Titanium Alox 93mm scales

[bushidomosquito]

The thread title is just to get your attention. This is really a call to help us find the perfect logo to put in place of a shield or cross on custom made titanium scales for 93mm SAKs.

Let me explain. "Us" is Syph007 and myself. We had realized a while back that we were both intent on taking this art of SAK modding to the next level and on track to compete with each other and once we realized that one's strengths were the other's weaknesses we decided to pool our resources and skills and work together. What we have planned is of course to re-anodize Alox scales in HA3 and colors (that will always be an option as they come with the parts we need) and incorporate 91mm tools into them. We will also be making, with the help of a CNC mill, Alox scales for 91mm SAKs with the checkered texture and the old style cross.

But the ultimate goal is 3D machined titanium scales for 93mm and possibly 84mm SAKs. We're already poised to have a glut of titanium 93 liners waterjet cut for his HA3 and my various custom 93s. Combining those with ti scales and the torx pins we will be making the most high speed low drag scissor, pliers and inline phillips wielding SAKs ever. They will be a sort of high end aftermarket chassis for Victorinox tools and will allow for replacement of anything that gets broken or worn out.

The shield is already on the Alox scales that will get reanodized. The old cross will go on the 91mm Alox scales and those will be very limited runs to avoid running afoul of Victorinox for making something they never felt like making. The titanium textured scales will need a logo of their own and that's where we could use some help. Rather than pour over it for days before we settle on something I'd like to ask everyone to think about something cool that you'd like to see on an Alox style scale. We've considered a maple leaf (Syph is Canadian) a titanium atom, and several other options but the more minds that are thinking on this the better. No reason why, with CNC machining, we can't change it up once in a while and do different logos.

So if you know of a simple basic symbol or logo that isn't copyrighted and you think it would work let's see it. I'm sure there will be plenty of good ideas.

Also, as to questions about this venture, we're still working out the details. Lots and lots of details, so the answer to anything you may want to ask will likely be, "We're not sure yet".

[Santos]

91mm alox scales would be great.. i actually had plan to do a similar idea when i finally get a CNC machine. What i have to say i wouldn't worry about 'limited runs' victorinox can hardly lay claim to a cross. Its an aftermarket item for the custom market. Much like the 'euro-style' lights to retrofit older cars

 Also if you let the modder 'drill-their-own-hole' you could use the scales on a range of non-victorinox knives and argue its a generic accessory.

as for a symbol i think your generic radioactive sign would work well on a titanium scales, all other options i think a classy silohuette of a man/women/bird/wolf
would be ideal

[ICanFixThat]

I don't know if maybe some variation of a diamond could work that would convey the hardness and beauty of the Ti.

Possibly just using "Ti" inside a triangle, or inside the outline of a mountain peak might be nice simple logo.

Hmmm... I'll think some more.

[enki_ck]

You two joining forces I can't wait to see the results. 

As for the logo, I vote for the atom. And maybe some special ones for specific models.

[Syph007]

Once I'm up and running full force with the CNC mill, changing up logos for customs will be fairly easy.  Also texture tiling is possible with the software I've been learning.  I can vectorize any bitmap image than tile it over a surface.. so dragon scales, waves, etc or anything really.  I've seen etches of pictures or even faces done.

I'm sure some people would just like plain perfectly polished Ti scales as well, and let the beauty shine on its own!

[bushidomosquito]

91mm alox scales would be great.. i actually had plan to do a similar idea when i finally get a CNC machine. What i have to say i wouldn't worry about 'limited runs' victorinox can hardly lay claim to a cross. Its an aftermarket item for the custom market. Much like the 'euro-style' lights to retrofit older cars

 Also if you let the modder 'drill-their-own-hole' you could use the scales on a range of non-victorinox knives and argue its a generic accessory.

as for a symbol i think your generic radioactive sign would work well on a titanium scales, all other options i think a classy silohuette of a man/women/bird/wolf
would be ideal

Oh, these won't be parts for sale to modders, only complete knives for sale. The parts are much more valuable assembled into knives than sold off individually. They will be able to get the pins where we get them, cut or splice them to length and change the tool configuration around if they want but we're out to take over the market and we hope it will prompt some modders to up their game so we can keep upping ours.

