[off topic, kinda] What screws are good for

[Marius]

 

[gustophersmob]

The idea of replacing the pins with screws is something I go back ad forth on.

I like the idea of being able to disassemble for cleaning, changing out a tool, and for adjusting tension.

On the other hand, now that I have some experience peening, I think it is easier to adjust tension that way.  It is also possibly more field-expedient.  If in the middle of the woods, and theknife loosens up, you are more likely to have some rocks to bash the pins than a #6 torx bit.

That, plus reassembly with the backsprings can be more fiddly than a frame-lock tactical knife.

So, I can't decide what I like 

BTW, your knife: 

[Syph007]

Marius out of 80 customs Ive sold, you are the only one I know of that has actually taken them apart!   Im glad you are good at it now though!

[papercut]

One thing that has confused me about the use of torx screws is that folks are using non metric screws to fit metric holes requiring all parts need to be bored out very precisely.  Wouldn't it be more efficient to use metric screws (2.5/3mm).  Is the problem that they are not available?  It seems odd, surely somebody is fabricating metric torx screws? 

Am I missing something?

[Syph007]

All the supply stores I buy parts from are in the US hence imperial.  If there is a euro based knife supply that makes hardened stainless pivots, its a big secret since noone has ever found them.

[papercut]

Syph is Johnny on the spot as always!

Syph, please PM or post your ideal spec for the screws and posts.  I live in a small Asian country with a highly developed (and metric) materials and high technology market.  It may be possible to source what you require, I can check around.  I'll be coming back Stateside in a couple of weeks, so I may be able to save you some postage is available :p.

I am surprised that what you are looking for is not available in Germany/Switzerland though, any feelers over there?

[lowtech]

I´ve been looking butdid not find metric supplies here in germany - Screws in any head form and style are no problem, butiwas not able to find pivots in sizes small enough until now.
Maybe if you buy in industrial amounts...

[crackout]

Threaded pivots are normally used to screw together closets. That's why the only ones I could find (here in Germany) were really thick (M6+).
I ended up having them made on a lathe by a friend.

[nuphoria]

I don't have much to add except, lovely pic

[Syph007]

I figured I should learn to peen so I did a test last night and made some beautiful spun rivet heads with nickel silver rod.   I assembled my cadet II with scissors, popped on the back scale, then looked at what I had and realized I had to hit it with a hammer to finish the job.  I tried a variety of guards, brackets and dohickies, but in the end its damn hard to peen rivets on colored alox, have them look perfect, and not mess up at all.  So... I wont be peening and just sticking to what works for me,... screws and pivots.

[Syph007]

And in the interest of full disclosure....  Keep in mind this was my first try at it, Im sure the guys that peen on colored alox alot have their tricks to help, but I dont have any tricks yet.





So this one is coming back apart, and getting a fresh back scale and screws.

[crackout]

I guess you peened (screw pivot prepped) countersunk scales?
I found these to be not suited at all for this method in terms of snappiness.

[Syph007]

Oh snap is not the problem, lots of that.  Functionwise its perfect, but esthetically I would not sell one so ugly on the back.    I'll just stick to using what I know. 

[gustophersmob]

Yeah, I think it takes practice more than anything.  Mine look better and better each time I do it.  Not really sure what I'm doing differently either.   

BTW, I did not intend any of the comments in my previous post as slighting the mods you and bushido do.  I think they are awesome, I just have a hard time deciding which method I prefer. 

[Syph007]

Oh I've seen some nice peen jobs, I just can't do them!

Here is the above SAK fixed from me trying to peen.  Much nicer than before!

[Marius]

Looking good with screws, Robert. Not that shaby before either, I am sure if you would continue on this results would improve.

What are the apparent stains on the advertising panel area? Oil?

[Syph007]

Not sure, I didn't notice when I grabbed the scale from my parts pile.  Must have been some irregularity in the anodizing.  I'm going to call it special blue camo.

[WiSAKfan]

Threaded pivots are normally used to screw together closets. That's why the only ones I could find (here in Germany) were really thick (M6+).
I ended up having them made on a lathe by a friend.

do you mean ready made closet shelving and hanger space??

[papercut]

So is the grail for screwed alox hardened 3mm pivots with M2 threading, and hardened 2.5mm posts with M2 threading?  Is length an issue or are they custom ground to fit the size?

