmber! Nice job! JR

That would be a nice setup for sure!  I would carry it!

It is, I carry it. Hey Syph remember this one? She's the best!! JR

[Syph007]

I'd say! Just swap out the pruner for the can opener, and the awl for a file and you got the Pharmber! Nice job! JR

That would be a nice setup for sure!  I would carry it!

It is, I carry it. Hey Syph remember this one? She's the best!! JR
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Glad it's still going strong!

[mrynnr]

Gosh Syph007, I can look at pictures of your customs all day.

[Monrogue]

Great work on those Syph

[sf_duke]

Very nice work Syph...really like the pruner blade.

[J.G.]

I just finnished reading all the posts ( took me 2 days )

Great work Syph!! Very beautifull SAK"s, I love them all!!

It was really interesting to see your progress and experimenting with different options, procceses and tools. Loved to see how you start doing more and more yourself.

Keep it up! You're a excellent craftsman!

[Syph007]

I just finnished reading all the posts ( took me 2 days )

Great work Syph!! Very beautifull SAK"s, I love them all!!

It was really interesting to see your progress and experimenting with different options, procceses and tools. Loved to see how you start doing more and more yourself.

Keep it up! You're a excellent craftsman!

Whoa! Thats some dedication to read through 3 years of this topic.  

I got some new alox mods coming next month to freshen things up a bit too, so keep reading.   

[Etherealicer]

I just finnished reading all the posts ( took me 2 days )

Great work Syph!! Very beautifull SAK"s, I love them all!!

It was really interesting to see your progress and experimenting with different options, procceses and tools. Loved to see how you start doing more and more yourself.

Keep it up! You're a excellent craftsman!

Whoa! Thats some dedication to read through 3 years of this topic.  

I got some new alox mods coming next month to freshen things up a bit too, so keep reading.   

Well, it has been read over 180'000 times so thats many people crawling through this goldmine.

[J.G.]

I just finnished reading all the posts ( took me 2 days )

Great work Syph!! Very beautifull SAK"s, I love them all!!

It was really interesting to see your progress and experimenting with different options, procceses and tools. Loved to see how you start doing more and more yourself.

Keep it up! You're a excellent craftsman!

Whoa! Thats some dedication to read through 3 years of this topic.  

I got some new alox mods coming next month to freshen things up a bit too, so keep reading.   

As long as you keep making these awesome SAK's I'll keep reading.
Can't wait to see your next mod!

[tattoosteve99]

Still waiting on Alox 91mm scales

[Etherealicer]

Still waiting on Alox 91mm scales

I can only add

[El Rago]

me too

[Syph007]

Still waiting on Alox 91mm scales

I can only add