My concern with the 91 scales is making a part that looks very much Victorinox but isn't. If you copy someone's design too closely, especially with intent to profit from the popularity of that design, it can cause legal problems. I think the fact that they sell a knife every time we sell a knife, and the fact that we're making them more appealing to a market that otherwise would not have bought another plain 91 SAK will cover us but better safe than sorry.

[bushidomosquito]

Once I'm up and running full force with the CNC mill, changing up logos for customs will be fairly easy.  Also texture tiling is possible with the software I've been learning.  I can vectorize any bitmap image than tile it over a surface.. so dragon scales, waves, etc or anything really.  I've seen etches of pictures or even faces done.

I'm sure some people would just like plain perfectly polished Ti scales as well, and let the beauty shine on its own!

See, that's what I'm talking about. I'd never figure out that stuff and I've been a machinist for almost 20 years.

[tattoosteve99]

I would still be careful using any logo used by Vic. They are a billion dollar company and might not be keen on someone else using their logo in a "factory" type setting. The best thing I would offer is a email to them asking if it violates the copyright law. If you didn't use their logo then I would say your probably ok.

[bushidomosquito]

I would still be careful using any logo used by Vic. They are a billion dollar company and might not be keen on someone else using their logo in a "factory" type setting. The best thing I would offer is a email to them asking if it violates the copyright law. If you didn't use their logo then I would say your probably ok.

We haven't yet. We may run a few by hand since it's a simple grid pattern with the cross skipped over and send a picture to them asking how many 91s they'd like us to sell for them. Worst case scenario they say no and best case they ask us to move to Switzerland and work for them.   

[ColoSwiss]

Sounds like a neat idea! As for logos, maybe something with a profile of the Matterhorn, maybe something with an eagle ( Victorinox has used one in their ads from time to time). My main suggestion would be to keep it very clean and simple.

Karl

[Santos]

sounds like you two will be operating a sister site to swissbianco then   

[Singh]

bushidomosquito and Syph007 are joining forces to put titanium scales and liners on 93mm SAKs??!

Oh, you MAGNIFICENT  smurfs!

Logo ideas: I would say none. Let the art speak for itself (and no one can sue you).

[bushidomosquito]

bushidomosquito and Syph007 are joining forces to put titanium scales and liners on 93mm SAKs??!

Oh, you MAGNIFICENT  smurfs!

Logo ideas: I would say none. Let the art speak for itself (and no one can sue you).

Yes, we have been patting ourselves on our backs from 700 miles away about how smurfing awesome we are. 

No logo!? That's no fun. I want recognizably. I want people to look at the knives and know who made it.

I just got a quote back on liner cutting and it was reasonable but several more should be in tomorrow. Syph found 3mm and 2.5mm titanium pin stock and we worked out a super secrete method to peen pins quickly and cleanly. Looks like our first offering might be hard anodized Alox with titanium pins and liners.

[user24]

I love the Ti atom logo idea. I really like this image: http://0.tqn.com/d/chemistry/1/0/n/I/1/Titanium.jpg without the "Ti" in the center. It's subtle, symmetrical, unique, memorable, meaningful, stylish. It's got dots. What's not to love?

Can't wait! 

[bushidomosquito]

That's exactly the one I liked most when I was googleing around for titanium atoms. I want to put a "22" in the nucleus. And this where the engraving panel on the back would be,
http://t2.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/37/83/87/400_F_37838783_HuAh0TjXrmnr6PhTkWYEDXd90Gl3kibr.jpg
I like Transitional Tools for a name since titanium is a transitional metal and the knives are sure making a transition into something else. Or maybe TiAlVa for the titanium, aluminum and vanadium in the alloy? 