My thinking is the right pivots, posts, and screws plus Syph's custom scissor spring (and a touch of drilling on  91mm scissors) could lead to new option of standardized DIY kits.  Pre-broken down pioneers/farmers with the right parts to assemble them at your leisure in your own home.  This way Syph could clear out his "standard" mods while focusing on the more creative ventures.

 

[tattoosteve99]

Not bad looking there not bad at all . There is a little secret though. Practice and more practice. Also for alox if you look at the sticky in the mod squad, Harryf3 had the nicest peen job I've ever seen. He used a set of special punches to finish up the pivots. I made a set similar but not as nice as his .

[Syph007]

I'm pretty happy with the 1/8 pivots from the knifekits.  They are high quality well designed pivots and there plenty of screw options.   I get a discount on large purchases of them, and all my parts and accessories are meant to work with them.  A 2.5mm pivot and screw would be pretty tiny wouldnt it?

[crackout]

do you mean ready made closet shelving and hanger space??

Not sure how you guys call this. It's used to connect two closet bodies.

[lister]

do you mean ready made closet shelving and hanger space??

Not sure how you guys call this. It's used to connect two closet bodies.

(Image removed from quote.)

chicago screws?

[papercut]

I'm pretty happy with the 1/8 pivots from the knifekits.  They are high quality well designed pivots and there plenty of screw options.   I get a discount on large purchases of them, and all my parts and accessories are meant to work with them.  A 2.5mm pivot and screw would be pretty tiny wouldnt it?

Plus all your custom steel is cut to imperial standards...  Oh well, just a thought. I still want to see if I can source the correct parts over here though. For farmer/pioneer 3 and 2.5 mm for cadet and

Cheers!

[Syph007]

Cadets would be tougher.. they use 3x 2.2 mm

[papercut]

Yes, tougher to find, but you don't live in a country with a highly developed microization and electronics production industry. 

3.0, 2.5, and 2.2 pivots with M2 thread, what is a good spec for the steel?

And what are the sizes for the cellidor models?

[papercut]

Here are a few 3.0mm pivots with screws.  They might be too short at 12mm though:

http://www.kmts.co.za/Main.asp?D=%7BA0AC6DA7-B46A-4357-9055-1737E3F58616%7D&PageType=Product&SKU=DP3%2E0T090

http://www.assistedknife.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/33812/subcatid/84139/id/553205

So the 3mm ones are out there!

[bushidomosquito]

Yes, tougher to find, but you don't live in a country with a highly developed microization and electronics production industry. 

3.0, 2.5, and 2.2 pivots with M2 thread, what is a good spec for the steel?

And what are the sizes for the cellidor models?

Something I would love to get my hands on is some samples of stainless or titanium capillary tubing. It's wire sized seamless tubing in every inner and outer diameter you can imagine.

It would be perfect for alox scales without having to countersink them for screws. You could just cut them up into the proper lengths, spin the ends polished in a Dremel chuck and set them with a polished center punch in each end. Then you have a hollow pin that you can attach bails to with a pin through the tube or thread an aircraft cable attachment through. You could remove and replace the pins as needed by cutting the tube inside with a burr and popping it apart. Much easier to deal with without damaging nice HA scales than solid pins.

 

The only problem is getting it in small quantities in the US. It's all made in Asia now and available through places like Alibaba but you have to buy huge quantities. If I could get my hands on about 100 inches or so of tubes of the proper diameters with around a 0.8mm wall thickness that would be spectacularly amazing mind bogglingly cool. Syph wants a bunch too I'm sure and I wouldn't be surprised to see him stamping together tubed economy models if we had it. I would make it worth your while if you could track that down. 

[crackout]

So what you're saying is that a part of the tube sticks out of the scale and a large size center punch bends over the tubing wall so it's fixed?

[Syph007]

Yep I think thats exactly what he means.  It would look like the hollow rivet in a standard soldier model.

And yes papercut, if you are in asia and have any way to source the Ti capilary tubing in metric sizes, I would love to work a deal for cash, modding stuff, customs.. whatever.   If its thick walled enough and Ti is strong, it could be tapped and a screw could be put in as well.  So you could use it as rivet stock or pivot screw stock and any length you need.  I'd forgotten all about looking for that after I tried and couldn't find any before.

2.5 and 3.0 mm Ti (grade 5, not pure Ti) capillary tube! I know it exists, I just never could find it.