[tattoosteve99]

Would it be bushido007 or syph mosquito??? lol

[user24]

You could put "BS" in the middle 

Actually I'd prefer the middle left blank, but that's just my opinion.

[Santos]

Or maybe TiAlVa for the titanium, aluminum and vanadium in the alloy? 

AlTiVa sounds better... and sort of close to 'alternative'

[user24]

Or maybe TiAlVa for the titanium, aluminum and vanadium in the alloy? 

AlTiVa sounds better... and sort of close to 'alternative'

Vitala?

[Ombudsman]

Some ideas playing with the concepts of Atom, Cross and Double Ts 

[user24]

Definitely not the second one.... Sorry. It's the logo of a very cheesy 90s boy band from the UK.

http://famouslogos.org/images/Boy-Bands/take-that-logo.jpg

Robbie Williams and all that.

[nuphoria]

LOL... just spotted the Take That one - definitely one to avoid!

This whole thing is very exciting though

[Syph007]

Some ideas playing with the concepts of Atom, Cross and Double Ts 

I like the first one you did there!  I'm still not sure if Id prefer a plain or logo'd scale for my own EDC... but a logo that signifies something high end and refined would suit it.  Since we'd be ridding a standard SAK of all the low level materials and just keeping the components and springs. 

Aside from this upscaling project to standard SAKs, my own personal goal is to one day make my own complete knife, springs and components and all, not a SAK clone, but a 100% built custom. Ive got some good ideas for my own components, but it's too early to share those... and they are long long way off.  I'm learning about spring making now, but I expect making blades will be real challenge.  If I have my way, then one day maybe we can have a custom folder order site where you choose your components, materials, logo etc and order. 

[ICanFixThat]

Ha ha... oh no I liked the second one with the atom on the ring, but I would modify it so it is a TI rather than T and inverted T.   
 |   
 T

Either way good drawings.  I think the Full Atom is too complex for a logo that will be on a small knife. 

Not very original but:

[bushidomosquito]

Damn. The Take That logo was my favorite one until I scrolled down a bit, did a Google and saw the horror of the buttcheek photo. Aside from selling exclusively on Ebay I can't imagine a better way to kill sales to the UK. 

It looks like a Swiss cross. Very cool, simple to machine and such a shame. Maybe the top to top TT in a shield of some non-Victorinox design or not in the circle just freestanding like the old Alox cross?

[Ombudsman]

What about something with those Ti concepts and the old style cross logo



Also instead of an atom it could be a Titanium Crystal

[bushidomosquito]

Some ideas playing with the concepts of Atom, Cross and Double Ts 

I like the first one you did there!  I'm still not sure if Id prefer a plain or logo'd scale for my own EDC... but a logo that signifies something high end and refined would suit it.  Since we'd be ridding a standard SAK of all the low level materials and just keeping the components and springs. 

Aside from this upscaling project to standard SAKs, my own personal goal is to one day make my own complete knife, springs and components and all, not a SAK clone, but a 100% built custom. Ive got some good ideas for my own components, but it's too early to share those... and they are long long way off.  I'm learning about spring making now, but I expect making blades will be real challenge.  If I have my way, then one day maybe we can have a custom folder order site where you choose your components, materials, logo etc and order.

I like this idea too. Vic steel is good stuff but having can and bottle openers, scissors, pliers, drivers, from heat treated D2 tool steel and blades of S30V or the current super steel when we get there would be epic. Kind of like surpassing the Multitasker in a SAK platform.

[Ombudsman]

It looks like a Swiss cross. Very cool, simple to machine and such a shame. Maybe the top to top TT in a shield of some non-Victorinox design or not in the circle just freestanding like the old Alox cross?

Something like this ? 



The double T could only be read sideways 

[bushidomosquito]

Yes! Man, that's cool. What do you think Syph?

[Syph007]

Yes! Man, that's cool. What do you think Syph?

I think it looks really awesome!  Although it pretty much is a copy of the old SAK shield logo with a line through the +.